CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 89 



shapes and styles of this one article that it would be impossible to give a description of all. I 

 will, then, take the ones most commonly seen as examijles: 



The bowl is made of iron, brass, ivory, or stone, cylindrical, with its top flanged and two lugs 

 ou the lower end, over which the lashing passes which secures it to the stem. The bore of the 

 bowl is from one-fourth to one-half inch iu diameter and holds, when full, about a thimblefuU of 

 very finely pulvei'ized tobacco. The stem is from twelve to eighteen inches in length, and is made 

 by splitting a branch of alder or soft piece of wood in two and making a groove in each part. The 

 two parts are then put together so that the grooves lie opposite each other and are securely lashed 

 iu this i)osition with sinew. 



The women's pipe is longer than that of the men. Each is furnished with a short steel or 

 ivory pricker for clearing the bowl when it gets foul. 



FESTIVALS, GAMES, AND AMUSEMENTS. 



Living as they do in isolated settlements during the time that they are forced to lead a life of 

 inactivity, these nomadic races have few opportunities for the observance of any very elaborate 

 festal or ceremonial rites. The absence of any large council-houses or Icashimas of the Russians, 

 at any of the sites of winter habitations which we visited, naturally leads to the supijosition that 

 among these tribes the custom of inaugurating extensive feasts, in which native theatricals, story- 

 telling, and exchange of presents form a part so common among the natives elsewhere iu Alaska, 

 is not followed. 



During the short summer months those of the interior natives who have furs to barter, or who 

 care to make the journey to the coast for pleasure only, descend the rivers and joiunn the festi\i- 

 ties which annually take place at a rendezvous of all the natives of the coast and interior in this 

 region. At such times wrestling, foot races, and feats of strength and agility occupy the attention 

 of the young men and boys most of the time; and frequently a kayak race and contests between 

 the hunters in throwing the spear from a boat interest the older ones. Dancing, singing, and 

 story-telling also are iudidged in on special occasions. (See description of dance in narrative.) 



I observed several groups of natives, mostly belonging on the coast, gambling in the camp at 

 Hotham Inlet, and they were playing with ordinary cards. 



The children of all these tribes have playthings given them by their indulgent parents, and 

 the sight of a little girl fondling a doll made of wood and clothed with miniature Eskimo clothing 

 was frequent. The boys play with small spears and bows and arrows. When they have arrived 

 at the age of eight or ten they are given a canoe or kayak just large enough for them to paddle 

 about iu near the shore. 



Notation and method of reckoning time, etc. — Time in days is reckoned by "sleeps," and this 

 system of notation extends to estimates of distances. It thus happens that a certain number of 

 "sleeps" may mean so many days of time or the distance usually traveled in so many days' journey. 

 As a day's journey during the winter is equal to about three in summer, errors iu estimating dis- 

 tances are of frequent occurrence, unless the traveler has it fully understood which "sleep" is 

 meant. 



There seems to be no extensive system of numeration. The native vocabulary contains, as 

 far as 1 could learn, only the first ten cardinal numbers. For the expression of numbers greater 

 thau ten recourse is had to the fingers and toes, bits of wood or stone, and when this method fails, 

 "a great many," "too many to count," is shown by a handful of sand. 



Population. — In consequence of their nomadic life it is impossible to obtain a census of these 

 tribes by actual count. The following estimates, based upon carefully prepared data, represent 

 as nearly as it is possible to obtain the actual numbers of the natives of this region. This estimate 

 includes all the inhabitants of the Noitoc region in the north, the Kowak in the center, and the 

 Belawik in the southern portion of the section of country described in this report : Noitoc River, 

 350; Kowak River, 275; Selawik, 300— total, 925. 



