The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-29

yards. They also make a long detour in
passing tho resting place of the dead,
and will on no account touch anything
once deposited at burial.
A woman's grave has her clothing,
sewing-gear, and various household uten-
sils placed upon it. One of the most Pc
culiar acts I heard of took place in the
month of May, during the whaling sea-
son, at Point Hope. A woman died and
her body was carried oat to the edge of
the ice. Three old women cut her heart
out, wrapped it in a covering of seal in
testines, and threw it into the sea
through q hole in the foe. This was
done in order to bring good luck to the
catch.
On the two corners of the lips of the
males two lateral incisions are made,
into which tablets of ivory, stone, or
beads are inserted, the orifice becoming
extended as the individual grows older.
These tablets are oval in form, having q
groove upon the unde: surface, which,
fitting into the orifce, prevents them
from falling out. Within the last few
years the custom of cutting the lips is
becoming abandoned, and it is probable
that a decade will witness the young
men devoid of this ornamcntation. The
women have longitudinal stripes tat
tooed upon their chins, divergin4 from
a centre in slight curves. They also wear
bracelets of brass, iron, and copper wire.
The male style of wearing the hair is
somewhat like the tonsure of a monk, the
centre of the soap being bare, while the
hair hangs over the TO ehead and ears
like fringe. Hirsute appendaScs upon
ths face take the form of few strag-
CLING hairs on the upper lip and chin,
and these are only seen on elderly per-
sons. Women put their hair into plats
depending on either side, which are or
namented with long strings of small seed
leads obtained from traders. Deerskin,
squirrel, and muskrat pclts are utilized
for clothing. Inner shirts of fawl-skin
and outer coats of summer d deerskin, with
pants of similar material, are worn by
both males and females. The fair sex,
however, have their shirts cut round at
the bottom and wear trousers and boots
sewed into one piece, while the mems
garments are similar in shape to ponchos,
their trousers coming only to the knee.
Decrskin socks, with the hair turned in
ward, with seal or decrskin boots having
seal-hide soles, comprise the footgear.
All the clothing is sewn with sinews
obtained from the decr's legs and back
and male up into thread. Thrcc-cor-
nered needles are used for sewing, these
being deemed the best for working upon
skins Strips OF wolf and wolverine hair
fringe the hood of the outside shirts,
which serve as protection against the
icy blasts of the winter winds. Upon the
back portion of the outside shirt charms,
as protection against evil, are seen. These
consist of the skin of an ermine, amink's
tail. or crows head and beak, while
belt with the tail of wolf or wolverine
depending at the back serves to con6nc
the shirt ut the waist. Goats and trousers
of the latest San Francisco styles ar oe-
ing gradually introduced by the traders
among the people, but their use is con-
fined to the summer months only. There
is no doubt that in course of time civil
lized clothing will be sought after by
these mutes, a. the skins which they
formerly utilized are disposed of in trade
and prices paid that excite their cupidity.'
But owing to the ri gor CT the winter sea-
son, deerskin can never be entirely dis.
placed. San Francisco Chronicle.