182 . THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



(2) The Indiaus dwelling to the southwest of the Ungava district 

 differ rather more than the Mountaineers, in their speech, from the In- 

 dians of the IJngava district. They average, for both sexes, slightly 

 taller than the Naskopies. The men are spare, and have small limbs 

 and extremities. The cheek bones are also more prominent, although 

 this is partly due to the thin visage. The women are disposed to be 

 stout, and in the older women there is a decided tendency to corpulence. 

 The complexion, too, is considerably darker. The men wear long hair, 

 usually cut so as to fall just upon the shoulders. The hair of the women 

 is quite heavy, and is worn either in braids or done up in folds upon the 

 side of the head. 



In their personal habits they are much more tidy than their eastern 

 relations. Their dress differs but little from that of their neighbors. 

 The women dress in cloth made of material procured from the traders, 

 and some of these appear respectable enough when so dressed. They 

 have been so long in contact with the white people at Moose Factory, 

 some of whom had brought their wives from home with them, that the 

 women have imitated the dress of the latter. Certain of these women 

 are skillful in working fancy articles. The men occupy their time in 

 hunting and fishing. The reindeer have in recent years_ become so 

 scarce in the vicinity of Fort Ueorge that many of the Indians have left 

 that locality and journeyed to the eastward, dwelling in proximity to 

 the Naskopies, or even with them. 



Both sexes are mild and sedate, although the women are exceedingly 

 garrulous when well acquainted. 



These Indians are often emjjloyed to assist in the capture of the 

 white whale, which ascends the lower portions of the larger streams of 

 that district. They are the only Indians whom I have seen eating the 

 Hesh and blubber of these whales. The Naskopies will not touch it, 

 declaring it to be too fat. The fins and tail are portions highly prized 

 while they are helping render out the blubber of these whales at Fort 

 Chimo. 



A point of great dissimilarity between the Naskopies and the Little 

 Whale river Indians is that the birch-bark canoe of the latter is much 

 more turned up at each end, producing a craft well adapted to the 

 swift currents of the rivers. The occupants are skillful boatmen, and 

 will fearlessly face wind and wave that would ajipall the heart of the 

 Naskopie. Sails are sometimes erected in a single canoe. At times 

 two canoes are lashed together and a sail spread from a single mast. 

 This double boat is very convenient for the traveler. These people 

 are strongly addicted to the practice of polygamy ; and while they are 

 Christians externally, they are so only as long as they are within the 

 reach of the missionary. 



Among those who had come to dwell in the Ungava district were 

 several who had, because of the opportunity, taken two wives. Tlie 

 missionary, E. J. Peck, suddenly appeared among them as he was ou 



