Part 1

Footnotes have been renumbered continuously. They are marked with leading [N] to avoid confusion with other bracketed numerals. Many illustrations were labeled for scale as “1/4”, “2/3” and similar. These notations have been retained for completeness.

_Orthography_ is briefly described early in the article. Note in particular the vowels ɐ and ǝ (inverted a and e); both are rare. The inconsistent use of ĸ and ρ, especially in material quoted from other sources, is not explained. The letter ĸ (kra) is equivalent to q in modern (ICI) orthography; ρ (rho) may represent r or voiced/nasalized q.

Decimal points throughout the article were prined as · (mid-dot). They have been changed to . (ordinary decimal or period). Oversized letters or symbols (rare) are shown as #A#.

Typographical errors corrected by the transcriber are listed at the end of the e-text. Some inconsistencies were noted but not changed; some of these are also listed.

The Franz Boas article “The Central Eskimo” is available from Project Gutenberg as ebook 42084.]

ETHNOLOGICAL RESULTS

of the

POINT BARROW EXPEDITION.

By JOHN MURDOCH,

_Naturalist and Observer, International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, 1881-1883._

CONTENTS.

Page. Introduction 19 List of works consulted 20 Situation and surroundings 26 Climate 30 People 33 Physical characteristics 33 Pathology 39 Psychical characteristics 40 Tribal phenomena 42 Social surroundings 43 Contact with uncivilized people 43 Other Eskimo 43 Indians 49 Contact with civilized people 51 Natural resources 55 Animals 55 Mammals 55 Birds 56 Fishes 58 Insects and other invertebrates 59 Plants 59 Minerals 60 Culture 61 Means of subsistence 61 Food 61 Substances used for food 61 Means of preparing food 63 Time and frequency of eating 63 Drinks 64 Narcotics 65 Habitations 72 The winter house 72 Arrangement in villages 79 Snow houses 81 Tents 83 Household utensils 86 For holding and carrying food, water, etc 86 Canteens 86 Wallets, etc 86 Buckets and tubs 86 Meat bowls 89 For preparing food 90 Pots of stone and other materials 90 Bone crushers 93 For serving and eating food 99 Trays 99 Drinking vessels 101 Whalebone cups 101 Spoons and ladles 104 Miscellaneous household utensils 105 Lamps 105 Clothing 109 Material 109 Style of dress 110 Head clothing 112 Frocks 113 Mantles 121 Rainfrocks 122 Arm clothing 123 Mittens 123 Gloves 124 Leg and foot clothing 125 Breeches 125 Pantaloons 126 Stockings 129 Boots and shoes 129 Parts of dress 135 Belts 135 Ornaments 138 Personal adornment 138 Skin ornamentation 138 Tattooing 138 Painting 140 Head ornaments 140 Method of wearing the hair 140 Head bands 142 Ear rings 142 Labrets 143 Neck ornaments 148 Ornaments of the limbs 148 Bracelets 148 Finger rings 149 Miscellaneous ornaments 149 Beads 149 Toilet articles 149 Implements of general use, etc 150 Tools 150 Knives 150 Adzes 165 Chisels 172 Whalebone shaves 173 Saws 174 Drills and borers 175 Hammers 182 Files 182 Whetstones 183 Tool boxes and bags 185 Weapons 191 Projectile weapons 193 Firearms 193 Whaling guns 195 Bows 195 Arrows 201 Bear arrows 202 Bow cases and quivers 207 Bracers 209 Bird darts 210 Seal darts 214 Harpoons 218 Thrusting weapons 233 Harpoons 233 Lances 240 Throwing weapons 244 Hunting implements other than weapons 246 Floats 246 Flipper toggles 247 Harpoon boxes 247 Nets 251 Seal calls 253 Seal rattles 254 Seal indicators 254 Sealing stools 255 Seal drags 256 Whalebone wolf-killers 259 Traps 260 Snow-goggles 260 Meat cache markers 262 Methods of hunting 263 The polar bear 263 The wolf 263 The fox 264 The reindeer 264 The seal 268 The walrus 272 The whale 272 Fowl 276 Implements for fishing 278 Hooks and lines 278 Nets 284 Spears 286 Flint working 287 Fire making 289 Drills 289 Flint and steel 291 Kindlings 291 Bow and arrow making 291 The marline spike 291 The twisters 292 The feather setter 294 Skin working 294 Scrapers 294 Scraper cups 299 Combs for deer skins 300 Manufacture of lines of thong 301 Builders’ tools 302 For excavating 302 Tools for snow and ice working 304 Snow knives 304 Snow shovels 305 Ice picks 307 Ice scoops 308 Implements for procuring and preparing food 310 Blubber hooks 310 Fish scaler 311 Making and working fiber 311 Twisting and braiding 311 Netting 312 Netting weights 315 Weaving 316 Sewing 317 Means of locomotion and transportation 328 Traveling by water 328 Kaiaks and paddles 328 Umiaks and fittings 335 Traveling on foot 344 Snowshoes 344 Staff 352 Land conveyances 353 Sledges 353 Dogs and harness 357 Hunting scores 360 Games and pastimes 364 Gambling 364 Festivals 365 Mechanical contrivances 372 Description of festivals 373 Toys and sports for children and others 376 Playthings 376 Dolls 380 Juvenile implements 383 Games and sports 383 Music 385 Musical instruments 385 Character and frequency of music 388 Art 389 Domestic life 410 Marriage 410 Standing and treatment of women 413 Children 414 Rights and wrongs 419 Social life and customs 420 Personal habits and cleanliness 420 Salutation 422 Healing 422 Customs concerning the dead 423 Abstentions 423 Manner of disposing of the dead 424 Government 427 In the family 427 In the village 427 Religion 430 General ideas 430 Amulets 434

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. PL. I. Map of Northwestern Alaska 2 II. Map of the hunting grounds of the Point Barrow Eskimo 18