30 THE LIFE OF 'E. J. PECK 



The word " Kayak," which is the skin-covered 

 canoe of the Eskimo, may perhaps point to their 

 origin. Dr. Isaac Taylor derived it from a primi- 

 tive word common to the Yakut and Seljuk races 

 in Asia. According to him the original meaning 

 would be a birch-covered canoe, but in lands where 

 skin has of necessity to take the place of other 

 material, the name has been retained though the 

 fabric does not exist. There may, to say the least, 

 be some history contained in this very small nut- 

 shell. 



Again, it seems likely that the perpetual feud 

 existing between the various Indian tribes on the 

 one hand, and the Eskimos on the other, as well as 

 the debatable land which separates them, points 

 to a difference of race. We should also bear in 

 mind the tone of contempt which the former adopt 

 in speaking of the latter a fact of which use was 

 made in opening this chapter. 



Perhaps argument from physical characteristics 

 may not be worth much, for these may be influenced 

 largely by climatic and other conditions. But 

 whether worth much or little, the features of the 

 Eskimos are in marked contrast with those of the 

 Indians, and would seem to speak of Japanese and 

 Chinamen being near of kin. 



Dr. Rink believes in an Alaskan origin, but after 

 weighing the pros and cons carefully, Dr. Boas sums 

 up : "I believe that an Alaskan origin of the Eskimo 



