Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-12
preferable to cosmetics.

preferable to cosmetics.
Even in the Arctic world, woman
seems conscious of the influence of
her charms, and man seems willing to
recognize it. They plat their black
aud glossy hair-these Esquimaux
beauties with much care and taste;
and they tattoo their forehead, cheeks
and chin with few curved lines, which
produce not altogether unpleasant ef-
feet.
From Behring Straits eastward, as
far as the river Mackenzie, the males
pierce the lower lip near each angle OF
the mouth, in order to suspend from 1t
ornaments of blue or green quartz, or
of ivory, shaped like buttons. Some
insert small ivory quill or dentalium
shell in the cartilage Of the nose. They
decorate themselves, moreover, with
strings Of glass beads; or. where these
cannot be obtained, with strings of the
teeth of the musk-ox, wolf or fox;
hanging them to the tail of the jacket,
or twining them round the waist like a
girdle.
They can defy the rigor OF the Arctic
winter, its extreme cold, its severest
gales, and pursue their avocations in
the open air even in the dreariness of
the early winter twilight, SO cleverly
adapted is their garb to the conditions
under which they live. Their boots,
made of seal skin, and lined with the
downy skins of birds, are thoroughly
waterproof; their gloves are large, but
defend the hands from frost-bite.
They wear two pair of oreeches, made
of reindeer or seal.skin, of which the
under pair has the close, warm, stimu-
lating hair close to the flesh; and two
jackets, of which the upner one is Pro-
vided with large hood, completely
enveloping the head and face, all but
the eyes.
The women are similarly attired, ex-
cept that their jacket is a little longer.
and the hood in which they carry their
children, considerably larger; and that,
in summer, they substitute for the
skin-jacket water-tight shirt. or
kamleika, made of the entrsils of the
seal or walrus. They sew their boots
so tightly as to render them impervious
to moisture, and SO neatly that they
may almost be included in the category
of the works of art.
Fish-hooks, knives and spear or har-
poon heads, the Esquimsux make Of
the he rms aud bones of the deer. In
constructing their sledges and roofing
their huts, they have recourse to the
ribs of the whale when driftwood is
not available. Strips of seal. skin hide
are q capital substitute for cordage,
and cords for nets and bow.strings are
manipulated from the sinews of musk.
oxen and deer.
The kayak or baidar is as good in its
way ~ the light and swift canoe of the
POlynesian islanders. 1t consists of
narrow, long aud light wooden frame
work covered water-tight with seal.skin,
with central aperture for the body of
the rover. Sometimes the frame is
made of seal or wslrus bones. The
Esquimaux takes his seat in his buoyant
craft, with legs outstretched, and binds
sack-which is made from the
intestines of the whale, or the skins of
young seals-so tightly round his
waist, that even in rolling sea the
bost remains wster.tight. Dexterously
and rapidly using his paddle, with his
spear or harpoon before him, and pre-
serving his equilibrium with marvel
Gus stesdiness, he darts over the
waves like an arrow; and even if up.
set, speedily rights himself and his
buoyant skiff.
The 00mIak, or woman's boat, CON-
sists in like manner of framework
covered with seal-skins; but it ia large
enough to accommodate ten or twelve
people, with benches for the women
who row or paddle. The mast supports
triangular sail, made of the entrails
Of seals, and easily distended by the
wind. e
It has been observed that similar
degree of inventive and executive skill
Is displayed by the Esquimaux in
their spears and harpoons, their fish.
ing and hunting implements. Their
oars are tastefuliy inlaid with valrus
teeth; they have several kinds of
spears or darts, according to the char
acter OF the animal they intend to
hunt; and their bows, with strings of
seal gut, are 80 strong and elastic as to
drive . six-foot arrow q really consid-
cradle distance.
The harpoons and spears used in
killing whales or seals have long shafts
OF wooo or bone, and the barbed point
- 20 constructed that, when lodged in
the body Of an animal, it remains i'm
bedded, while the shaft attached to it
by string is loosened from the socket
and acts Is buoy Seal skins filed
with air, like bladders, are also en-
nl0va6 A hnovs for tho vhola onuor.
beings tripped from the animal with
such address that all the natural
spertures are easily made air.tight.
Royal Leisure. ..
The employment Of the leisure hours
OF royalty has always been subject of
interesting study to the world. Louis
Seize passed his vacant hours in forging
locks and bolts; Marie Antoinette car
ried the art OF pLrfldge to great perfec.
ton: Victoria baa studied every ort