The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-07-25

stronger than you would imagine and the bows
can readily coast down hill on them without break
ing them Even grown people sometimes use
these primitive sledges. Even though the Eskimo
boys sled is made of ice instead of wood he is
nearly as fond of coastng it are the bows in
better climates; but, his winters are so much
longer, he grows tired of the play before the sea-
son is
One sport of the boys is what we would call
going reindeer hunting" They place along the
bottom of hill number of the antlers of the
reindeer, stuck upright in the in such a
manner that they guide sled between them
Then the boys gather at the top of the hill, each
having two three spears apiece, or even a bow
and arrows. They all start down together, each
boy trying to see how many antlers he knock
down and not be first at the bottom of the hill
So the slower they go the better, and the more
chances they stand for securing the antlers.
One of the first toys of the very small boys is
bow and arrow, and with these they continually
practice everything within range, the best tar
gets being the noses of the hungry dogs, as they
try to raid into the little houses see what
they steal. The duty of feeding these dogs
is often entrusted to the larger boys, and they
sometimes build a semi-circular wall of snow and
behind this they stand and cut up the tough wal
rus-hide into strips about inch and half
thick and foot to eighteen inches long. After
dog has swallowed about dozen of these strips
he does not want anything for two three
days.
The oldest boys of village have all sorts of
hunting games-musk-ox hunts, po1ar-bear hunts,
and many others of like character, which, / fear
would take up too much time to describe here.
In this way they fit themselves to become expert
hunters by the time they become young men. In
athletic sports these boys really excel and roll
down hill is for them the greatest fun They
generally find very steep hill, we'll covered with
snow, and seat themselves the ridge, thrust
their heads between their legs pass their clenched
hands their ankles, pressing their legs
closely against their bodies possible. Thus
they.really become great balls covered with rein
deer hair. And then away they go on the down
hill race, suddenly spreading themselves out at
full length at the bottom of the hill. An amuse-
ment that requires a great deal of muscular
strength is peculiar kind of short race on the
hands and feet, the legs and arms held perfectly
rigid. 1t is quite exhaustng, and they generally
cover but two three yards at time They
have many similar ways of racing to tougher the
muscles of both legs and feet.
A game played by the little girls ard small boys
is with ball covered with seaskn, about the size
of a baseball and filled two-thirds with sand and
the singular sliding way it has makes it quite
difficult to catch and retain in the hands. The
game is very simple one, and the players strike
at the ball with the open palm of the hand and
when there is a crowd they try to keep the ball
constantly in the air.
They also have many interesting games with
the bow and Eskimo and Indians, and
other savage tribes who skilled in the use of
the bow and arrow, can shoot an arrow so it will
go sidewse This is their method of shooting
when trying to hit descending arrow, one
sticking upright in the ground. Another Eski-
amusement resembles the Indian game of
lacrosse.
You must not imagine that the whole of the
Eskimo child's life is passed in play or even in
play games that instruct them in the graver du-
ties of life; for in with the children OF
workers the world over, the little Eskimo girl and
boy must take their share in the family toll. The
little girls begin early i'll life to make coats and
garments Of reindeer skin, having learned the art
fhotr 1~1t- 1.I1
ing their snow houses, the boys take great fiat