Page:Material Culture of the Iglulik Eskimos.djvu/68

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On the whole, however, it must be said that these Eskimos are extremely clever caribou hunters, trained in it as they are from Image missingFig. 24.Bow. childhood. The Polar Eskimos whom we had with us on the expedition could not nearly approach the local Eskimos in skill at caribou hunting; on the other hand they were superior at the hunting of marine animals.

Prior to the introduction of guns, caribou hunting was pursued with the bow and arrow, and also with the spear from the kayak.

The bow and arrow have been used by many of the adult men now living; several of them have only acquired guns during the past few years; but now the bow and arrow are only used as playthings by children and youths.

The implements used in this form of hunting are as follows:

The bow (pitigse). Fig. 24 (Aivilingmiut, Chesterfield Inlet) is a "backed bow" of antler with sinew backing of the type which Birket-Smith[1] calls the "eastern secondary type". It consists of seven pieces of antler lashed together, three large pieces end to end and four strengthening pieces which, with the two strong lashings of sinew-thread. hold the three long pieces together. At the ends are nocks for the string, which is of twisted sinew-thread. The sinew backing consists of 6–7 longitudinal cords and 14 double cross-bindings, all of plaited sinew-thread. Near one end. under the sinew backing, a double piece of sealskin, 20 cm long, has been inserted and, to further strengthen one joint, a small copper plate has been placed over one of the flat strengthing pieces. The total length of the bow is 1.10 m; width of stave 3–3½ cm.

On fig. 200 (from a grave found in Moffet Inlet) are the pieces of which a compound bow of this kind is made:[2] three long pieces, which have been bound together. and four strengthening pieces, two of them thick, with ridges. at the ends, the other two flat, thin (one of these is missing). The length of this bow has been 87 cm.

A bow from Ingnertoq is 87 cm long, about 3 cm wide; on this the stave is formed by scarfing three pieces of antler together,[3] iron nails being used to complete the joint. The sinew backing is thicker, consisting of 14 longitudinal cords with 32 double cross-

  1. ↑ 1916 p. 13.
  2. ↑ Cf. Boas 1907 fig. 189.
  3. ↑ Cf. Boas 1901, fig. 114.
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