256 



THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT 



[ETH. ANN. 18 



various small possessions, the longer outer room being a general sit- 

 ting and work room and a receptacle for dried fisli and other stores. 

 The translucent walrus hides rendered these houses very light, and 

 they were kept quite clean. In summer fresh meat and fish were kept 

 in a great cleft in the cliff close to the landing place, and accessible 

 only from the water. There were various elevated frameworks here 

 for storing the boats. 



On the larger Diomede island, in the middle of Bering strait, the vil- 

 lages differed in several respects from those of the King islanders. 





Fig. 84 — Walrus skin siniinier house on King island. 



The summer houses were built among the winter dwellings, and were 

 above ground, with stone walls and gravel -covered roofs. An arched 

 stone passage, similar to those of the winter houses, but shorter, led to the 

 living room. With the exception of being less carefully built to exclude 

 water, these summer houses Avere very similar to those used in winter. 

 Kaised on four posts over or very near the entrance to each summer 

 house was a storehouse, the supporting posts and framework of which 

 were made from driftwood, and the sides and roofs of walrus hide, like 

 the elevated houses on King island. 



