CHAPTER X. ' 



Stupart's Bay Station. 



characteristics of the eskimo — description of the kayak— 

 the difficulties of inland travel — the " american man ' 

 — eskimo villages — articles of trade. 



Where the swan, and the duck, and the curlew breed, 

 And the geese, by thousands, come to feed, 

 And the reindeer, bound on the rocky plains, 

 And the Husky thrives on his hunting gains. 



'AS we met a very large number of Eskimos at Prince of Wales 

 Sound, Stupart's Bay, I must not pass the place without 

 referring to some of their peculiarities. Their customs and 

 characteristics are, for the most part, similar to the North 

 American Indians, and the points of greatest difference are where the 

 difference of latitude and climate enforce a change. They wear but 

 two garments — generally of seal-skin or reindeer skin — jackets 

 which they slip on over their heads, and sort of trowsers of the same 

 material, with skin boots. There is a hood on the jacket which 

 they pull over their heads at will. The men and women dress ex- 

 actly the same, except that there is a long narrow trail or tail to the 

 jackets worn by the women, generally decorated with trimmings. 

 They never put any clothing on the infants. These are kept in a 

 completely nude state until about one or two years of age, protected 

 from the cold by being tucked down the backs of their mothers, 

 under their loose jackets. When they become hungry they crawl 

 up and over the naked shoulder of their mother, and when supplied 

 crawl back again. They look very dirty, and in this respect greatly 

 resemble their parents. 



The Eskimos, in their original state, or as they are found to-day, 



