138 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
eight nearly equidistant claws making a fringe round the lower edge 
of the belt. There is a hole at each end into which is half-hitched the 
end of a narrow strip of deerskin about 8 inches long. These strings 
serve to tie the girdle. This belt is 33 inches long and 14 inches wide, 
and has been worn so long that the inside is very dirty. Such belts 
are very valuable and highly prized, and are worn exclusively by the 
women. 
Fig. 56, No. 89718 [1055], is an object which is quite uncommon and 
seldom if ever now seen in use. It is of walrus ivory, 
very old and yellow. It served as a belt-fastener (tap- 
sig). I have seen a brass clock wheel used on a girl’s 
belt for the same purpose. This specimen is very old, 
Fie. 86.—Belt-fast- Neatly made, and polished smooth, probably from long 
ener. use. 
Ornaments.—In addition to the trimmings above described there are 
certain ornamental appendages which belong to the dress, but can not 
be considered as essential parts of any garments, like the trimmings. 
For instance, nearly every male in the two villages wears dangling from 
his back between the shoulders an ermine skin either brown or white, 
or an eagle’s feather, which is transferred to the new garment when the old 
oneis worn out. This is perhaps an amulet as well as an ornament, as Dr. 
Simpson states.! An eagle’s feather is often worn on the outside of the 
hood, pendant from the crown of the head. Attached to the belt are vari- 
ous amulets (to be described under the head of * Religion”) and at the 
back always the tail of an animal, usually a wolverine’s. Very seldom 
a wolf’s tail is worn, but nearly all, even the boys, have wolverine 
tails, which are always saved for this purpose and used for no other. 
This habit among the Eskimo of western America of wearing a tail at 
the girdle has been noticed by many travelers, and prevails at least as 
far as the Anderson River, since Petitot,” in describing the dress of the 
Anderson River “chief,” says: ‘“‘par derriére il portait aux reins une 
queue épaisse et ondoyante de renard noir.” According to him® it is 
the women of that region, who wear, ‘a titre de talismans, des defroques 
empaillées de corbean, de faucon, ou @hermine.” The custom of wear- 
ing an ermine skin on the jacket was observed by Dr. Armstrong of the 
Investigator at Cape Bathurst.* 
PERSONAL ADORNMENT. 
SKIN ORNAMENTATION. 
Tattooing.—The custom of tattooing is almost universal among the 
women, but the marks are confined almost exclusively to the chin and 
forma verysimple pattern. This consists of one, three, five, or perhaps as 
' Op. cit., p. 243. 3 Tbid. 
* Monographie, ete., p. xiv. + Personal Narrative, p. 176. 
