242 DRESS OF THE WESTERN ESKIMOS. 



skirt is hemmed with a narrow edging of a similar kind ; some have 

 also a border of white, with straps of the same colour on the arm 

 near the shoulder. There is commonly an ermine-skin, a feather, 

 or some such thing, which acts as a charm, attached to the hack. 

 The skins of various other animals besides the deer, as the fox, 

 musk-rat, marten, dressed bird-skins, &c, are also used in making 

 coats. The breeches are also of deer-skin, or sometimes dog or seal- 

 skin, occasionally ornamented with a stripe of white down the out- 

 side or front of the thigh. The boots are most frequently of the 

 dark skin of the reindeer's legs, or this in alternate stripes with the 

 white skin of the belly, extending from below the knee to the ankle, 

 with soles of white dressed seal-skin, gathered in neatly around the 

 toes and heels, having within a cushion of whalebone scrapings or 

 dried grass, between them and the reindeer stockings, which are 

 next the feet. They are particular in the arrangement of the skins ; 

 thus the round spot of indurated skin on which the hair is stiffer 

 and whiter than that around it just below the hock of the animal is 

 always placed over the inside of the ankle-bone in men's mocassins 

 at Point Barrow, and over the outer in women's ; but they say the 

 reverse is the custom at Point Hope. Over these a pair of ankle- 

 boots of black seal-skin, dressed only so far as to remove the hair, 

 with soles of narwhal-skin, is worn on the ice. The hands are 

 protected by deer-skin mittens, with the hair inwards ; but for cold 

 weather and working on the ice, the thicker skin of the polar bear, 

 with the hair outwards, is preferred, as it is warmer and less liable 

 to injury from getting wet. The whole dress is roomy, particularly 

 the coat, which has the sleeves large enough to allow the hands to 

 be withdrawn, one of the greatest comforts that can be imagined in 

 cold weather. In winter a cloak of dark and white deer-skins is 

 worn over the shoulders, held on by a thong across the throat, and 

 gives the whole figure a very gay appearance. According as the 

 wind is in from or on one side, the cloak can be turned as a pro- 

 tection against it. The usual belt is made of the smaller wing- 

 feathers of ducks, after the plumes are torn off, partly sewed and 

 partly woven with small plaited cords of sinew, taking care to keep 

 the glossy back surface of the feathers outwards, and their ends, 

 which form the edges of the belt, are confined by a narrow binding 

 of skin. In some of these there is a checkered appearance, produced 

 by alternate rows of black and white feathers ; but the white tapsi, 

 or belt, is certainly the gayest. The pipe-bag on one side, and the 

 knife on the other, suspended to the girdle supporting the breeches, 

 may be considered part of the usual dress. For procuring fire, the 

 flint and steel is used in the North, and kept in a little bag hanging 



