Chapter I: Front Matter

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._

MAP
OF
NORTHWESTERN ALASKA

Showing the region known to the Point Barrow Eskimo
_Based on the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey map of Alaska, 1884,
with additions from the U.S. C. & G. S. “General Chart of Alaska”
1889, and from Eskimo account._

_Eskimo names given in the form used at Point Barrow_

_Names of “tribes” underlined thus_ _Kûñmûdliñ_

Compiled by JOHN MURDOCH

1889]

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

FIG. 1. Unalina, a man of Nuwŭk 34
2. Mûmûñina, a woman of Nuwŭk 35
3. Akabiana, a youth of Utkiavwiñ 36
4. Puka, a young man of Utkiavwiñ 37
5. Woman stretching skins 38
6. Pipes: (_a_) pipe with metal bowl;
(_b_) pipe with stone bowl;
(_c_) pipe with bowl of antler or ivory 67
7. Pipe made of willow stick 68
8. Tobacco pouches 69
9. Plans of Eskimo winter house 72
10. Interior of iglu, looking toward door 73
11. Interior of iglu, looking toward bench 74
12. House in Utkiavwiñ 76
13. Ground plan and section of winter house in
Mackenzie region 77
14. Ground plan of large snow house 82
15. Tent on the beach at Utkiavwiñ 85
16. Wooden bucket 86
17. Large tub 87
18. Whalebone dish 88
19. Meat-bowl 89
20. Stone pot 90
21. Small stone pot 91
22. Fragments of pottery 92
23. Stone maul 94
24. Stone maul 94
25. Stone maul 95
26. Stone maul 95
27. Stone maul 96
28. Stone maul 96
29. Bone maul 97
30. Bone maul 97
31. Bone maul 98
32. Bone maul 98
33. Meat-dish 99
34. Oblong meat-dish 100
35. Oblong meat-dish, very old 100
36. Fish dish 100
37. Whalebone cup 101
38. Horn dipper 101
39. Horn dipper 102
40. Dipper of fossil ivory 103
41. Dipper of fossil ivory 103
42. Wooden spoon 104
43. Horn ladle 104
44. Bone ladle 104
45. Bone ladle in the form of a whale 105
46. Bone ladle 105
47. Stone house-lamp 106
48. Sandstone lamp 107
49. Traveling lamp 108
50. Socket for blubber holder 108
51. Man in ordinary deerskin clothes 110
52. Woman’s hood 111
53. Man’s frock 113
54. Pattern of man’s deerskin frock 113
55. Detail of trimming, skirt and shoulder of
man’s frock 114
56. Man wearing plain, heavy frock 114
57. Man’s frock of mountain sheepskin,
front and back 115
58. Man’s frock of ermine skins 116
59. Pattern of sheepskin frock 117
60. Pattern of ermine frock 117
61. Woman’s frock, front and back 118
62. Pattern of woman’s frock 119
63. Detail of edging, woman’s frock 119
64. Details of trimming, woman’s frock 119
65. Man’s cloak of deerskin 121
66. Pattern of man’s cloak 121
67. Deerskin mittens 123
68. Deerskin gloves 124
69. Man’s breeches of deerskin 125
70. Pattern of man’s breeches 126
71. Trimming of man’s breeches 126
72. Woman’s pantaloons 127
73. Patterns of woman’s pantaloons 128
74. Pattern of stocking 129
75. Man’s boot of deerskin 131
76. Pattern of deerskin boot 131
77. Man’s dress boot of deerskin 132
78. Pattern of man’s dress boot of deerskin 132
79. Man’s dress boot of skin of mountain sheep 133
80. Pair of man’s dress boots of deerskin 134
81. Woman’s waterproof sealskin boot 135
82. Sketch of “ice-creepers” on boot sole 135
83. Man’s belt woven of feathers 136
84. Diagram showing method of fastening the ends
of feathers in belt 137
85. Woman’s belt of wolverine toes 137
86. Belt-fastener 138
87. Man with tattooed cheeks 139
88. Woman with ordinary tattooing 140
89. Man’s method of wearing the hair 141
90. Earrings 143
91. Plug for enlarging labret hole 144
92. Labret of beads and ivory 145
93. Blue and white labret from Anderson River 146
94. Oblong labret of bone 147
95. Oblong labret of soapstone 147
96. Ancient labret 148
97. Beads of amber 149
98. Hair combs 150
99. Slate knives 151
100. Slate knife-blade 152
101. Slate knife 152
102. Slate knife 152
103. Slate hunting-knife 152
