108 REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF 



That the oomiak is a curiously and ingeniously constructed boat must 

 be admitted, and that the Eskimo has availed himself of the best mater- 

 ials nature has given him for navigating these waters, is evident. It 

 may truthfully be said that everything used in its construction comes 

 from the water, for the framework is made entirely from driftwood 

 washed upon their shores from hundreds of miles to the south, much of 

 it water-soaked and partly decayed, and not a nail or piece of iron is 

 used in any part of it. In this light boat they often sail 40 or 50 

 miles from land and are caught in water that would severely try the 

 strength of boats used by the whites. 



The kyak used by the Eskimo is similar in construction and style to 

 the skin canoe or bidarka found among the natives along the southern 

 coast of Alaska. It is not much used by the coast Eskimo, as they do 

 most of their traveling by water in the oomiak, but those in the inte- 

 rior use them to greater extent in navigating on the rivers and lakes, 

 they being so light that they can carry them about with very little 

 trouble. They are generally the single-hatch kyak, but occasionally one 

 is found with two or three holes and capable of carrying as many per- 

 sons. 



The principal vocation of the Eskimo may be said to be fishing, for, 

 although it is principally done by the women and children, the men are 

 sometimes obliged to lend a hand, and for six months at least out of the 

 year it has to be done through the ice. 



Barricades are erected at intervals of a few yards and from 20 to 40 

 rods from the shore. They are built of cakes of snow cut about 4 inches 

 thick, and 2 or 3 feet square. These are placed on end and made high 

 enough to obscure a man standing up inside. They are usually made 

 round and about 5 feet in diameter, the cracks or spaces between 

 the cakes being filled with wet snow which soon freezes, and makes the 

 inclosure nearly tight. The Eskimo stand or lie down in these snow 

 forts, sometimes several hours at a time, when they are catching few 

 fish. The same sort of protection is built when they spear fish, but is 

 nearer shore and where bottom can be reached at 8 or 10 feet. 



Holes are cut through the ice by means of a piece of sharpened 

 ivory or iron lashed to a pole 10 feet or more long, and with this the 

 ice is picked off and scooped out until water is reached. The opening 

 thus made is about 1 foot in diameter. 



An indispensable article used by the Eskimo when making holes in 

 the ice is a scoop-shaped tool attached to the end of a pole. It is about 

 6 inches in diameter, made of bone bent round with strips of whalebone 

 stretched across the bottom, so as to leave little holes, through which 

 the water drains when the pulverized ice is scooped out of the hole. 

 When spearing fish, the face is held so close to the water that the 

 breath causes a coating or coagulation to form on the surface, and this 

 implement has to be often resorted to in order to clear away the ice so 

 the native can see through to the bottom. 



