DRESS. 



407 



in page 71. The magnificent collection of Mr. Christy con- 

 tains three of these skin- scrapers, obtained from the Esqui- 

 maux north of Behrings Straits. These are set in fossil 

 ivory. He has another which was found in a Greenland 

 grave, probably not older than the fifteenth century, and 

 belonging to the Stone period which supervened when the 

 intercourse with Norway was suspended. Some archaeologists 

 had considered that-tKe " scrapers" were "probably knives, 

 the prolonged thick ends of which were intended for 

 handles, to be Keld between the finger and thumb, or pos- 

 sibly for attachment to a short wooden shaft. "* The true 

 nature and use of the ancient skin-scrapers has, however, 

 been entirely explained^ by these modern specimens with 

 which they are absolutely identical. The method of pre- 

 paring skins is curious and . ingenious, but very dis- 

 gusting. 



The clothes of the Esquimaux are made from the skins of 

 reindeer, seals, and birds, sewn together with sinews. For 

 needles they use bones either of birds or fishes ; yet with 

 these simple instruments they sew very strongly and well. 

 The outer dress of the men resembles a short great-coat, with 

 a hood that can be pulled over the head if necessary, and 

 which serves as a substitute for a hat or cap. Their under 

 garments or shirts are made of bird skins, with the feathers 

 inwards, or of skins with the hair inside; sometimes, how- 

 ever, they wear in addition another shirt made of seal's 

 entrails. Their breeches, "of which in winter they also 

 wear two pair, and similarly disposed as to the fur,"f are 

 either of seal- skin or reindeer- skin, and their stockings of 

 skins from very young animals. The boots are of smooth 

 black dressed seal's leather, and sometimes when at sea they 

 wear a great overcoat of the same material. Their clothes 

 are generally very greasy and dirty, and swarm with lice. 



* See Archseologia, vol. xxxviii., p. 415. .' f f Parry, Lc. p. 495. 