104. Blade of slate hunting-knife 153
105. Large slate knife 153
106. Large single-edged slate knife 153
107. Blades of knives 154
108. Peculiar slate knife 154
109. Knife with whalebone blade 155
110. Small iron knife 155
111. Small iron knives 156
112. Iron hunting knife 156
113. Large crooked knife 158
114. Large crooked knife with sheath 158
115. Small crooked knives 159
116. Crooked knife 159
117. Crooked knives, flint-bladed 160
118. Slate-bladed crooked knives 161
119. Woman’s knife, steel blade 161
120. Woman’s knife, slate blade 162
121. Woman’s knife, slate blade 162
122. Woman’s knife, slate blade 162
123. Woman’s knife, slate blade 162
124. Woman’s ancient slate-bladed knife 163
125. Ancient bone handle for woman’s knife 163
126. Large knife of slate 163
127. Woman’s knife of flaked flint 164
128. Hatchet hafted as an adz 165
129. Hatchet hafted as an adz 166
130. Adz-head of jade 167
131. Adz-head of jade 167
132. Hafted jade adz 168
133. Adz-head of jade and bone 168
134. Adz-head of bone and iron, without eyes 168
135. Adz-head of bone and iron, with vertical eyes 169
136. Adz-head of bone and iron, with vertical eyes 169
137. Hafted bone and iron adz 169
138. Hafted bone and stone adz 170
139. Small adz-blade of green jade 170
140. Hafted adz of bone and flint 171
141. Old cooper’s adz, rehafted 171
142. Adz with bone blade 172
143. Antler chisel 173
144. Antler chisel 173
145. Spurious tool, flint blade 173
146. Whalebone shave, slate blade 174
147. Saw made of deer’s scapula 175
148. Saw made of a case-knife 175
149. Bow drill 176
150. Bow drill and mouthpiece 176
151. Bow drill 177
152. Drill bow 177
153. Drill bows 178
154. Spliced drill bow 178
155. Drill mouthpiece with iron socket 179
156. Drill mouthpiece without wings 179
157. Bone-pointed drill 179
158. Handles for drill cords 180
159. Flint-bladed reamers 182
160. Flint-bladed reamers 182
161. Awl 182
162. Jade whetstones 183
163. Jade whetstones 184
164. Wooden tool-boxes 185
165. Large wooden tool-boxes 186
166. Tool-bag of wolverine skin 187
167. Tool-bag of wolverine skin 188
168. Drills belonging to the tool-bag 189
169. Comb for deerskins in the tool-bag 189
170. Bag handles 190
171. Bag of leather 190
172. Little hand-club 191
173. Slungshot made of walrus jaw 191
174. Dagger of bear’s bone 192
175. Bone daggers 192
176. So-called dagger of bone 193
177. Boy’s bow from Utkiavwiñ 196
178. Loop at end of bowstring 197
179. Large bow from Nuwŭk 197
180. Large bow from Sidaru 198
181. Feathering of the Eskimo arrow 201
182. Flint-headed arrow (kukĭksadlĭñ) 202
183. Long flint pile 202
184. Short flint pile 202
185. Heart-shaped flint pile 203
186. (_a_) Arrow with “after pile” (ipudligadlĭñ);
(_b_) arrow with iron pile (savidlĭñ);
(_c_) arrow with iron pile (savidlĭñ);
(_d_) arrow with copper pile (savidlĭñ);
(_e_) deer-arrow (nûtkodlĭñ) 203
187. Pile of deer arrow (nûtkăñ) 205
188. “Kûnmûdlĭñ” arrow pile 205
189. (_a_) Fowl arrow (tugalĭñ); (_b_) bird arrow
(kixodwain) 206
190. Bow case and quivers 208
191. Quiver rod 209
192. Cap for quiver rod 209
193. Bracer 210
194. Bracer of bone 210
195. Bird dart 211
196. Point for bird dart 212
197. Ancient point for bird dart 212
198. Point for bird dart 213
199. Bird dart with double point 213
200. Ancient ivory dart head 214
201. Bone dart head 214
202. Nozzle for bladder float 215
203. Seal dart 215
204. Foreshaft of seal dart 217
205. Throwing board for darts 217
206. Harpoon head 218
207. Harpoon head 219
208. Ancient bone harpoon head 219
209. (_a_) Ancient bone harpoon head;
(_b_) variants of this type 220
210. Bone harpoon head 220
211. Bone harpoon head 220
212. Harpoon head, bone and stone 221
213. Harpoon head, bone and stone 221
214. Walrus harpoons 224
215. Typical walrus-harpoon heads 226
