Eskimo String Figures 161 b 



CXLI. A Man Throwing a Duck-noose 



This figure, which comes from Indian point, is very similar to the two pre- 

 ceding. The nooses or snares which it represents are whale-bone nooses fastened 

 to the end of a long seal-skin line. The ducks come to peck at it and get their 

 feet caught in the nooses, when the hunter drags them in. The movements and 

 the final figure bear some resemblance to No. IX, and it is not improbable the 

 two had a common origin. The Chukchee have a figure called "mice" which 

 seems to be somewhat similar. 



Position 1. 



With the palm of the left thumb, then with the palm of the right, take up 

 the opposite little finger strings and drop the little finger loops. 



Proceed exactly as in the last figures until you reach a figure almost identical - 

 with the common stage in those figures, "the two diamonds," 



Pass the left thumb into the figure under the intersecting diagonals in the 

 middle, raise those strings, insert the right thumb into the left thumb loops and 

 complete the movement of katilluik. 



Insert the right index into the middle of the figure just below the upper 

 transverse string, and the right middle finger just above the lower transverse 

 string, drop the thumb and little finger loops on the right hand and draw the 

 strings taut. 



Hook down the ulnar right index string from the proximal side with the 

 right middle finger and navaho the middle finger. 



Reverse the right index in its loop and transfer the right middle finger loop 

 to the right little £nger. Similarly on the left hand transfer the thumb loop to 

 the index. 



Two strings run together from the palmar right hand string to the left 

 hand. Pass the right thumb under the upper transverse string from the proximal 

 side and twist its back round these two strings. 



Insert the left thumb into the right thumb loops from the proximal side, 

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

 its hand and navaho the thumbs. 



Drop the right index loop but retain the left and chant : 



qoloqolok-a qoloqolok-a Qoloqolokka (the man's name) 



niyaya xanexe niyaya xanexe His duck-snares, his duck-snares 



nuyloataxluhe He threw them 



tickuyavuk Out over the water. 



Fig. 212 



At the word miofloataxluhe drop the left thumb loop; you have the man 

 standing on the left and his snares over near the right thumb. 



72754—11 



