396 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
, 
of many indistinct lines, which was said to indicate ‘many whales.” Amaiyuna 
had the ‘‘flukes’’ of seven whales in a line across his chest, and Mi/nialu had a 
couple of small marks on one forearm, Niaksdra, the wife of Anoru, also had a little 
mark tattooed in each corner of her mouth, which she said were ‘‘ whale marks,” 
indicating that she was the wife of a successful whaleman. Such marks, according 
to Petitot (Monographie, ete., p. 15), are a part of the usual pattern in the Mackenzie 
district—‘“‘ deux traits aux commissures de la bouche.” One or two men at Nuwik 
had each a narrow line across the face over the bridge of the nose, which were proba- 
bly also ‘‘ whale marks,” though we never could get a definite answer concerning 
them. 
The tattooing is done with a needle and thread, smeared with soot or gunpowder, 
giving a peculiar pitted appearance to the lines. It is rather a painful operation, 
producing considerable inflammation and swelling, which lasts several days. The 
practice of tattooing the women is almost universal among the Eskimo from Green- 
land to Kadiak, including the Eskimo of Siberia, the only exception being the 
natives of Smith sound, though the custom is falling into disuse among the Eskimo 
who have much intercourse with the whites. 
The simple pattern of straight, slightly diverging lines on the chin seems to prevail 
from the Mackenzie district to Kadiak, and similar chin lines appear always to form 
part of the more elaborate patterns, sometimes extending to the arms and other 
parts of the body, in fashion among the eastern Eskimo and those of Siberia, St. 
Lawrence island, and the Diomedes. 
TATTOO ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 
During the summer of 1884 Dr. Hoffman met, at Port Townsend, 
Washington, a party of Haida Indians from Queen Charlottes island, 
who were encamped there for a short time. Most of them were tattooed 
after the manner of the Haidas, the breast, back, forearm, and legs 
bearing partial or complete designs of animate forms relating to totems 
or myths. Some of the persons had been tattooed only in part, the fig- 
ures upon the forearms, for instance, being incomplete, because the 
operation at a previous “potlatch” or festival had to be suspended on 
account of the great length of time required, or on account of an extra 
inflammatory condition of the affected parts. 
Among this party of Haidas was Makde’gos, the tattooer of the tribe, 
whose work is truly remarkable. The designs made by him are sym- 
metrical, while the lines are uniform in width and regular and graceful 
in every respect. In persons tattooed upon the breast or back the part 
operated upon is first divided into halves by an imaginary vertical line 
upon the breast through the middle of the sternum and upon the back 
along the middle of the vertebral column. Such designs are drawn 
double, facing outward from this imaginary line. One side is first 
drawn and completed, while the other is merely a reverse transfer, 
made immediately afterwards or at such future time as the operation 
of tattooing may be renewed. 
The colors are black and red, the former consisting of finely powdered 
charcoal, gunpowder, or India ink, while the latter is Chinese vermil- 
ion. The operation was formerly performed with sharp thorns, spines 
of certain fishes, or spicules of bone; but recently a small bunch of 
needles is used, which serves the purpose to better effect. 
ee chennai leon a eal 
