MURDOCH. ] CARVINGS, ETC. 409 
Fig. 420 (No. 89741 [1012] from Nuwitk) is an ivory cross 15-5 inches 
long. The cross is ornamented by incised rings and dots colored 
with red ocher. The shaft of the cross is surmounted by a female 
human head neatly carved from soapstone, fastened on by a lashing of 
smnew braid, which passes through a transverse hole in the head and 
round the crosspiece. No. 89742 [1091], also from Nuwitk, closely re- 
sembles the preceding, but is slightly shorter 
and has a four-sided shaft. The head, more- 
over, which is made of bone, represents a man, 
as is shown by the little pits, which indicate the 
labrets. The cheeks and crown of the head are 
colored slightly red with red ocher. 
The ingenious Yébksa, so often mentioned, 
made the first image and brought it down for 
sale. All he could or would tell us about it 
vas that it was “tund/ktip kuni/a,” “A kuni/a 
(jargon for woman) of-soapstone.” The suc- 
cessful sale of this first cross encouraged him 
to make the second, but we saw no others be- 
fore or after. Other natives who saw these 
objects only laughed. The whole may be simply 
a fanciful doll, perhaps meant for a caricature, 
the shaft representing the body, and the cross- 
piece the outstretched arms. The object is 
very suggestive of a crucifix, and there is a 
bare possibility that the maker may have seen 
something of the sort in the possession of some 
of the eastern natives who have been visited 
by a missionary of the Roman Catholic Church 
(Father Petitot). 
Under the head of works of art may properly 
be included No. 89823 [1130], from Utkiaywin. 
This is the skeleton of the jaws of a polar bear, 
cut off just back of the nose, neatly sewed up 
in a piece of sealskin with the hair out, so as 
to leave uncovered only the tips of the jaw- 
bones and the canine teeth. This specimen 
was put up by the same quick-witted young 
native after his removal from Nuwik to Utki- 
avwin, evidently in imitation of the work of 
preparing specimens of natural history, which 
he had seen done at the station. For the same Fig. 420.—Ivory doll. 
reason he dried and carefully preserved in a little box whittled out of 
a block of wood and tied up with sinew a little fresh-water sculpin 
(Cottus quadricornis), which he had caught at Kulugrua (No, 89536 
[1145}). 
