878 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Plate 22, fig. 1, represents an ivory drill bow from Kotzebue Sound. 

 The implement is 15 inches in length and seven-eighths of an inch in 

 width. Besides being undulating the specimen is polished down at 

 intervals of 2 inches in such a manner as to represent or produce slight 

 constrictions, as will be observed from the illustration. It represents a 

 hunting record, the hunter or owner of the specimen being shown at the 

 left in the attitude of shooting at a bear, which animal is accompanied 

 by seven others of the same species. Some of these are separated by 

 vertical lines, thus forming partitions in the record. At the extreme 

 right is another illustration of whale hunting, and to intelligently un 

 derstand the engraving the bow must be turned around. The hunter is 

 here represented in his kaiak, above which is an irregular circle con 

 nected with the whale by a sharply denned line. This represents a 

 harpoon cord and the seal-skin float which is usually attached to impede 

 the progress of the captive. The whale is represented with great 

 accuracy. Above the outline of the kaiak will be seen a native draw 

 ing a bow, the arrow being directed forward toward a flock of geese, 

 numbering seven, one preceding the other, in a very lifelike attitude. 



Plate 68, fig. 2, shows an old and age-stained specimen of ivory, also 

 representing a drill bow, from Kotzebue Sound. The under surface is 

 the one represented in the illustration. At the extreme left are five 

 bear skins and a long-tailed animal which may denote the otter. To 

 the right of the vertical line the line denoting the separation between 

 two records are engraved the figures of three white men, or perhaps 

 only two, as the two are of the figures portrayed with the rimmed 

 hats. One of these is handing a small object to his companion, whose 

 hands appear to be stuck in his pockets. To the right of this individual 

 are six cone-like objects connected at the apex by a continuous line, 

 and between which are rude upright objects resembling columns of 

 smoke. These are summer habitations, with probably indications of 

 smoke from the camp fires. In the middle of the record are two cone- 

 like structures, denoting mountains, between which is a semicircle 

 deeply engraved with short lateral lines representing a conventional 

 tree symbol with branches at either end and upon the sides. The sig 

 nification of this appears to be that between two mountain regions 

 occurs an abundance of timber. This method of portraying an abun 

 dance of anything is very similar to a common practice adopted by many 

 of the Indian tribes of the United States, especially the Ojibwa and 

 some of the Shoshonian tribes. 1 The four triangular figures to the right 

 represent huts, while a continuous line extends from the mountain 

 toward the right and connects with a man disguised in a wolf skin. 

 The signification of this is not clear. It may denote the act of a shaman 

 in such disguise approaching the habitations and extracting something 

 therefrom, or he may intend harm to one of the occupants; or it may 



Compare with portrayal of mountains and adjoining marsh on the &quot;Chuckche 

 Year record,&quot; in plate 81, at tig. 26. 



