212 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



the bod}' or face. A favorite "throw" is to catch one's opponent by 

 the leg above the knee and toss him over on his back. Sometimes one 

 will trip the other. The winner, before he has time in which to recover 

 his wind, must meet another contestant, who, In' reason of his fresh- 

 ness, is a likely Avinner. In these contests considerable muscle and 

 endurance are in evidence. 



Junqnmj the rope. — Two boys turn the rope from left to right rap- 

 idly three times, slapping the ground with it, and then reversing the 

 movement for three times. The jumper has to skip this rope, making 

 due allowance for the change in movement, and jumping from place to 

 place to accommodate himself to the rope; after three jumps on the 

 right and three jumps on the left he must dodge the rope, run around 

 one of the boys turning the rope, and skip the rope at a certain time. 

 Very considerable agility is required for this performance. 



Ball j^^xy'iMh — ^ ^^^^ measuring about 9 inches in diameter, quite 

 soft and covered with sealskin, is tossed by one boy or 3'oung man to 

 another of his sex, Avhile the girls and the young women endeavor 

 to intercept the l)all, and if successful pass it to one of their number, 

 subject to interference on the part of the young men and boys. 

 This is a very popular game. 



TJie '''' lq>-uj).''' — A thick walrus rope is stretched several times 

 about two stout uprights of whale jawbones, and upon this rope the 

 feat known to the gymnast as the " kip-up" is performed. Strange to 

 say, the natives do not, as a rule, strip for this exercise. Climbing 

 with one or both hands is somewhat less popular. 



Tag. — The children and occasionally the middle-aged men indulge 

 in this game. The latter climb up upon frames which serve as store- 

 houses, and when pursued nimbly jump off and try to escape. 



Ilbp, skip, and jump. — All of the children are very fond of this 

 exercise, which I presume was taught them by my predecessor, who 

 also added to their list of games that of running around and swinging 

 at the end of a rope attached to a May pole. The girls and j^oung 

 women and little ])oys practice the high jump, leaping over a walrus 

 rib or other o))struction, 



Tlunthuj games. — The little ])03's carry a piece of seal rope which 

 dangles from the l)ack of their blouses. This is to be caught up by 

 anyone who is charitabl}- disposed, and the little fellow runs as if he 

 were a dog driven by his master. If the little boj'^ is fortunate enough 

 to have two or three sleigh bells fastened to his blouse his happiness 

 is complete. The bo3\s have a mimic hunt after walruses and seals 

 sometimes. They use a rope, to which a stick is attached to serve as 

 a harpoon. Some of the ]>oys are hunters, while others represent the 

 walruses or seals. The hunter will run up to one of the boys acting 

 in the latter capacity and will touch him with a stick of wood. Then 

 the l)oy who has been captured grasps the stick and holds on to it 



