320 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
in the same way, but areatrifle larger. As they show no needle-marks, 
they were probably used only as finger guards. The remaining four are 
similar to the above, but newly made, for sale. 
A most peculiar thimble, the only one of the kind seen, is shown in 
Fig. 326a (No. 89392 [1195] from Utkiavwin, belonging with the large 
bone needle of the same number already deseribed and figured). This 
is made of a single piece of walrus ivory, browned with age, and the 
round shallow socket is for the butt of the needle. The ends of the half 
ring are slightly expanded and notched on the outside to receive a string 
to complete the ring so that it can be fitted round the finger, with the 
flange in the same position as the pad of a leather thimble. 
Needles are kept in a case (ujyami), consisting of a tube of bone or 
ivory about 5 or 6 inches long, through which is drawn a broad strap of 
leather furnished with a knot at one end 
to keep it from slipping wholly through. 
Into one side of this strap the needles 
are thrust obliquely, so that when the 
strap is pulled in they are covered by the 
tube. To the other end of the strap is 
usually attached an ivory snap hook for 
fastening the needle case to the girdle of 
the pantaloons. These needle cases are 
made of two slightly different patterns, of 
which the first is represented by No. 89365 
[1277], Fig. 327a. It is of white walrus 
ivory, 44 inches long, and the strap is of 
seal thong about 11 inches long and 0:3 
inch wide. At one end of this is a pear- 
shaped knob of walrus ivory, which is 
shouldered off at the small end and worked 
into a short flattened shank perforated 
with a large eye, through which the end 
of the strap, which is cut narrow, is thrust. 
Itis fastened by doubling it back and sew- 
ing it to the standing part. A sky-blue 
transparent glass bead is inlaid in the large end of the knob. The other 
end of the strap is fastened in the same way into a tranverse slot in the 
end of the belt hook (ti/tkibwin) of ivory, 4:7 inches long. 
This pattern appears to be usually made of walrus ivory. Only one 
of the six brought home is of bone, and this is an unusually small one, 
only 36 inches long, made for sale. The usual length is 43 to 5 
inches. No. 89363 [1105], Fig. 327), from Utkiavwin, is a tube very much 
like the one described, but is ornamented with an incised pattern colored 
with red ocher, and has a differently shaped belt hook. When the latter 
is hooked over the girdle the ring is pushed up the shank over the point 
of the hook till it fits tight, and thus keeps the hook from slipping off 
the belt. 
Fia. 327.—_Needle cases with belt hooks. 
