310 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH. ANN. 18 
One of these lancets (figure 97) was obtained on the northern shore 
of Norton sound. It is a small, thin, double-edge blade, of hard, pale- 
greenish stone, 
an inch and an 
eighth in length, 
broad- 
ened at 
the butt, 
which is inserted in the split end of a short wooden handle 
and wrapped tightly with a strong sinew cord. I saw other 
old instruments of this kind made of slate, but at present 
most of the lancets are similar in shape but are made of iron. 
An aching tooth is extracted by placing the square point 
of a piece of deerhorn against it and striking the other end 
a sharp blow with an object used as a mallet. 
On the islands in Bering strait I saw men using long- 
handle scratchers to relieve irritation caused by eruptions 
on the skin or by parasites. Figure 98 illustrates one of 
these implements which was obtained on Sledge island. It 
consists of a wooden rod about 17 inches in length, having a 
thin-edge ivory disk an inch in diameter fitted on one end. 
In the collection obtained in Labrador by Mr L. M. Turner, 
there is a specimen of a similar instrument. 
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Fic. 97—Lancet pointed with nephrite (}). 
MORTUARY CUSTOMS 
The burial customs of the Eskimo with whom I came in con- 
tact vary so greatly that I have given in detail an account 
of the observances noted in different localities, beginning with 
thé Unalit at St Michael. 
The following are Unalit terms used by the St Michael 
people: 
Corpreiea essere ee ti'-ko-miil'-ti-q’i-a (dead one). 
Spirit orshade-<.----------- td-g’un'-ti-ghak. 
Ghost, or visible shade. .---- a-lhi-ukh'-tok. 
GLave +22 sas gta sea ees kun-w'. 
When a person dies during the day his relatives, amid loud 
wailing, proceed at once to dress him in the best clothing 
they possess, using, if possible, garments that have never 
been worn. Should the death take place at night, the body 
is not dressed until just at sunrise the following morning. 
Some of the male relatives or friends go out and make a 
rude box of drift logs in the usual burial place, which 1s a 
short distance back of the village. During this time the 4. 9—Back 
body lies in its place on the sleeping platform, with the oil Seek 
lamp burning day and night close by, until the burial, while the rel- 
atives and friends sit about on other sleeping benches. When the box 
