Ethnological Sketch of the Angmagsalik Eskimo. ЦЗ 



for knife-blades were riveted to other bits of iron for the purpose 

 of being furnished with a handle. On the other hand they did not 

 know how to make iron malleable by means of heat. Amongst 

 other things which were washed up b}»^ the sea at Angmagsalik, I 

 shall only mention a bamboo cane from which they made neat and 

 prettily decorated cups. The people very quickly learnt to turn to 

 good account things, such as tin, lead and white iron, which our 

 arrival brought for the first time into their possession. 



The natives did not show so much astonishment as might 

 naturally have been expected, over the inventions of civilisation 

 which we brought with us. 



When we showed and explained to them the watch, the compass, 

 the barometer, they seemed comparatively indifferent; but, on the 

 other hand, such things as a match threw them into the greatest 

 amazement. The explanation may be found in the fact that they 

 did not understand the use of the instruments just mentioned, while 

 they were immediately struck by the superiority of the match to 

 their own apparatus. * 



They grasped very quickly and showed great interest in all we 

 showed and told them. Thus, for instance, when we showed them 

 a map of the coasts where they had been themselves, they grasped 

 it immediately and were eager to show^ and explain it to others. It 

 has already been mentioned that they grasped the process of map- 

 making so thoroughly that they were able themselves to draw excellent 

 maps for us. They were deeply interested in the pictures we showed 

 them, and in most cases understood them at once. When they saw 

 drawings of the animals of their country they immediately recog- 

 nized them. 



As an instance of the cleverness of this people, I may mention 

 that, besides providing us with excellent models of umiaks, kaiaks, 

 sledges, hunting implements etc., they even brought us large models 

 of water- vessels, one of which was furnished with a suction pipe. 

 The man who had made the latter told us that, as he was aware 

 that we could not well carry a large water-vessel about with us, he 

 had made a smaller one, yet large enough to allow of its being 

 fitted with the suction apparatus. 



This man's name was Ukutiak (fig. 40). He was a very smart 

 lively fellow, with intelligent and expressive eyes. Immediately after 

 our arrival at Angmagsalik in summer, he made a journey in order 

 to see us and, as he said himself, to find out what manner of people 

 we were. He had a trick, when he was pondering over anything, of 

 knitting his brows. Though the natives seldom give anything away 

 without receiving something in return, and are hence slow to ask for 

 xxxix. 8 



