140 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



outer black skin becomes decomposed. This, together 

 with the hair, is readily peeled off, and a clean white 

 pelt remains. 



Two men then take the pelt in hand, and with a 

 sharp knife cut it into one long even white line, 

 by commencing at one end and cutting around and 

 around until at length the other end is reached. One 

 skin in this way will make three hundred feet of line. 

 In this condition it is allowed to partially dry, after 

 which it is tightly stretched and dried thoroughly in 

 the sun. The result obtained is a hard even white line 

 three-eighths of an inch in diameter, but equal in 

 strength to a three-inch manilla rope. 



I have seen such a line, when imbedded in the flesh 

 of a walrus at one end, and spiked to the hard ice at 

 the other by a stout iron pin, as well as being held by 

 six men, plough a furrow six inches deep through the 

 ice, bend the spike and drag the six men to the edge of 

 the ice, where the tug of war ended, the walrus, victori- 

 ous, taking the unbreakable line with him into the deep. 



Smaller seal thongs, such as are extensively used 

 as lashings for komiticks, kyacks, handles, etc., are 

 made in much the same way as I have described, except 

 that the hide of smaller seals is used, and often the pro- 

 cess of removing the outer black skin is omitted, the hair 

 being simply scraped off with a sharp knife or scraper. 



Finer lines, such as those used for fishing or for wind- 

 ing whip-stocks, and thread for sewing purposes, are 

 manufactured from reindeer sinew. The best is that 

 obtained from along the spine, which is always saved 

 from the carcase. It is prepared for use by first drying 

 and then rubbing till it becomes quite soft, when it is 



