104 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF 



conjunction with, parts of their own tools to very great advantage. 

 For instance, every native man has among his kit of tools an apparatus 

 for drilling holes. This is one of their most useful tools, and as seal 

 thongs are needed in the manufacture of nearly everything they have, 

 a hand drill is essential. Occasionally one is found with a piece of 

 ivory or bone for a drill point, but iron and steel have become so com- 

 mon that nearly every man has them made of one or the other of these 

 materials. This is the only part of this useful article that is of civi- 

 lized origin. A piece of wood is shaped so as to fit in the mouth, in the 

 middle of which is sunk a piece of stone hollowed out so as to present 

 a smooth surface for the end of the drill-stick, around which is a seal 

 thong attached to a bow-shaped piece of wood or ivory. When the 

 mouthpiece and drill are in position a see-saw motion is made, and the 

 point of the drill quickly cuts the holes round and of the proper depth. 

 It is a vast improvement over the gimlet for light work, and the natives, 

 realizing that they can cut a hole more easily and quickly in this way, 

 adhere to their old style. 



The mouthpiece used for drilling holes is also brought into use in 

 starting a fire when they have no hint. Only two persons are neces- 

 sary to operate the piece of wood that serves as a means of exciting 

 friction. Instead of the bow, a piece of thong is wound around the 

 drill, each native taking hold of an end, and sawing backwards and 

 forwards until the friction ignites the wood, which is done in a few 

 seconds. 



This method of starting a fire is very rare at the present time, because 

 it is seldom that one is without flint stone, but it sometimes is made 

 use of, and, if one is driven to it, fire can be obtained without much 

 trouble. 



The Eskimo are complete slaves to tobacco, and it is seldom that 

 one is seen who does not use it in one form or another. All the men 

 and most of the women smoke, while a child, after it reaches the age 

 of 5 or 6 years, appears not to be a true representative of his race it 

 he can not smoke a pipe or chew tobacco. 



While nearly all the women smoke, they take to chewing more natur- 

 ally, and they do it so quietly that one would not suspect it from their 

 actions. They never spit, and only crunch it occasionally, preferring 

 to suck it or allow it to lie quietly in the mouth, and, as spittle accu- 

 mulates, swallow it. They can not understand why a white man spits 

 when chewing or smoking, for they seem to find pleasure in the habit 

 only from swallowing the juice. 



If a native is chewing and wants to eat he carefully takes the quid 

 of tobacco from his mouth and puts it behind his ear. From this place 

 it is afterwards taken to be again put in his mouth, and this process is 

 repeated until he has gotten all tlie substance he can from the tobacco. 

 It is then carefully put away in his tobacco pouch, to eventually find 



