26 b 



Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



SUBSECTION B.. THE LITTLE FINGER CYCLE 



XV. The Little 'Fisg^b. = diqojaq (Barrow, Inland and Point Hope Eskimos)' 



The Anus = diq (Mackenzie and Coronation gulf) 



Opening A. 



Pass the ring fingers from the distal side into the little finger loops and take 

 up from the distal side, behind all the other strings, the radial thmnb string. 

 Drop the thumb loops. 



Again insert the ring fingers from the distal side into the little finger loops, 

 and, releasing the little fingers, insert them from the proximal side into the ring 

 finger loops. 



Pass the thumbs over the radial index strings and take up with them from 

 the proximal side the two radial ring finger strings. 



Drop the index loops. 



Pass the indices from the distal side into the thumb loops and twist their 

 backs round the two strings that run medially from the palmar strings. 



Drop the thumb and the little finger loops; pass the remaining three fingers 

 of each hand into the index loops, and grasp with them the radial strings. 



A triangle is formed in the middle, with its apex pointing downwards; by 

 see-sawing the hands it can be made larger or smaller. 



Let some other person pass his little finger into the triangle; then distend 

 the ulnar strings so that the finger, is nipped tight. It can be released, however 

 tightly held, by bending it round, passing it between the two ulnar strings that 

 cross on the outside of the other two, then bending it back again, when it slips 

 out quite readily. 



Fig. 20 



"The little finger" can be made in a variety of ways, of which three are 

 given below. It is the starting point of a number of figures, while, on the other 

 hand, two or three completed figures, e.g. "the fish-net," can be converted into 

 "the little finger." A Point Hope native, who had learned the European figure 

 commonly known as "the cat's cradle," converted that also into "the little 

 finger." 



Second Method 



Loop over the indices. 



Thread one index loop through the other and exchange them on the indices, 

 then proceed as in the first method when the corresponding stage is reached. 



1 Dr. G. B. Gordon has this figure from Cape Prince of Wales, with the name of "Trap." 



