902 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



has threatened to use. The unarmed man s hands are in attitudes of 

 gesture. 



The two struggling men, plate 40, fig. 4, No. 1, appear in the attitude 

 of wrestling, but the rapid approach of two others, No. 2, with spears 

 in the attitude of charging or thrusting, seems to lend more serious 

 ness to the record. The position of the legs of the combatants indicates 

 the portrayal of considerable strength being exerted. 



Nos. 3 and 8 are houses, the latter showing the column of smoke 

 considerably curved downward to the right, denoting a strong breeze 

 from the opposite direction. No. 4 is a water bird, probably a duck, 

 while No. 5 denotes a seal. An animal of this species has been cap 

 tured by the hunter, No. 6, who is dragging it home to the house, No. 8, 

 while his wife perhaps some other inmate stands at the entrance and 

 with both hands makes the gesture of request or invitation to enter, the 

 hands being thrown toward the threshold. Nos. 0, 10, and 11 are dog 

 sledges being brought back by traders from some other locality. The 

 sleds are loaded. The attitudes assumed by the men in aiding the dogs 

 in pulling are very cleverly depicted. Considerable effort is expressed 

 in the leader of the sledge at No. 10, while pushing is done by other 

 persons at the rear at Nos. 9 and 10. No. 11 is lightly loaded, as the 



1 23456 7 



Fig. 119. 



ATTACK ON VILLAGE. 



owner is seated upon the sledge, while his companion is walking leis 

 urely along behind. 



The illustration in fig. 119 represents a village, upon which an attack 

 is made by some natives from another locality. 



The figure of a rack a pole suspended horizontally upon two verti 

 cal forked posts is shown in No. 1. Fish for drying are seen attached, 

 the regularity of the short vertical strokes being evidence of the char 

 acter of the food. Nos. 2 to 6, 7, and 9 are conical huts made of boards 

 and saplings, such habitations as are erected by hunting parties when 

 they find game sufficient in any special place to prompt their going to 

 so much labor for their protection against rain or cold. In Nos. 8, 10, 

 11, 12, and 13 alarm is expressed by the signal for assistance, the arms 

 being held aloft and waved to attract attention and to indicate that 

 the presence of the beholder is desired. 



No. 14 is a tree, from behind which the enemy shot an arrow which 

 caused the alarm. The enemy had come up unperceived. 



IDEOGRAPHY, 



This subject embraces one of the most interesting in the entire realm 

 of pictography. Among the Eskimo there is less evidence of ability in 

 this direction than among some of our Indian tribes. Gesture signs 



