IVoreiuber, 1S64. 



Preparation of the Kci/-Iow-tik. 



97 



use of a strong" braided cord of sinew passed around a groove on tlie 

 outside. The lioo]) is about 2 J inches wide, IJ inches thick, and 3 

 feet in diameter, the whole instrument weigliing about 4 pounds. The 

 wooden drumstick, 10 inches in length and 3 in(;hes in diameter, is 

 called a ken-toon. 



KEY-LOW-TIK. 



Hall gives, in substance, this account of the process of prepar- 

 ing the key-low-tilx : The deer-skin which is to be the head of 

 the instrument is kept frozen when not in use. It is then thor- 

 oughly saturated with water, drawn over the hoop, and temporarily 

 fastened in its place by a piece of sinew. A line of heavy, t^yisted, 

 sinew, about 50 feet long, is now wound tightly on the groove on the 

 outside of the hoop, binding down the skin. This cord is fastened to 

 the handle of the key-low-tik, which is made to turn by the force of 

 several men (while its other end is held firmly), and the line eased out 

 as required. To do this a man sits on the bed-platform, "having one 

 or two turns of the line about his body which is incased in furred 

 deer-skins, and empaled by four upright pieces of wood." Tension is 

 secured by using a round stick of wood as a lever on the edge of the 



skin, drawing it from beneath the cord. AVhen any whirring sound is 

 S, Ex. 27 7 



