Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-27

mammoth, which existed in large herds
in Alaska a few thousand years ago.
1t is not uncommon in many parts of
the valleys Of the Yukon and Kusko-
quin. Usually the tusks are found on
the surface of the ground, and not bur-
led as in Siberia; but nearly always
they are so blackcned and fragile as to
nave no commercial value.
For their picture writings the E,ski
mo also use the ribs and leg bones of
reindeer. Necdle-cases' and snuff-tubcs
are made from the larger wing-bone Of
the swan engraved in the same way.
Even the skin of living human beings
IS employed for the portrayal of va
rlety of designs. So far as the women
are concerned, however, the tattooing is
limited as a rule to vertical bars on the
chin. 1t is done by passing a needle
ana thread, the latter covered with
lampblack and oil. under the cpidermis,
according to the pattern previously
marked out on the skin. Several stitch
es being thus taken at once, the thumb
Oh the operator is pressed on the part
while the thread is drawn through, by
winch the coloring matter is retained
ana a permanent dye of n blue tinge is
impaired to the skin. In the absence
OF needles, strip Of whalebone is
utilized. Tattoo marks are employed
by the men to denote success in whal-
ing. Or. Hoffman mentions one in
stance OF native who had the flukes
ol seven whales tattooed across his
chest. This was sort Of tally. In an
other case little marks at the corners
OF woman's mouth indicated that she
was the wife of a successful whaleman.
me enSravings made on walrus ivory
or reindeer horn are rendered conspc-
uous 10 the eye by rubbing a black sub
stance into the etched lines. Ordinarily
ne Eskimo employ for this purpose h
KIND OF charcoal prepared from burnt
glass. powdered and mixed with oil. The
ntSrlmed hand Of the owner sufiices to
keep the picture black afterwards COL
ors are similarly used. Nowadays the
natives get their pigments from traders
nut formerly they prepared them from
mineral and vegetable substances. They
got blue from the carbonatcs of iron ana
copper; green from fungus found in DC
| caXed birch and alder wood ana red from
red chalk. From their prehistoric bury
ing places are dug up nowadays wooden
s ss Mban 'hq has, bear ann nrary Az bright
cravings described take many months -
ma Ike. The Eskimo is never in hurry
and always considers that hc has i lI.c-
time before him.
These primitive artists eagerly seize up-
on the illustrated newspapers which arc
Eh.lIeu h3rih ny sailors 1hcN ar" much |
Interested IN the pictures. and try then
best 90 reproduce them MANY ~ then
oFlsInal plct2EF4phs show Keen sen"
nan'I a., nr i;Hi'',i. ar . very iNriA
ililc, ~ ,r 49, "rptr o'n HIN ltlIlE
Jokes n their own expense without a
on'o,,7i, -. - "u9lsn It'll
IL arr,nyar,rr- ~ lr,,1I'..,.rt' 49,,
winch Is said to he CoUVtNtlonaliZcd
5aasir, III C,,,ii lin 49, II t'l't tII'e
en.r9s j.. ~ 80. t,,',. 7, -
ercd in jh' co,,,, r,,j, ~ ~, 49,
Ilrnns IN nrr,nrI,,s tS1ir,,,,,.,r ,.y.,i+
tmra ,ri i, ,t. ,, u '1, III
Nmarica ,r.t.,,i'rI, 49,, -, ,a.,,i, -.
In Inc arid desert sou,b Of Rtntnn a
Captain parry the arctic cxnInr.r
spaaks Of charts made IN. Eskimo D,
sirinq, inf,rnnatinr 1s D., no -~nr1 ~ ~,
c1asf-,ine NJ nlac,I s,,-"r,i sbacts I'M
ranpr before /, natiya yvnn,an arl rnupb
i. a.. ~, . T. -, - - 20, -. p
i5nI aho"t pn,7l. I'm, ,,I ' ~ i,i
'rhr WDn,an TilirEIv rnnnr"hen'1,d vrh,.
-. ic.irnI ,r1 ,.i,b ., ,,.,,,;i ,,,, f,',,i
tbr ofltiina T'hn s'tl. him I3rr~ IL ~,
necessary when shr came tn fhr enl III
one piece If paper u tack IN another.
uniu at length She had filled zen or
interesting Greenland man II native
manufacture consisting of three blocks o.
wood along the edge uf which were cut
indentatinn- ana curves WI a. tn porira-
capes islands and other features Were
sufficiently well reproduced u permit
identification when compared with .
large map.
Man seems always tn have boon \ writ
cr lie Ieft Observation-Disclosures hnhir3
him on the walls Of the caves Of southern,
France In a country where there arr
plenty Of rocks. the ellis art commonly
ustd lQr suCh purposes. p'rpciuaNnE rec
9IuS 81 exports or events. hS II Simple
design IN a CONSPICUOUS place NJ thu KIND
me hunter directs his friends along thr
right trail or to a convenient Campin-
place. This system !S actually perpetual
"a today among tramrs. who 10y picture
WRITINGS on fences and rocks give MOTTO
I" others OF Their order that food Is Up
be found here or danger 10 De avoided
there. In the Great Plains ruCk-piCturas
are rarely seen That MARI of tn. country