THE ESKIMOS 



Towards spring the snow-houses become very damp, and 

 to prevent the roofs from being melted away fresh snow has 

 to be added on the outside. Before they are abandoned for 

 the skin tents they sometimes become so soft that they cave 

 in upon the occupants, causing much sickness in the form of 

 colds and pneumonia. 



In their workmanship the Eskimos are remarkably neat. 

 Wood is used for manufacturing purposes when it is avail- 

 able, but all they are able to procure is of a fragmentary 

 nature, such as has drifted from some distant shore, or from 

 the wreck of an unfortunate vessel. It is from this rough 

 and scanty material they frame their kyacks, make their 

 sleds, tent-poles, and the handles of their spears and harpoons ; 

 from it they fashion their bows and many other useful or 

 ornamental things, and by exercise of untiring perseverance 

 and skill they manage to produce marvellous results. For 

 example, a paddle is often made of two or three pieces of 

 wood, but these are joined together so neatly that if it were 

 not for the seal thong lashings the joints would not be 

 noticeable. 



The lashings are put on green, or after having been softened 

 in water, and are drawn tightly, so that when they become 

 dry and shrink they produce strong and rigid joints. 



The process by which these lashing^thongs and heavy lines 

 for hunting purposes, as well as the small thread for sewing, 

 are manufactured, is very interesting. A heavy harpoon line, 

 used in the hunt for securing walruses, is-made from the skin 

 of the " square flipper " seal, a large species about eight feet 

 long. For such use the skin is not removed from the carcase 

 in the usual way, but is pulled off without cutting it, as one 

 might pull off a wet stocking. The whole hide is thus pre- 

 served in the form of a sack. It is then placed in water, and 

 allowed to remain there for several days, until the thin, 

 black outer skin becomes decomposed. .This, together with 

 the hair, is readily peeled off, and a clean, white pelt remains. 



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