GRAPHIC ART OF THE ESKIMOS. 917 



being here reproduced with uplifted hands and once as a small being 

 they being masked and decorated with fringed sleeves and garments 

 and armed with weapons possessing mysterious power in exorcism. 

 The demon appears in nearly each instance to supplicate the shaman 

 not to strike with the uplifted rod, the gesture sign for supplication 

 being accurately portrayed, both hands being elevated toward the one 

 addressed, not only surpassing in pictorial execution the same idea as 

 found among other American aborigines, but being exactly similar to 

 the hieroglyph, for the same idea, of the Egyptians. 



Nos. 14, 15, and 16 are sledges, drawn up near to the place of the 

 dance. The representations of the sledges are more nearly like some 

 figures of the baidarka shown elsewhere, because of the almost vertical 

 bow and the dark line along the top, consisting of two horizontal lines 

 within which are short vertical strokes, the latter denoting bales of 

 peltries and furs received from other natives for barter. The man at 

 the fore part of the sledge in No. 14 is smoking a pipe, while the figures 

 on top of both No. 14 and 15 appear to enjoy the scene, their arms 

 apparently raised as if in acclamation. At No. 16 the dog is assisted 

 in pulling the sledge by the man, who is dragging at a cord, the load 

 being evidently a heavy one, as the man at the side of the sledge is 

 also tugging at it to assist in propulsion. 



The scene presented in plate 73, fig. 1, is of interest, because the 

 ceremonial dance is performed in the middle of the village, as indicated 

 by the peculiar distribution of the habitations and the sledges of the 

 visitors. 



The characters in Nos. 1, 2, and 3 denote permanent or winter habi 

 tations, upon which are observed some of the witnesses to the dance. 

 No. 4 is a high pole erected between the habitations, and upon it is an 

 effigy of an animal, while the pole itself is decorated with streamers of 

 calico or cloth, flannel, etc. No. 5 is a slender stick, upon the top of 

 which is placed the wooden effigy of a bird, the whole being designated 

 a &quot; shaman stick&quot; or votive offering, being a token or memorial erected 

 by a relative or friend to one deceased. The memorial is intended also 

 as a &quot;luck stick,&quot; i. e., a public testimonial of wishing luck to the 

 spirit of the dead. 



Near the habitation No. 2 is an oblong figure upon stilts, denoting a 

 scaffold upon which food is stored. These are so erected as to be 

 beyond the reach of dogs and noxious or predatory animals. 



Nos. 6 to 12 are sledges belonging to a party of fur traders who 

 chanced to stop at the village. At Nos. 6 and 12 the dogs have 

 already been unhitched and the owners are seated at the front, smok 

 ing their pipes. Bales of goods are indicated by the solid outline of 

 oblong figures raised upon short lines above the sledges themselves. 



The human figures represented by Nos. 13 to 22 are the shaman 

 and his assistants. These are duplicate characters of the latter por 

 trayed in driving away evil spirits, Nos. 25 .to 20, which are indicated 



