THE ALASKAN SEA-LIf)N. 



871 



at a time, if properly air-dried and oiled. After being used duriug 

 the day these skin boats are always drawn out on the beach, turned 

 bottom-side up and air-dried during the night — in this way made 

 ready for employment again on the morrow. 



A peculiar value is attached to the intestines of the sea-lion, 

 which, after skinning, are distended with air and allowed to dry 

 in that shape ; then they are cut into ribbons and sewed strongly 

 together into that most characteristic rain-proof garment of the 

 world, known as the "kamlayka," Avliich, while being fully as 

 water-repellant as india-rubber, has far greater strength, and is 

 never affected by grease and oil. It is also transparent in its fit- 

 ting over dark clothes. The sea-lions' throats are treated in a 

 similar manner, and when cured, are made into boot tops, which 



The " Bidarrah." 

 [Characteristic Alaakati boat, made byflltina nea-lioii skiun over a wooden frame and ieel.] 



are in turn soled by very tough skin that composes the palms of 

 this animal's fore tiipi^ers. 



The Aleutian name for this garment is unpronounceable in our 

 language, and equally so in the more flexible Russian ; hence the 

 Alaskan "kamlayka," derived from the Siberian "kamliiia." That 

 is made of tanned reindeer skin, unhaired, and smoked by larch 

 bark tmtil it is colored a saffron yellow ; and is worn over a rein- 

 deer-skin undershirt, which has the hair next to its owner's skin, 

 and the obverse side stained red by a decoction of alder bark. The 

 kamliiia is closed behind and before, and a hood, fastened to the 

 back of the neck, is drawn over the head, when leaving shelter ; so 

 is the Aleutian kamlayka ; only the one of Kolyma is used to keep 

 out piercing dry cold, while the garment of the Bering Sea is a per- 

 fect water-tiyht ali'air. 



