PARENT AND OFFSPRING 133 



coarse linen or woollen stuff and placed in a pit, 

 which is prepared by the expectant mother before 

 her confinement. The floor of the pit is strewn over 

 with fine earth and sand; the baby is then placed in 

 the pit, which is filled with earth, only the head 

 remaining exposed. This is repeated daily. 



The most usual way of keeping the child with the 

 mother is to have it suspended upon her back in a 

 strong piece of cloth or skin, or in a basket (Figs. 

 50 and 51). This was the custom of many ancient 

 races, and is still prevalent all over the world. The 

 child is quite safe in this improvised cradle, so that 

 the mother can attend to her labours without any 

 hindrance. Older children are often carried side- 

 ways on the hip of the mother (Fig. 52). Another 

 mode of transporting a child from place to place 

 is for the mother to carry, on her head, the 

 cradle or basket containing one, or sometimes 

 even two, infants (Fig. 53). This may be seen in 

 some parts of Europe as well as in less civilized 

 lands. The children are quite safe, for the women 

 in these countries, mostly hilly districts, acquire con- 

 siderable skill in carrying loads balanced on their 

 heads. A quaint contrivance is to be found among 

 the Eskimos, where the mother wears high, roomy 

 boots for the winter, lined with soft warm material 

 and stiffened out with whalebone to the required 

 width (Fig. 54). The babe is put into the top of 

 these boots, with only the little head peeping out, 

 and thus is carried about with its parent. This 

 strikingly reminds one of the penguins carrying their 

 young on the foot, with a natural covering to keep 

 them warm. The Red Indians of North America 



