Eskimo String Figures 135 b 



PART IV 



MISCELLANEOUS OPENINGS 



SECTION i. THE BROWN BEAR'S PACK CYCLE 



There are a number of figures which all reach a common stage in their 

 evolution, then branch off. The "brown bear packing something on its back" 

 is one of the most familiar of these figures, and may conveniently give its name 

 to the whole series. Two of the figures are found all the way from Barrow to 

 Hudson bay, one is confined to the Mackenzie delta and Coronation gulf, while 

 four are purely local, one being found among the Eskimos of Indian point, 

 Siberia, and the other three in Coronation gulf. In addition to these there are 

 three figures which vary the opening a little; one comes from Indian point, one 

 from the Inland Eskimos of northern Alaska, and the third from the Mackenzie 

 river. 



The intermediate stage through which the figures of "the brown bear's 

 pack" cycle pass is reached in the following manner: 



Loop about four inches of the string over the backs of the thumbs, holding 

 the ulnar strings in the palms of the hands. 



With the palms of the indices from the distal side take up the string running 

 between the two thumbs and turn the indices outward. 



With the palms of the thumbs from below take up the opposite thumb- 

 index strings and return, dropping all but the thumb and index loops. 



The ulnar index strings cross one another. 



Pass the little fingers below all the strings and push out with their backs 

 the proximal ulnar thumb string, then hook their palms over the upper of the 

 intersecting strings (the ulnar index string on one side and the distal ulnar thumb 

 string on the other). 



Turn the thumbs downward so that a loop drops off from each, leaving an 

 upper transverse string over which a loop passes; then turn the thumbs upward 

 again. 



With each thumb from the proximal side take up the radial index string of 

 its hand, navaho the thumbs, drop the index loops and transfer the thumb loops 

 to the indices. 



This is the intermediate stage. 



Fig. 178 



