98 b 



Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



PART II 



FIGURES BEGINNING WITH OPENING B 



LXXXIII. The Man and his Harpoon 



This figure is known at Indian point, Siberia, in the Mackenzie delta, and 

 in Coronation gulf. At Indian point it is called ayacoki, a man's name, and a 

 chant describes how he harpoons a walrus, the action being illustrated by a 

 method of dissolution which causes the left index to be caught in a noose. The 

 Mackenzie natives call the figure ayayuqaq, "the old man," and have a chant 

 describing how he harpoons an ice-keg, illustrated in the same way. The Coron- 

 ation gulf natives call the figure utok, "vulva," and dissolve it by merely drop- 

 ping the loops. I have not heard it described as a separate figure by the Alaskan 

 Eskimos, though two or three other figures known to them follow the same steps 

 (see Nos. LXXXVI and LXXXVII, and cp. CVII and the following figures). 



Opening B. 



Insert the last three fingers of each hand into the index loops from the 

 proximal side and hook down with them the radial string. 



With the backs of the thumbs from the proximal side draw through the 

 thumb loops the radial index strings. 



With the backs of each middle finger take up the string on each side which 

 crosses the palm of the thumb, and on the proximal side of all the strings push 

 the middle finger loops through each other and interchange them on the middle 

 fingers. 



Drop the index and thumb loops. 



You have the figure variously named ayacoki, ayayuqaq and utok^ 



Fig. 120 



The Indian point natives chant: 

 ayacok hivak kan-a 

 nayukyo aydcokim 

 andkaylummaya 



The Mackenzie Eskimos chant: 

 ayayuqaq tcikulij-am 



qoyonavatin 

 tuvaq payna nauliyun 



Agasoki, the walrus down there 

 Harpoon it, Agasoki. 

 I have not missed it. 



Old man, the young ice is going to crush 



you. 

 The ice-cake over there, stick your spear 



into it. 



