502 



THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



ing. The herds when traveling north in spring and south in autumn 

 take tlie same course every year, passing rivers, lakes, and valleys at 

 the deer passes. Here the Eskimo stay during the migrations of the 

 deer, as they are sure to fall in with them and to secure plenty of 

 meat and skins during the season. In sjiring the rivers and lakes are 

 not yet freed from their icy fetters and the ptxrsuit is more difficult; 

 in the autumn, however, they are easily captured in the water. Some 

 important stations of this kind are the island Qeqertome itoq tudlirn, 

 south of LakeNettilling; the outlet of this lake, Koiikdjuaq, particu- 

 larly the peninsula formed by the river and the soiith shore of the lake ; 

 the country about Qudjitariaq, farther north, and the narrow valley 

 between Piling and Itirbilung : on the continent, the lakes of Rae 

 Isthmus, particularly North Pole Lake; some passes in the hills north 

 of Chesterfield Inlet; the isthmus of Boothia; the entrance of Qimuq- 

 suq, on Adelaide Peninsula; and Simpson Strait. 



Referring to the last, Klutschak describes an interesting method of 

 hunting deer which is in vogue in that locality (p. 130). The narrow 

 strait which separates Ita Island from King William Land freezes 

 i\p early in the season, and the reindeer in trying to cross the strait 

 frequently gather on this island. The Eskimo deploy over the icy 

 bridge and makeaterrrblo noise, frii^litciiinn' the ri'lmliM-i-. whicli are 

 gradually driven toward a iil;irc iln'icri.r wliich is liiMrlicrniis at 

 this time of the year. Hen; Ihcy lirr.'ik thrdugli and. ln-iiig ahle to 

 move only with great difficulty, are easily killed. 



Fig. 43IS. Wooden bow from Igluiik. (From Parry U. p. 5o(i.) 



When the deer have scattered over the country they miist be 

 stalked, and, wherever the natives have no firearms, bows and 

 arrows are use<l. 



berlaiui Sound. (National Museum, Washingto 



They have two kinds of bows (pitiqse) : a wooden one (Figs. i-'iS and 

 439) and another made of reindeer antlers (Figs. 440 and 441 ). Parry 

 gives a very good description of tlie former (II, p. 510) : 



One of the best of their bows was made of a single piece of fir, four feet eight 

 inches in length, flat ©n the inner side and rounded on the outer, being five inches 

 in gu-th about the middle where, however, it is strengthened on the concave side, 

 when strung, by a piece of bone ten inches long, firmly secured by tree-nails of the 

 same material. At each end of the bow is a knob of bone, or sometimes of wood 

 covered with leather, with a deep notch for the reception of the string. The only 

 wood which they can procure, not possessing sufficient elasticity combined with 



