252 



THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT 



[ ETH. ANN. 18 



to be baled out twice a day. The kasbim was very small and low, with 

 no floor except the beaten earth ; the fire pit in the middle of the room 

 Avas in the depression which began at the walls and sloped gradually 

 toward the center. This central depression was full of water, and 

 the entire floor was covered except for a narrow border about four feet 

 wide aroi\ud the sides. In this kashim two lamps were burning upon 

 supports, one on each side of the room. These supports were rudely 

 carved in the form of a human face, representing quite a different type 

 from the countenances of the people, and constituted the only attempt 

 at such work that I saw among the Eskimo (figure 79). When the 

 Kuskokwim was reached the abundance of driftwood was shown by 

 the larger size of the houses and kashims, and by the presence of ele- 

 vated storehouses and frames for sleds and boats. 

 From St Michael northward along the coast of the mainland there 

 existed a much greater variety of houses than 

 had been noted to the southward of that 

 place. From St Michael to Uiiaktolik, in- 

 cluding Kigiktauik,Unalaklit, and Shaktolik, 

 with a few smaller places, the houses are of 

 the typo general among the Unalit, as the 

 people belong mainly to that group. 



Tup-hanikwa, north of Unalaklit, had in 

 February, 1880, a single house, which was 

 occupied by three families. The single room 

 was 10 by 12 feet in dimension and about 5^ 

 feet high. On the night of my visit sixteen 

 adults slept on the earthen floor of this small 

 room. 



At the villages of Atnuk and Nubviukh- 

 chugaluk the houses were large, well made, 

 and provided with a floor of hewed planks; 

 the sleeping platforms were raised about 18 

 inches above the floor. 

 In March, 1880, the village of Ignituk, near Cape Darby, contained 

 about one hundred and fifty people. It was built at the mouth of a 

 small canyon leading down to the sea, and the lower houses were on the 

 upper edge of an abrupt sloj)e 40 or 50 feet above the beach, where were 

 arranged on sleds the kaiaks of the villagers ready for seal hunting on 

 the sea ice. The houses had plank floors and broad sleeping benches. 

 They were built with a small, square anteroom, which was used as a 

 storeroom for provisions, and from it a passage about 3 feet high and 

 10 to 20 feet in length led to the round hole giving access to the living 

 room. This hole was either in the end of the passage opening through 

 the wall of the room just above the floor, or through the floor inside 

 the front wall. In the middle of the floor the planks were laid so that 

 they could be taken up, as is done in the kashims. Close to the fire- 



Fir.. 79 — Carved lamp support. 



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