ART. 



259 



was a violin of tbeir own manufactiu'e, made, of courtse, in imitation 



of those they had seen used by the whites. Its form is sufficiently 



well shown hy the ttguie (Fig. 82), and is 



made of birch or spruce, and the two 



strings are of coarse, loosely twisted sinew. 



The bow has a strip of whalebone iu place 



of horsehair, and is resined with spruce 



gum. This tiddle is held aiaoss the lap 



when jdayed. 



The old woman of 



whom 1 procured the 



instrument was able tt) 



play several airs — siu'h 



as they sing among 



themselves. I was sur- 

 /''Lji?'^ C ^^ P^'*^*^'^ "^' ^^® facility 

 f'-^m W^ ^^'^''^^ with which she made 

 h.'W' . ff\:^WKuS the various notes on 



such a crude imitation 



of a violin. 



Art is but slightly 



developed among these 



people. Their weapons 



and other implements 



are never adorned with 



carvings of animals 



and other natural ob 



jects or with conven- 

 tional patterns, as is 

 the case iu so great a degree among the Eskimo of Alaska. They are, 

 however, not devoid of artistic skill, as is showai by the good taste 



Fig. 80._Eskimo doll, 

 woman. 



Flo. 81. — Eskimo doll, woman. 



FlQ. 82. — Eskimo violin. 



often exliibitcd iu the trimming of their garments, and also by the dolls, 

 which I have already referred to and figured. 



