172 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [eth.ann. 18 



he prized it very much from its association, and it was only after two 

 years of careful effort that I succeeded in obtaining it by paying what 

 he considered a large price. Other jade knives, somewhat similar to 

 this but much smaller and with less perfect blades, were also seen. 



Knives are usually worn by the Eskimo in a sheath strapped to the 

 outside of the right thigh, just below the hip, so that the handle may 

 readily be grasped ; some of the men, however, have the sheath sus- 

 pended from the waist belt. 



DRAG HANDLES 



Drag handles, attached to a stout permanent loop of sealskin cord, 

 are used for hauling dead seals or other heavy weights over the snow 

 or ice. They are made of wood, bone, ivory, or deerhorn, carved in a 

 variety of forms, considerable ingenuity being exercised in adapting 

 the designs to the shape of the handle and to the purpose for which it 

 is to be used. 



Plate Lxvi, 16, from Kushunuk, is a cylindrical wooden handle, 

 grooved around the middle for receiving the loop. 



Plate Lxvi, 4, from St Michael, is an ivory handle, in the form of a 

 crossbar, with the head of a white bear carved 



e'^*^ on each end and a square slot crosswise through 



■^ ^ f the middle for receiving the cord. 



'"■XBffl^^^^ Plate LXVI, 18, from Cape Darby, rejjresents 



^^^j^^sii-^^***^^^^ two white whales lashed together on their ven- 

 FiG.46-Cordhandieofivor.v(i). ^^al surfaccs and picrccd through the middle for 



receiving the ends of the cords, which project 

 through their mouths and form a loop on that end. The other ends of 

 the whales terminate in a ring from which are suspended six links 

 of ivory ; to the last link of one of these chains is suspended a small 

 carving in the form of a whale's tail. 



Plate LXVI, 14, shows a handle, from Sledge island, in the form of a 

 white bear. A Cord passes through the lower surface. 



A rounded block, carved in the form of two seals lying face to face, 

 with their fore-tlirpers along their muzzles, is illustrated in plate lxvi, 

 1. It has two holes pierced in one end which join and issue as a single 

 hole at the other end. It was obtained at Unalaklit. 



Plate LXVI, 15, represents a handle, from Sledge island, in the shape 

 of a white whale, which is iiierced transversely for the cord. 



Figure 46 shows an ivory cord handle from Sledge island. It is an 

 extremely artistic carving, representing the head of a white bear with 

 a small seal in its mouth. On the lower surface of the head is a figure, 

 in relief, of another seal. 



Plate LXVI, 19, shows another elaborate drag handle from Cape Darby. 

 The central portion consists of a piece of ivory, pierced by two round 

 holes, and a third one forming a slot through which is passed the cord 

 for the loop. From one of these rings is hung, as a link, the tail of a 

 whale, and from the other two chains, each consisting of eight links, 



