oie THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
Eskimo. Mr. E. W. Nelson (in a letter to the writer) says that the 
natives of Norton Sound informed him that the cable twisters (kaputa— 
kibu’tik at Norton Sound) were also used for making twisted cord, 
He describes their use as follows: “The ends of the sinew cord are tied 
to the center holes in the two ivory pieces, one of the latter at each end 
of the cord, and then they are twisted in opposite directions, thus get- 
ting the hard-laid sinew cord used on the bows.” 
The sinew twine used at Point Barrow is generally braided, almost 
Fig, 315.—Netting needle. 
always in a three-ply braid, usually about the size of stout packthread, 
such as is found on many Eskimo implements from all localities repre- 
sented in the Museum collections. That they also know how to braid 
with four strands is Shown by the hair line already described (No. 56545 
[410]). They also have a special word (which I can not recall) for braid- 
ing with four strands in distinction from braiding with three . 
(pidra). 
Netting.—Two implements are used as usual in netting, a 
needle or long flat shuttle for carrying the twine (Fig. 315, 
No. 56570 [101]), and a meshstick for gauging the length of the 
mesh. The knot is the universal “fisherman’s knot” or becket 
hitch made in the usual manner. The method of using the 
mesh stick, however, is rather peculiar, and somewhat clumsy 
compared with that used by civilized net-makers, as it serves 
only to measure the mesh and not also to hold the successive 
meshes as they are made. It is a long flat piece of bone or 
antler, Shaped like a case knife, with a blade square at heel 
and point. There is often also a little blunt hook (as in Fig. 
316, No. 56581 [1021]) at the point, bending upward or toward 
the back of the blade. The blade is the part of the stick which 
measures the mesh, and its length from heel to point is always 
precisely half the length of the mesh to be made. It is used 
as follows: The workman, holding the mesh stick by the han- 
dle in his left hand, with the blade downward, catches the NY 
mesh into which the knot is to be made with the hook, and fs 
holds it while the twine is carried down the left side of the yyg. 336 
blade, round the heel and through the mesh as usual, and drawn Mesh stick. 
up till the preceding knot comes just to the point of the blade. This 
makes a loop of the proper length for a mesh round the stick. The point 
where the next knot is to be made is now caught between the thumb and 
finger of the right hand and the mesh stick taken out of the loop. The 
left thumb and finger, while the other fingers of this hand still hold the 
