222 



THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



strengthened by means of thin stripis of sealskin sewed on tlie outside 

 of tliose parts where they are most liable to be torn. The garment is 

 worn during wet weather or while in the kaiak traveling on a rough sea. 

 The bottom of the garment is tied around the hoop of the kaiak in 

 which the wearer sits and thus effectually .sheds the water from the 

 body, except the face, and keeps it from entering the kaiak. 



Sometimes a drawstring closes the hood tightly around the face and 

 prevents the spray from entering. The string is usually tied at the top 

 of the hood, in which case it is rather difficult to untie. 



When not in use the material must be well oiled and rolled u^) or it 

 will become so stiff that it can not be worn until it has been relaxed by 

 dip[)ing in water. The sinew with which it is sewed swells when wet 

 and tightens the seams. 



There is great difference in the length of the garments worn by the 

 eiistern and the western Eskimo as well as in the manner of arranging 

 the strips of which they are made. The one worn by the people of 

 Hudson strait scarcely reaches to the hips of the wearer and is long 

 enough only to tie around the hoop of the kaiak. The ones worn by 

 the Eskimo of Northern sound, Alaska, falls to the knees, and those 

 made by the Aleuts are so long that they interfere with the feet in walk- 

 ing. The material prepared by the eastern natives is not so good, as 

 it is coarser and stifler than that of the sea lion {Eumatopias stelleri), 

 used by the natives of Alaska. 



The weight of one of these garments when dry scarcely exceeds C or 

 7 ounces. 



To protect the eyes from the glare of the snow, which is especially 

 trying when the sun is still low in early spring, snow goggles are 

 worn made to admit the light only through a narrow slit. (Figs. 4:6, 



Fig. 46. Snow go;j:^le8 — front. 



and 47.) Nos. 3186, 3187, 3188, 3189, 3190, 3191, 31913, 3193, 3197, 3198, 

 3199, 3200, and 3201 in the collection show such snow goggles made of 

 wood. A somewhat curved piece of wood is fashioned to lit the face 

 over the eyes; a notch is htted for the nose to rest in. The lower side 



