MCRDucHl 8C(.)(;)PS AND SKIM.MKKS. 3()',) 



boue. The left end lias hceii hniken across <,l.li(|iu.ly i„.;ir ihr i,,in|. 

 ami uieuded with wiialcbDiic stitdies. l.'omHl tlic lower cdi;)' nC ilie 

 riiu runs a row of tweiity-scvcii pairs nf small holes O-L' imli Iromdie 

 edge. The holes of each [lair are i-ounedcd liy a ilrep cliaiiiicl, and a 

 narrow shallow groove, probably for oniaincni , juins I he pahs. ( )ii i he 

 left side are eight extra holes between the pairs, whidi arc not ascd. 

 Through tiiese holes, omitting the lirst two pairs in Ihr right hand cud, 

 is laced a piece of seal thong, thus: Starting at the point of Ihcoxal, tlu^ 

 two ends of the thong are passed througli the pair of holes there from 

 the oxitside and the bight drawn home into the channel; ilic ends are 

 crossed, the left end going to the right, ami vice versa, and passc<l out 

 through the farther hole of the next ]iair and in througli tlic nearer, and 

 soon till the ends meet at the broad v\u\ of the oval where they arc tied 

 together, tlius making tweiity-tive loops on the inside of the rim into 

 which the netting is fastened. This is made of strips of thin whah- 

 l)oiie, interwoven, over and under each other, jiassiug up thiough one 

 loop and down through the ne.xt. There are eleven longitudinal strands 

 passing obliquely fi-om right to left, the same number from left to right, 

 and eleven transverse strands, luakiug a network with elongated liex- 

 agonal aiiertures. The strips are not one continuous i)i<M'e. The howl 

 thus made is fastened to the handle by three i.ieces of stout seal tlumg. 

 The whole lashing was jnit on wet. and allowed to shrink. 



X.irdenskiiild menti(Mis and tigures a scoop of almost identically the 

 same pattern, liut smaller, in general use for the same purposes at 

 I'itleka.i.' A smaller scooj. uy skimmer (claiiatiu) is also universally 

 used. We inadvertently neglected to preserve a specimen of this very 

 coiiimon imiilcmcnt. flioiigli we had two or three ab(ait the station for 

 ourown use. I shall tlicrcfore have to describe it from memory. The 

 handle is a flat, straight stick with r<puiidcd edges, about IS inches or li 

 feet long. U inches broad, and thre«..fourths inch thick. Tli.> howl is 

 made of two pieces of antler "palm " (tf such a- shape that when they 

 ai-e fastened together on the end of the sti<-k they make a sliallow ciii) 

 about :U inches l.nig hy ;; wide, with a longitudinal crevice ah.iig the 

 middle which allows the water to drain otf. The t\\> of th.- handle is 

 hevcledolfon Ix.th sides so as to tit info the iusid.- of this cii)), along 

 thejnuctiou of the two pieces, each of which is fastcnetl to it hy one or 

 two neat stitches of wlialehone. The two jpieces are fastened together 

 ill front of tlie liandl<' with a stitch. 



In addition to the use of these scoops for skimming the flshing holes, 

 and reelin-- u|. the liius as already described, they also serve as scra|.ers 

 to remove snow and hoar frost from the clothing. In the winter most 



they go out doors, partly for the sake ot having something in their 

 hands, as we carry sticks, and p.artly for use. The boys are very fond 

 of using them to pick up and sling snowballs, bits of ice, or fnizen dirt, 

 which they do with considerable force and accuracy. 



