20 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
a room where the work of studying the collection could be carried on, 
and allowed me access to its libraries and to the extensive collections 
of the National Museum for the purposes of comparison. The Director 
of the Bureau of Ethnology, Maj. J. W. Powell, kindly agreed to furnish 
the illustrations for the work and to publish it as part of his annual 
report, while the Chief Signal Officer, with the greatest consideration, 
permitted me to remain in the employ of his Bureau until the completion 
of the work. 
Two years were spent in a detailed analytical study of the articles in 
the collection, until all the information that could be gathered from the 
objects themselves and from the notes of the collectors had been recorded. 
Careful comparisons were made with the arts and industries of the 
Eskimo race as illustrated by the collections in the National Museum 
and the writings of various explorers, and these frequently resulted in 
the elucidation of obscure points in the history of the Point Barrow 
Eskimo. In the form in which it is presented this work contains, it is 
believed, all that is known at the present day of the ethnography of 
this interesting people. 
Much linguistic material was also collected, which I hope some time 
to be able to prepare for publication. 
The observations are arranged according to the plan proposed by 
Prof. Otis T. Mason in his * Ethnological Directions, etc.,” somewhat 
modified to suit the circumstances. In writing Eskimo words the alpha- 
bet given in Powell's “ Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages” 
has been used, with the addition » for an obscure a (like the final @ in 
soda), a for a similar obscure e, and 6 for the sound of the German 6 or 
French eu. 
I desire to express my gratitude to the late Prof. Spencer F. Baird, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to the late Gen. William B. 
Hazen, Chief Signal Officer of the Army, and to Maj. J. W. Powell, Di- 
rector of the Bureau of Ethnology, for their kindness in enabling me to 
sarry on these investigations. Grateful acknowledgment is due for valu- 
able assistance to various members of the scientific staff of the National 
Museum, especially to the curator of ethnology, Prof. Otis T. Mason, 
and to Mr. William H. Dall. Valuable suggestions were received from 
Mr. Lucien M. Turner, Dr. Franz Boas, the late Dr. Emil Bessels, and 
Dr. H. Rink, of Christiania. 
LIST OF WORKS CONSULTED. 
The following list is not intended for a complete bibliography of what 
has been written on the ethnography of the Eskimo, but it is believed 
that it contains most of the important works by authors who have 
treated of these people from personal observation. Such of the less im- 
portant works have been included as contain any references bearing 
upon the subject of the study. 
As it has been my object to go, whenever possible, to the original 
sources of information, compilations, whether scientific or popular, have 
