women's garments. 



213 



The woman may be several years in getting tlie riglit kind and may 

 have eftected many exclianges before being suited with tlic ([luility and 

 color. The darkest skins of the Ka sig yalc (harbor seal) are highly 

 prized by both sexes. The women 

 set the higher value upon them. 

 The men wear two styles of leg cov- 

 ering, namely, breeches like a white 

 man's, but not open in front, and 

 reaching but a short distance below 

 the knees, or trousers ending in 

 stocking feet. Sometimes in very 

 cold weather these trousers may be 

 worn Tinder the breeches. IJoth 

 breeches and trousers are very 

 short-waisted. Long stockings of 

 short-haired deerskin with the hair 

 in are also worn. The women in 

 winter wear breeches made of deer- 

 skin fastened around the hijJS by 

 means of a drawstring and extend- 

 ing down the legs to where the tops 

 of the boots will cover them a few 

 inches. Some of the women wear 

 trousers which reach only to the up- 

 l)er part of the thighs and are con- 

 tinuous with the boot which covers 

 the foot, though in that case a pair 

 of half-boots are added to iirotect 

 the feet. The hips are (covered with 

 breeches which descend low enough 

 on the thigh to be covered by the 

 leggings. This style of apparel for 

 the lower portion of the body is 

 often extravagantly patched with various colored pieces of white ami 

 dark strips of skin ft-om the abdomen aud sides of tbe reindeer. 

 When new and not soiled they are (piite attractive and often contrast 

 well with the tastefully ornamented coat. 



The long boots or leggings are removed when dirty work is to be 

 done. Thus, skins to be scraped and dressed are held against the 

 bare leg. 



The leggings also serve as pockets to hold various kinds of little 

 things, like knives, tobacco, and so on. 



A person rarely owns more than a single pair of breeches; con- 

 sequently I was unable to obtain any for the collection. 



The boots and shoes are of different materials and somewhat ditfer 

 ent patterns for different seasons of the year. All have moccasin 



Fin. 33. — Eskimo mnn's spalskin coat (side). 



