MURDOCH. ] WEAVING TOOLS. Srila 
feather belts. I had no opportunity of seeing a belt made, but the work 
evidently does not require all three of these tools. The little netting 
needle or shuttle of bone (Fig. 322, No. 89454 |1338]) can not be used in 
feather weaving, because, as already mentioned, the strips of feather are 
Fic }.—Mesh stick 
not fastened together into a continuous cord which could be carried on 
ashuttle. It is 5-9 inches long and 0-7 wide. There is also a little mesh 
stick of antler (Fig. 323, No. 89438 [1338]) 6-7 inches long, with a blade 1-9 
inches in length, and a little hook, which appears to 
be fitted for nothing except netting a small net. The 
lower edge of the handle, however, is cut into 10 deep 
rounded notches, which perhaps serve the purpose of 
arude “frame” for keeping apart the strands of the 
warp, while the woof of feather is passed through 
with the fingers. It would be held with this edge 
up, and the beginning of the belt being fastened to 
the wall, the warp strands would be stretched over 
this, as over a violin bridge, each resting in one of the 
notches. The last tool of the set (Fig. 324, No, 89462 
[1338]) is undoubtedly a “sword” for pushing home 
the woof, and probably also serves to separate the 
strands of the warp into a “shed.” It is a flat, thin 
piece of antler, 9 inches long and three-fourths wide, 
of which about 64 inches forms a straight blade 64 
inches long, and the rest is bent round to one side and 
slightly down, forming a handle. When the strands 
of the warp are stretched over the bridge as above de- 
scribed, pushing this horizontally through them alter- 
nately over and under the successive strands, would 
make a “shed” through which the end of the woof 
could be thrust with one motion, and pushed up 
against the preceding strand of the woof by sliding 
the sword forward. It would then be withdrawn and 
passed through again, going over the strands it went 
under before and vice versa, so as to open a “shed” % 
for the next strand of the woof. 
Sewing.—For sewing furs and leather they always 
use thread made by stripping off thin fibers from a Fie. 324—“Sword” for 
piece of dried sinew of the reindeer, as is usual with — tet Weaving. 
Eskimo. Cotton or linen thread of civilized manufacture is now often 
used for sewing the cotton frocks, ete., and sometimes for making an or- 
