180 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
The drill at the present day is always worked with a bow, which allows 
one hand to be used for steadying the piece of work. We were informed, 
however, that formerly a cord was sometimes used without the bow, but 
furnished with a transverse handle at each end. 
We collected six little handles of ivory, carved into some ornamental 
shape, each with an eye in the middle to which a thong could be attached. 
All were old, and we never saw them in use. The first two were col- 
lected at an early period of our acquaintance with these people, and from 
our imperfect knowledge of the language we got the impression that 
they were handles to be attached to a harpoon line. 
We were not long, however in finding out that the harpoon has no 
such appendage, and when the other four came in a year later, at a time 
when the press of other work pre- 
vented careful inquiry into their 
use, we supposed that they were 
meant for handles to the lines used 
for dragging dead seals, as they 
somewhat resemble such an im- 
plement. On our return home, 
when I had opportunities for mak- 
ing a careful study of the collec- 
tion, I found that none of the drag 
lines, either in our own collection 
or in those of the Museum, had 
handles of this description. On 
the other hand, I found many sim- 
ilar implements in Mr. Nelson’s 
collection labeled ‘drill-cord han- 
dles,” and finally one pair (No. 
36319, from Kashunuk, near Cape 
Romanzoff), still attached to the 
drill cord. These handles are al- 
most identical in shape with No. 
89458 [835], from Utkiavwin. This leaves no doubt in my mind that 
the so-called “drag-line handles” in our collection are nothing more than 
handles for drill cords, now wholly obsolete and supplanted by the bows 
already described. I have figured all six of these handles to show the 
different patterns of ornamentation. They are all made of walrus ivory, 
and are all “odd” handles, no two being mates. Fig. 158a (No. 56526) 
[86], is 5-2 inches long, and light blue beads are inserted for eyes in the 
seal’s heads. The eye for the drill cord is made by boring two median 
holes at the middle of one side so that they meet under the surface and 
make a longitudinal channel. 
Fig. 158) (No. 56527 [23] from Utkiavwin), is 4°3 inches long, and is 
very accurately carved into the image of a man’s right leg and foot, 
dressed in a striped deerskin boot. The end opposite to the foot is the 
Fig. 158.—Handles for drill cords. 
