Page:Material Culture of the Iglulik Eskimos.djvu/97

kind from Iglulik consists of a handle of wood, 21 cm long, the butt end of which is wound, first with plaited sinew-thread, then with seal-thong, which forms a strap for hanging the whip up; then there is a very thick lash, 63 cm long, made of rolled sealskin, sewn through and through with thick seal-thong; at the base the thickness is 3 cm, at the end 1½ cm. If the dogs break in at night — an experience I have had twice on Southampton Island — it is most unpleasant. A dog manages to get the door open and, in a second, the house is overrun with dogs; they bolt in, overturn the lamp and put the room in darkness, snap up everything eatable. The Eskimos, who have to creep about naked on their rugs, become quite desperate and strike out at the dogs with anything they can get hold of, axes, snow-knives, snow-beaters. the house soon becoming a battlefield resounding with blows, tremendous yells and the scolding of the Eskimos.

But it never occurs to the dogs to resist and bite; when they are hungry they are cowardly; but if they have eaten their fill and are in good condition, they may, in their playfulness and boldness, be a little snappish^[1] without meaning any harm by it. It is astonishing to see a big, powerful dog tolerate being beaten by a three or four year old boy without so much as showing its teeth. Even during the worst periods of hunger the dogs never think of turning against human beings.

All dogs have names. These either have some meaning which refers to certain of the dog's peculiarities or are "only names"; Parry^[2] says that the dogs are named after friends and acquaintances, but this is not the case, now at any rate. The names of a sledge-team from Iglalik were: Iglulingmiutaq — the one from Iglulik; Qernerkuluk — the little black one; Qingmikuluk — the little dog: Tunuserut — the one from Admiralty Inlet; Tabakert — tobacco; Qernialuk — the big black one; Nâkateq — the one who does not get what he goes for; Kâktoq — the hungry one; Taguarbik, Ququngmiaq, Paqbiseq, Ajakaluk — "only names".

A team from Southampton Island was called: Pualualik — the one with mittens on; Qerquaq — seaweed; Kâkbik (bitch) — needle case; Tikivik — thimble holder; Atuarsijoq — the pathfinder; Oqsoreaq — quartzite; Aterdluk — the one with the bad name; Kilingajoq — the food which a tabooed woman must cook for herself; Qernerluk — the little black one; Alaqtalâq — the one with no harpoon line; Qijuk — wood; Akudlojoq — "only a name".

In every dog-team there is a leader and a boss. When driving