ESKIMOS 141 



about two thousand persons, divided about equally between the 

 Atlantic coast and the remainder of the peninsula. 



ANNUAL ROUTINE. 



The Eskimo, even to a greater extent than the Indian, 

 depends upon the chase for his existence. The Indian is depend- 

 ent, in the uncivilized state, on the animals he kills for food 

 and clothing, while the Eskimo must not only get his sustenance 

 and raiment by the chase, but also his fuel, which is either 

 obtained from the blubber of seals and whales, or from the fat 

 of the barren-ground caribou. 



The yearly round of life of the Eskimo differs but little any- 

 where, except on the Atlantic coast of Labrador, where it has 

 been modified by the missionaries. A description of the annual 

 life of an Eskimo of the east coast of Hudson bay is typical of 

 that of the other tribes, and only accidental variations occur, 

 due to the prevalence of -particular game, such as the musk-ox, 

 in some regions. 



During the winter the Eskimo lives in a snowhouse or iglo; '{/ 

 in the summer in a tent or tupik, made of seal or deer skins. 

 The year begins with the lengthening days of January, and this 

 is usually a period of hard times, lasting for a couple of months. 

 The Eskimo of the southern regions is then on his yearly 

 journey to the trading post, where he will exchange the pro- 

 ceeds of the past year's hunt for ammunition, tobacco, and a 

 few luxuries of clothing and tools. The ice along the coast in 

 January does not extend far from the shore, and the seals keep 

 in the open water, where they can only be killed by being shot 

 from the edge of the ice. This is a very uncertain subsistence 

 for the native, owing to the storms of the season, which either 

 break the ice from the shore, or crow r d its edge with small float- 

 ing cakes, forming an impassable barrier to the open water. If 

 a good supply of deermeat has not been laid by during the fall, 

 periods of starvation are now frequent ; these, when severe and 



