Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/742

 730 ESQUIMAUX the seashore, and are either permanent or temporary according to the situation and the materials at the disposal of the workman. In Greenland, where their permanent dwelling is of stone cemented by turf, it is usually not more than 6 or 8 ft. high, and is covered by a flat roof of ^food and turf. It has neither door nor chimney, and the floor is divided into compartments by skins attached to the posts that support the roof. Each family has a separate apartment, and each apartment a window of seal skin dried, which is white and transparent. Benches are used as seats during the day and as couches during the night, the bedding being composed of reindeer skins. In Gilbert sound the houses are of wood, and at Kegent's bay, and generally in Labrador, the roof is arched, and the habitation sunk 3 ft. in the ground ; but the most remarkable houses are those built of the bones of whales and walruses, described by Frobisher and Parry. They also construct dwellings of snow and ice. Their dress consists of furs, in the preparation of which they exercise a degree of ingenuity superior to that of the most skilful furrier. The winter coat is usually made of seal skin, while the summer coat consists of that of the reindeer ; but every variety of fur is occasion- ally used. The overcoat is supplied with a large hood, often bordered with white fur of the deer, which when drawn over the head pre- sents a lively contrast with the dark face of the wearer. Those worn by the women have a much -larger hood than those of the men, which not only furnishes a covering for the head but a cradle for the infant. The boots of the women are remarkable, and are sometimes made so large in the leg as to re- semble a leather sack, which gives a ludicrous aspect to the whole figure. These capacious pouches are used as pockets, as temporary beds for infants, and, when in the vicinage of white men, as receptacles for stolen goods. As they are much upon the water, they devote considerable attention to the construction of their boats. These are of two kinds, the caiak or men's boat, and the oomiak or wo- men's boat. The caiak, first described by Baffin, is adapted but for one person; it is about 16 ft. long, 2 ft. broad in the middle, and 1 ft. deep, and shaped like a weaver's shuttle. The bottom is rounded and has no keel. The frame is kept stretched above by 22 little beams, and two strong battens run from stem to stern, which toward the middle are attached to a hoop of bone large enough to admit the body. The frame is entirely covered, with the exception of a circular hole in the centre, with fresh-dressed seal or wal- rus skin. When complete the boat weighs about 60 Ibs., and is so constructed that it can be carried on the head without the aid of the hands. The oomiak is from 20 to 25 ft. long, 8 ft. broad, and capable of accommodating from 10 to 20 persons. It is composed of the same materials as the caiak, and is often fur- nished with a lug-shaped sail, formed of the intestine of the walrus, sewed together with great skill in breadths of about 4 in., and weighing less than 4 Ibs. The mast has a neat ivory sheave for the halyards to run on, and is placed well forward. Much taste is displayed upon the bow and stern of the oomiak, but the Esquimaux chiefly prides himself upon the beauty and speed of his caiak, in which he defies the storm, and does not hesitate to approach and give battle to the polar bear and other monsters. The Esquimaux sledge, which is drawn by dogs, is sometimes made of wood, but bone sleds are almost exclusively used at Shishvareif inlet and Eegent's bay. At Re- gent's inlet the sled is made of a number of salmon packed together in the form of a cylin- der about 7 ft. long, encased in skins taken from canoes, and well corded with thongs. An Esquimaux Hunter. Two of these cylinders are pressed into the shape of runners, and having been left to freeze, are secured by cross bars made of the legs of the deer or musk ox. The bottom of the runner is then covered with a mixture of moss, earth, and water, upon which is de- posited about half an inch of water, which congeals in the act of application. These sleds travel more lightly than those shod with iron ; but as they cease to be of service when the temperature rises above the freezing point, they are then taken to pieces, and the fish be- ing eaten, the skins are converted into bags and the bones given to the dogs. The Esqui- maux hunt with bows and arrows, spears and slings. They are fond of ornaments, and carve with much skill. Capt. Logan found on the E. coast of America models of men, women, and children, of beasts, birds, and fishes, exe- cuted in a masterly style, and with no mean