CHAPTER XI 



ETHNOLOGICAL MATERIAL OBTAINED FROM 

 THE ESKIMOS 



THESE specimens were secured from the central Eskimos 

 who trade at McPherson, from Herschel Island natives, 

 and from the Western Eskimos, either directly or through the 

 kindness of the whalers. Such material has been sought after 

 so long and so persistently that the only wonder is that a single 

 genuine article of native manufacture and use remains. I was 

 without goods with which to purchase specimens, and in many 

 cases the prices demanded were exorbitant. The Eskimos made 

 many articles for sale after ancient patterns which are now no 

 longer used. Unless otherwise noted, the following brief de- 

 scriptions are of specimens which show unmistakable evidence 

 of their genuineness. 



Clothing. The Eskimo costume is well suited to the needs of 

 its wearer. The whalers have adopted it, even for summer use. 

 Sealskin boots are supplied to every man before the mast, and 

 seal and caribouskin frocks are always in demand. The women 

 wear frocks with rounded skirts reaching to the knees and open 

 at the sides. 



Frock. The collection contains a specimen, No. 10,905, which 

 was worn by a "Kosmollik" woman at Herschel Island. The 

 body of the garment is of plain brown caribouskin in the sum- 

 mer hair. A large proportion of the costumes of the Herschel 

 Island natives was of spotted Siberian reindeerskin, obtained 

 both by trade among themselves and from the whalers. The 

 hood is large but is not bagged at the nape for carrying a child. 

 Its sides are cut from the under parts of the skin, so that the 

 margin around the face and the V-shaped throatpiece on each 

 side is white, shading into dark brown behind. It is edged 

 with two strips of mountain sheepskin with the hair closely 



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