89 



are articles of trade with neighbouring tribes; but in no case 

 does another contiguous tribe appear to have adopted the 

 lamp, which remains intrinsically Eskimo. 



The Eskimo lamp, in various parts of the Eskimo world, 

 is made of different materials according to which are accessible. 

 Thus, in the east, soapstone is the main material, pottery has 

 been used in Alaska, and sandstone in Siberia. Labrador 

 specimens are made of steatite, a variety of soapstone. 



The old lamps are of a simple saucer shape (Plate XVIII A a 

 and B a). More modern specimens (Plate XVI 1 1 B b) have the 

 sides regularly and sharply accentuated, forming a definite rim 

 around the bowl. This lamp, from northern Labrador, ap- 

 proaches the Central Eskimo lamp, an almost perfect specimen 

 of which proportionally (Plate XVIII B d), is one from Chester- 

 field inlet. The Labrador lamps will hold from a pint to two or 

 three quarts of oil. One old specimen from a grave in northern 

 Labrador (Plate XVIII A b) has the ridge characteristic of the 

 Alaskan lamp. This regulates the feed of oil to the wick on the 

 straight edge, and is perhaps a later development of Eskimo 

 invention. This lamp is considerably larger and deeper than 

 the other Labrador specimens, measuring 12 by 18 inches, 

 with the ridge 1 inch thick. On Coats island, Hudson bay, a 

 lamp was obtained from an old grave (woman's) which was 

 simply a stone hollowed out by the water, that had evidently 

 been picked up on the beach. 



This was found in company with one of the old kettles 

 made of limestone slabs tied together with sinew (also found 

 on Southampton island) and two firestones of pyrites. The use 

 of naturally hollowed stones suggest that it may have led to 

 the making of artificial shapes which resulted in the present 

 Eskimo lamp. The lamp, as we find it among the Eskimo, 

 appears to be their own invention. 



The case of the stone kettle is not so unique, although it 

 would suggest itself as the natural complement of the lamp. 

 It is suspended over the lamp, and used for boiling meat. At the 

 present time, the old stone kettle has been entirely superseded 

 by modern articles offered by the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 and specimens are very rare and hard to obtain. Three speci- 



