Page:Material Culture of the Iglulik Eskimos.djvu/158

further strengthened by a very narrow strip of short-haired caribou skin sewn on. The length of the rug is 1,40 m, width at the top unfolded. 1.35 m. In a folded state, when the edges at the top lie together, the width there is about 70 cm, at the seam about 40 cm from the bottom it is about 60 cm wide; from there the bottom is evenly rounded.

The size of the rug is adjusted to the size of the family, for the whole family lies under it. The fringe, which is always used because it keeps the neck warm, is also mentioned by Parry;^[1] once I have seen the front edge of the rug decorated with a strip of yellow seal skin, over which a thinner strip of black seal skin was sewn.

When hunting and travelling the men sometimes use sleeping bags, also of caribou skin with the hair inwards; but this is something that is comparatively new; formerly they either slept in an extra rug or simply in their fur frock.

A pillow (akiseruluk), which I saw at Pingerqalik, was a long sausage, about 60 × 22 × 12 cm, made of caribou skin with the hair turned inwards and tightly stuffed with caribou hair; as a rule the rolled-up clothing serves as a pillow.

In a house where two families live, the wives lie on the outer side of the platform, then come small children, then the men and in the middle lie the bigger children or guests. When water or urine is spilled on the platform skins or clothing, it is removed with the water scraper (kiliutaq). Fig. 67.7 shows the typical form of this implement. It is of caribou scapula, with the joint-head cut off and smoothed and the blade cut round at the bottom; 15½ cm long. Seven other specimens, with lengths varying from 13½ to 18 cm, are formed in exactly the same manner. Fig. 67. 8 is another form of water scraper from Ponds Inlet, made of a narwhal scapula; the hole in the handle is closed with a wooden plug; it is 14½ cm long.