THE POLAR FAMILY. 53 



seen as far south as the Straits of Belle-Isle and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In 

 the west they extend along the shores of the Pacific Ocean southwards as far as 

 Mount St. Elias and Behring's Bay, embracing the Konaji and some other tribes, 

 including the islanders of Kadjack.* They seldom wander more than a hundred 

 miles from the sea, and subsist in a great measure by fishing. 



The western Eskimaux, or those living to the west of Mackenzie's river, are 

 said by Captain Beechey to be taller in stature than the eastern tribes, their 

 average height being about five feet seven and a half inches. They are also 

 better looking, more industrious, and more irascible and warlike. Their counte- 

 nances, however, are represented as much deformed by habitual sore eyes, and 

 teeth worn down by the constant mastication of hard substances ; and above all by 

 the barbarous custom of slitting the lower lip, and wearing in the aperture an 

 elliptical piece of wood or bone.f 



Captain Lyon, in his account of the Eskimaux seen by him at Igloolik and 

 Winter Island, on the northeast coast, has given a detailed and graphic description 

 of the American division of this race. " They may," says he, " more properly be 

 termed a small than even a middle sized race : for though in some few instances, 

 and in particular families, the men are tall and stout, yet the greater portion are 

 beneath the standard of what, in Europe, would be called small men. The tallest 

 I saw was five feet nine inches and three quarters in height ; the shortest only 

 four feet ten inches ; and the highest woman was five feet six inches, w^hile the 

 smallest was four feet eight inches only. Even in the young and strong men the 

 muscles are not clearly defined, but are smoothly covered, as in the limbs of 

 women. However prominent and well shaped the chest may be, the neck is 

 small, weak, and often shrivelled. They all stand well on their feet, walking 

 erect and freely, with the toes rather turned inwards, and the legs slightly bowed. 

 The neck and shoulders of the young women are generally in good, though large 

 proportion ; and the arm and wrists are sometimes handsome. The feet of both 

 sexes are small and neat, well joined at the ankle, and free from blemishes. The 

 complexion of the Eskimaux, when clearly shown by a previous washing, is not 

 darker than that of a Portuguese ; and such parts of the body as are constantly 

 covered, do not fall short in fairness to the generality of the natives of the Medi- 

 terranean. A very fine healthy blush tinges the cheek of females and young 

 children, but the men are more inclined to a sallow complexion. 



" The inner corner of the eye points downwards, like that of a Chinese ; and 



Gallatin, in Archaeolog. Amer. II, p. 10. t Beechey, Voy. II, p. 570. 



14 



