Eskimo String Figures 91 b 



LXXVIII. The Sealee 



A Cape Prince of Wales Eskimo called the first figure in this series tojvaq, 

 the meaning of which I could not discover. He accompanied the various stages 

 in its dissolution by certain expressions which resembled those used by the 

 Inland natives of northern Alaska. These, however, called the first figure 

 tayXuni, "his snow-shoes," and dissolved it by a totally different method. The 

 Mackenzie Eskimos seized upon one stage in the dissolution as made by the In- 

 land Eskimos, "the seal," and regarded that figure, which they also called a 

 "seal" (nataq), as the only significant one in the series. The Coronation gulf 

 natives knew the first figure, which they called tubayyuik, "two men sealing," 

 but appeared to be ignorant of the rest. Boas has the first figure from Cumber- 

 land sound with the name gowatcheak, the meaning of which I do not know. 



Make "the two hips." 



In the middle just below the upper transverse string there is a string running 

 parallel to it. 



Remove the thumb loops to the indices and, passing the thumbs under this 

 string from the proximal side, raise it up, then with each thumb from the proximal 

 side take up the radial index string. Navaho the thumbs, drop the index loops, 

 and transfer the thumb loops to the indices. 



A string runs from each palmar string on the proximal side of all the strings 

 to loop round the lower transverse string. Take each up from below from the 

 proximal side with the thumb of the same hand, then with each thumb from the 

 proximal side the radial index string. Navaho the thumbs, drop the index loops, 

 and remove the thumb loops to the indices. 



In the middle are two diagonals behind which runs a string parallel to the 

 upper transverse string. Insert the thumbs underneath the diagonals where 

 they intersect, take up this parallel string behind them from below, and draw 

 it through. 



With the thumbs from the proximal side then take up the radial index 

 string on each side. Navaho the thumbs and drop the index loops. 



You have toyvaq according to the Cape Prince of Wales woman, "the 

 sealer's two snow-shoes" of the Inland natives, "the two sealers" of the Copper 

 Eskimos, and gowatcheak of the Hudson bay natives. 



Fig. 107 



(a) The Cape Prince of Wales dissolution: 



Remove the thumb loops to the indices. 



Insert the thumbs under the upper transverse string behind the first loop 

 that passes round it on each side. Drop the index loops and draw the strings 

 taut. 



