r)2fi THK CENTKAI, ESKIMO. 



moutlipiece and placed upon a piece of dril'twood cut lo the shape 

 represented in Fig. 47G. Tlie wooden drill turns rapidly in a hole of 

 the driftwood until it begins to glow. - A little moss is api)lied to the 

 glowing wood and gently blown until it begins to burn. Wherever 

 Hint and ])yrite are to be had these are used for striking tire. " Moss 

 or the wool-like hair of F,nii)j)li()nitii serves for tinder. 



Fig. 47(i. nriftwood used in IdndlinR fire fmiii Nii,:,'iiiiiiui . iXati.,n,il :Mus(>iiin, Wa.sliiiiglim. lOi'iS.i j 



Ivory implements are cut out of the tusks with strong knives and 

 are shaped by chipping pieces from the blocks until they acquire the 

 desired forms. In olden times it must have been an extremely 

 troublesome work to cut them out, the old knives being very poor 

 and ineffective. They are finislied with the iile, which on this ac- 

 count is an important tool for the natives ; it is also used for sharp- 

 ening knives and harpoons. The women's knives are cut, by means 

 of files, from old saw blades; the seal harpoons, from Scotch whale 

 harpoons. If files are not obtainable, whetstones are used for sharp- 

 ening the iron and stone implements. 



^"-"■^-iirmiriiTr — ^ 



Fig. 477. Eskimo sraveVs tool. (National Miiseum. Washington. 3J105.) } 



Engravings in bone and ivory are made with the implement rep- 

 resented in Fig. 477. An iron point is inserted in a wooden handle: 

 formerly a quartz point was used. The notch which separates tlie 

 head from the handle serves as a hold for the points of the fingers. 

 The designs are scratched into the ivory -with the iron pin. 



Stone implements were made of flint, slate, or soapstoue. Flint 

 was worked with a squeezing tool, generally made of bone. Small 

 pieces were thus split off until the stone acquired the desired form. 

 Slate was first roughly formed and then finished with the drill and 

 the whetstone. The soft soapstone is now chiseled out with iron 

 tools. If large blocks of soaj^stone cannot be obtained, fragments are 

 cemented together by means of a mixture of seal's blood, a kind of 

 clay, and dog's hair. This is api)lied t(i the joint, the vessel being 

 heated over a lanij) until the cement is dry. According to Lyon 

 (ji. :;•.'(!) it is fancied tliat tlie hair of a liitch would spoil the com- 

 position and prevent it from sticking. 



