180 CEUISE OF THE NEPTUXE 



deerskin, all very neatly applique. On the east side of Hudson 

 bay the women wear breeches and boots very similar in cut to 

 those of the men, but on the west coast they are quite dissimilar. 

 There the breeches are very loose, and reach almost to the 

 ankles, where they are gathered in. Between the knee and 

 ankle they have a curious bag on the outer side of the leg, which 

 is used for their feet when seated within the snow-houses, the 

 footwear being removed and the feet withdrawn inside the 

 breeches and thrust into these bags a very comfortable plan. 

 With such long and clumsy looking breeches, short shoes and 

 socks must be worn. 



The women arrange their hair in different fashions, often 

 attempting to follow those set by their more civilized sisters of 

 the trading stations. For example, the prevailing fashion on 

 the east side of Hudson bay is to wear the hair cut short, like 

 that of the wife o'f the officer of the Hudson's Bay Company at 

 Great Whale river. About Cumberland gulf the hair is usually 

 put up in a knot on the back of the head, and this is sometimes 

 varied by small side knots over the ears. Among the Aivilliks 

 and Kenipitus, the prevailing fashion is two rolled braids 

 wound with string or ribbon, one over each ear. The hair when 

 dressed for native state occasions is separated into two side 

 locks, each of which is covered by a highly ornamented covering 

 sewn with beads, and worn as long cylinders hanging down over 

 the breasts. 



The children's clothing, when they wear any, is very similar 

 to that of the grown people, except that the girls, until they are 

 nearly mature, are not provided with tailed coats. Infants are 

 carried perfectly naked in their mother's hoods until they are 

 about two years old. 



MORAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



The Eskimo as a rule is strictly honest, and the occasional 

 thief is looked down upon by the wild native as well as by the 



