Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-11-13
Th. Pslar Regions.

g. TIE Pslsr Reziens.
From some memoranda Of the
late expedition OF the advance
and RESCUE" made up for the New
York Times, we take the following
EXTRACTS
The race of people who inhabii
the country adjacent 20 Baffin's Bay
and its tributaries, are so little known
that anything in relation 10 them i:
caught up with the greatest avidity,
This arrival furnishes US with sight
of some OF their distinctive -charac.
teristics, in dress and otherwise
The dress of a married lady is com.
posed Of pair Of short seal skin
pants, fur out side, extending nearly
TO the knee joint, where it meets the
legs OF the boots, made OF the same
material, or OF deer-skin. The up
per part of the person is covered
with "Jumper," or a kind Of sack
with hood for the head, and sleeves,
made whole with the exception OF
a place for the face and arms. This
also is made of seal-skin or deer-skin,
and in the warmer weather is COW
cred with a fancy-colored cotton
cloth sack. In the coldest aud wet
weather the cloth sack is removed
aad a seaI-skin covering, without
fur, placed in its stead. This CON-
poses their whole dress. The dress
OF an unmarried lady is distinguished
by a broad band made of fancy
figured webbing about two and a
half inches wide, sewed on each
side Of their pants, extending nearly
the whole length Of them. A mar
ried woman can also be distinguished
from an unmarried one by the hair,
which in both cases is tied upon the
top of the head, and the ends Of that
of the married are colored blue, and
OF the unmarried red. This enables
a gallant to act the amiable without
danger of making advances 10 some
one already married, and getting
stray shot from an injured husband.
The boots are made very neatly,
slender and well proportioned.- The
upper leather is colored. They tan
deer-skins with urine, and their seal
skins are dressed in beautiful man.
ner, simply by drying and rubbing
them with u smooth stone. a pair
of slippers completes the wardrobe
Of lady in the Esquimaux country;
these are made Of deer-skin, and
neatly fringed round the tops with
white rabbits fur. The clothing
which was shown US was made in
very tasty and strong manner, every
thread used being made Of the sinews
OF the deer, ard oil course very du-
rable. The dresses of the males are
very similar to the married ladies',
with the exception that they are
longer and rather heavier. The
Danes are scattered about among the
Esquimaux, and furnish them with
what few foreign articles they may
want, which are limited to steel for
their spears, and some few ornaments
for their dresses, and coloring Tor
their hair and ladies' boots. The
seal furnishes them with almost every
thing they seem TO require-food,
clothing, and even fuel.
"Kyacs" are a kind OF boat used
by this people, and are, certainly,
very curious affairs, four of which
were brought in the Advance. They
are made by stretching seal-skins
over a light framework Of wood
shaped very much like a f1attened
cigar, both ends being very sharp
with hole in the top about IA inches
in diameter. The whole length OF a
boat is about IL feet, by Ia inches in
width, and s inches deep at the GEN.
tire. The boatman slides his legs and
hips through the aperture in the top
OF the boat, extending the legs length
ways, while from bis hips up are out
side. This part OF the body is COW
cred with seal skin, made the same
as a "Jumper," and lashei with
drawing strings at the bottom, 10 a !
rim round the aperture in the boat.
The boatman propels his craft with
a double -bladed paddle, about seven
Teet in length, made of light wood |
and slightly made: the main part but
about II or 2 inches in diameter, and
The blades 4 inches wide and orna-
nented with ivory. With this he
moves through the water, at very
rapid rate. By a dexterous move
nent with his oar, an expert boat
nan will completely turn his boat
over, and come up on the opposite
'ide, still retaining his accustomed
In this fragile vessel he
1ursues his avocation Of spearing
Ieals in the rooghest weather, for
which purpose he has a barbed spear
several inches long, made Of steel
md very sharp, which is attached TO
IN ivory point about s inches in
ength, the whole 10 staff seven or