Page:Archæology of the Central Eskimos.djvu/448

The skin working of the Sadlermiut varied a good deal from that of the Aiviliks; in particular they were poor workers of caribou skin; they did not know how to scrape it thin and their caribou clothing was always very stiff and uncomfortable. For softening skins they used scrapers of stone or bone (caribou scapula). Urine tanning was unknown; white skin likewise; yellow skin for boots was not treated with hot water as with the Aiviliks, but was allowed to half rot before the hair was scraped off; sole leather and kayak skin was also allowed to rot before removing the hair. As to bear skins, the fat and the inner skin were cut off with the ulo but no scraping was done. When scraping skins they worked with the palm of the hand downwards (as do the Greenlanders) whereas the Aiviliks scrape with the palm upwards; a board of whalebone was used as scraping board.

The ulos of the later Sadlermiut always had tangs; ulos without tang are only known from house ruins.

Sewing was done with bone needles; a bodkin was often used for making a hole in the skin before the needle, which was rather fragile, was pulled through; sinews of walrus flippers were used as thread, as well as those from the throat of the seal, and also bear and caribou sinews. A piece of swan humerus was often used as a needle case, closed at one end, in which was laid a rolled up, unhaired piece of caribou skin; from the case hung an anchor-shaped thimble holder; the thimble was of the skin of the bearded seal and of the usual form. Sewing was done in the usual manner: the thimble on the fore-finger, the stitches were made from right to left and the thread was all the time drawn towards the seamstress. When cutting out skins a board of whalebone was used.

Grass plaiting was unknown.

Of games they knew ajagaq and, in particular, nuglutang, which with them played the same part as dancing among the Aiviliks; when a man won, his wife had to sing a short song. Football was played with a sealskin ball stuffed with hair and grass. Out of ivory they made a bull roarer — a flat disc with teeth in the edge and two holes, through which a cord was drawn; it was called imikluktaq. They played blindman's-buff and skipping: they wrestled, but did not fight with the fists as do the Aiviliks. The children played with dolls and the boys with small weapons and sledges. Bone birds with flat underside, tingmiujat, were also used as playthings for children. Peculiarly enough, the drum and the dance do not seem to have been in use among these people.

Their language more nearly resembled that of the Oqomiut; they often had a glottal stop in their words. Of words which varied from