216. Typical walrus-harpoon heads 226
217. Typical walrus-harpoon heads 227
218. Walrus-harpoon head, with “leader” 227
219. Walrus-harpoon head, with line 228
220. Walrus-harpoon head, with line 228
221. Walrus-harpoon head, with line 229
222. Foreshaft of walrus harpoon 230
223. Harpoon head for large seals 230
224. Retrieving seal harpoon 231
225. Details of retrieving seal harpoon 232
226. Jade blade for seal harpoon 233
227. Seal harpoon for thrusting 233
228. Diagram of lashing on shaft 234
229. Model of a seal harpoon 235
230. Large model of whale harpoon 235
231. Model of whale harpoon, with floats 236
232. Flint blade for whale harpoon 237
233. Slate blade for whale harpoon 237
234. Body of whale harpoon head 238
235. Whale harpoon heads 238
236. Whale harpoon head with “leader” 239
237. Foreshaft of whale harpoon 239
238. Whale lance 240
239. Flint head of whale lance 241
240. Flint heads for whale lances 241
241. Bear lance 242
242. Flint head for bear lance 242
243. Deer lance 243
244. Part of deer lance with flint head 243
245. Deer lance, flint head 244
246. Flint head for deer lance 244
247. Bird bolas, looped up for carrying 245
248. Bird bolas, ready for use 245
249. Sealskin float 247
250. Flipper toggles 248
251. Boxes for harpoon heads 249
252. Seal net 251
253. Scratchers for decoying seals 253
254. Seal rattle 254
255. Seal indicators 255
256. Sealing stool 255
257. Seal drag and handles 257
258. Whalebone wolf killers 259
259. Wooden snow-goggles 261
260. Bone snow-goggles 262
261. Wooden snow-goggles, unusual form 262
262. Marker for meat cache 262
263. Marker for meat cache 263
264. Tackle for shore fishing 279
265. Knot of line into hook 279
266. Small fish-hooks 280
267. Hooks for river fishing 280
268. Tackle for river fishing 280
269. Burbot hook, first pattern 281
270. Burbot hook, second pattern 281
271. Burbot hook, made of cod hook 281
272. Burbot tackle, baited 281
273. Ivory sinker 282
274. Ivory jigger for polar cod 282
275. Section of whalebone net 284
276. Mesh of sinew net 285
277. Fish trap 285
278. Fish spear 286
279. Flint flakers 288
280. Haft of flint flaker 288
281. Flint flaker, with bone blade 289
282. Fire drill, with mouthpiece and stock 289
283. Set of bow-and-arrow tools 291
284. Marline spike 292
285. Marline spike 292
286. “Twister” for working sinew backing of bow 293
287. “Feather setter” 294
288. Tool of antler 294
289. Skin scraper 295
290. Skin scrapers--handles only 295
291. Skin scrapers 296
292. Skin scraper 296
293. Peculiar modification of scraper 296
294. Skin scraper 297
295. Skin scraper 297
296. Skin scraper 297
297. Flint blade for skin scraper 298
298. Straight-hafted scraper 298
299. Bone scraper 299
300. Scraper cups 299
301. Combs for cleaning deer-skins 301
302. “Double slit” splice for rawhide lines 302
303. Mattock of whale’s rib 303
304. Pickax-heads of bone, ivory, and whale’s rib 303
305. Ivory snow knife 305
306. Snow shovels 305
307. Snow shovel made of a whale’s scapula 307
308. Snow pick 307
309. Snow drill 308
310. Ice scoop 308
311. Long blubber hook 310
312. Short-handled blubber hook 310
313. Fish sealer 311
314. Ivory shuttle 311
315. Netting needle 312
316. Mesh stick 312
317. Netting needles 313
318. Netting needles for seal net 314
319. Netting needle 314
320. Mesh sticks 314
321. Netting weights 316
322. Shuttle belonging to set of feather tools 316
323. Mesh stick 317
324. “Sword” for feather weaving 317
325. Quill case of bone needles 318
326. (_a_) Large bone needle and peculiar thimble;
(_b_) Leather thimbles with bone needles 318
327. Needle cases with belt hooks 320
328. (_a_) Needle case with belt hook;
(_b_) needle case open, showing bone needles 321
329. Trinket boxes 323
330. Trinket boxes 324
331. Ivory box 325
