NELSON] PAINT BOXES POTTERY 201 



the flippers and the bottom of the box, are colored red. The rear end 

 of the cover is blue, and the remainder of the box is black. 



An oval box from St Lawrence island (number 652G7) represents the 

 rude outline of a seal with a smaller one on its back, which forms the 

 cover, fitting like a stopper. On the back of the cover are inlaid six 

 halves of blue beads. A sinew cord projecting several inches through 

 the cover serves for raising it. The eyes of the larger seal are formed 

 by round pieces of ivory, with some black substance filling a hole in 

 the center of each to indicate the pupil. 



An oblong wooden box from I^univak island (number 43878) is made 

 of two pieces, the lower two-thirds forming the main part and the other 

 the cover, which is held in place by two bone pegs inserted in the lower 

 edge, at each end, and fitting into corresponding holes in the ends of 

 the lower portion of the box. On the sides and ends of the box are inlaid 

 square strips of ivory, about half an inch from the edge, and a number 

 of small ivory pegs are set in the space between the inlaid strips. 



POTTERY , 



The manufacture of pottery from clay is widely spread among the 

 Eskimo with whom I came in contact, but the women are the only 

 potters. 'J he process of making vessels from clay, as witnessed at St 

 Michael, is as follows: 



A quantity of tough, blue clay is moistened and kneaded thoroughly 

 with the hands until it assumes plasticity; then short, tough blades of a 

 species of marsh grass and a small quantity of fine, black, volcanic sand 

 from the beach are mixed with it. A round, flat laj'^er of the prepared 

 clay is worked out to form the bottom of the vessel, and about the edge 

 of this a wall is built up with a thin band of clay, carried around a num- 

 ber of times until the desired height is reached. The top is then 

 smoothed, and is either left plain or slightly scalloped with the fingers. 

 The sides of the vessels are usually left plain,' but sometimes they 

 are ornamented with a series of simple, incised lines made with a stick. 

 Several vessels obtained at St Michael have the sides curving slightly 

 until near the top, where they are somewhat constricted and the rim 

 is made slightly flaring. 



After the shaping and the ornamentation of the vessel are completed, 

 it IS placed near the fire until it becomes dry; then a fire is built both on 

 the inside and the outside, and it is baked for an hour or two with as 

 great a heat as can be obtained. 



In a summer camp at Hotham inlet a number of pots were seen, 

 varying in capacity from two to three gallons. Several of the larger 

 ones had the tops scalloped and were slightly constricted in outline 

 below the rim. On the sides they were ornamented with short, paral- 

 lel, horizontal lines, beginning near the rim and forming a band extend- 

 ing to the bottom, as shown in figure 60, from a sketch made at the 

 time. 