332. Bone box 325
333. Little flask of ivory 325
334. Box in shape of deer 325
335. Small basket 326
336. Small basket 326
337. Small basket 327
338. Kaiak 329
339. Method of fastening together frame of kaiak 329
340. Double kaiak paddle 330
341. Model kaiak and paddle 334
342. Frame of umiak 336
343. (_a_) Method of fastening bilge-streaks to
stem of umiak; (_b_) method of framing rib
to gunwale, etc. 337
344. Method of slinging the oar of umiak 339
345. (_a_) Model of umiak and paddles;
(_b_) model of umiak, inside plan 340
346. Ivory bailer for umiak 340
347. Ivory crotch for harpoon 341
348. Ivory crotch for harpoon 342
349. Crotch for harpoon made of walrus jaw 342
350. Snowshoe 345
351. Knot in snowshoe netting 346
352. (_a_) First round of heel-netting of snowshoe;
(_b_) first and second round of heel-netting
of snowshoe 347
353. (_a_) First round of heel-netting of snowshoe;
(_b_) first, second, and third rounds of
heel-netting of snowshoe 348
354. Small snowshoe 350
355. Old “chief,” with staffs 353
356. Railed sledge (diagrammatic), from photograph 354
357. Flat sledge 355
358. Small sledge with ivory runners 355
359. Small toboggan of whalebone 357
360. Hunting score engraved on ivory 361
361. Hunting score engraved on ivory, obverse
and reverse 362
362. Hunting score engraved on ivory 362
363. Hunting score engraved on ivory, obverse
and reverse 363
364. Game of fox and geese from Plover Bay 365
365. Dancing cap 365
366. Wooden mask 366
367. Wooden mask and dancing gorget 367
368. Old grotesque mask 368
369. Rude mask of wood 369
370. Wolf mask of wood 369
371. Very ancient small mask 369
372. Dancing gorgets of wood 371
373. Youth dancing to the aurora 375
374. Whirligigs 377
375. Teetotum 378
376. Buzz toy 378
377. Whizzing stick 379
378. Pebble snapper 379
379. Carving of human head 380
380. Mechanical doll--drum-player 381
381. Mechanical toy--kaiak paddler 381
382. Kaiak carved from block of wood 382
383. Drum 385
384. Handle of drum secured to rim 386
385. Drum handles 387
386. Ivory drumsticks 388
387. Ancient carving--human head 393
388. Wooden figures 393
389. Carving--face of Eskimo man 394
390. Grotesque soapstone image--“walrus man” 394
391. Bone image of dancer 395
392. Bone image of man 396
393. Grotesque bone image 396
394. Bone image--sitting man 396
395. Human figure carved from walrus ivory 396
396. Ivory carving--three human heads 397
397. Rude human head, carved from a walrus tooth 397
398. Elaborate ivory carving 398
399. Bear carved of soapstone 398
400. Bear flaked from flint 399
401. (_a_) Bear carved from bone;
(_b_) bear’s head 399
402. Ivory figures of bears 400
403. Rude ivory figures of walrus 401
404. Images of seal--wood and bone 401
405. White whale carved from gypsum 402
406. Wooden carving--whale 403
407. Whale carved from soapstone 403
408. Rude flat image of whale 404
409. Ivory image of whale 404
410. Ivory image of whale 404
411. Pair of little ivory whales 405
412. Soapstone image of imaginary animal 405
413. Ivory carving, seal with fish’s head 405
414. Ivory carving, ten-legged bear 406
415. Ivory carving, giant holding whales 406
416. Double-headed animal carved from antler 407
417. Ivory carving--dog 407
418. (_a_) Piece of ivory, engraved with figures;
(_b_) development of pattern 408
419. (_a_) Similar engraved ivory;
(_b_) development of pattern 408
420. Ivory doll 409
421. Whale flaked from glass 435
422. Whale flaked from red jasper 435
423. Ancient whale amulet, of wood 436
424. Amulet of whaling--stuffed godwit 438
425. Amulet consisting of ancient jade adz 438
426. Little box containing amulet for whaling 439
427. Amulet for catching fowl with bolas 439
428. Box of dried bees--amulet 440

ETHNOLOGICAL RESULTS OF THE POINT BARROW EXPEDITION.

By John Murdoch.