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several opinions, especially in connection with some very popular
Eskimo traditions speaking of men who trained wild animals to
cross the frozen sea with them. But still there seems to be
such good reason for granting the possibility of the dog sledge
having been invented by the Eskimo before their becoming a
maritime arctic people, that we prefer not to complicate our
research by argueing concerning this invention. Of the two
kinds of Eskimo skinboats, the large and open Umiak («family»
or «wiwes boat»), and the small, and wholly closed Kayak, the
latter evidently occupies the first rank in regard to culture
history. Although varying somewhat as to its more or less
adequate construction, it shows no essential difference except
in the mode of propulsion. When coming from the west and
south, in Southern Alaska we first meet with the kayak, it is
propelled with a onebladed oar or paddle just like that used by
the Indians in their canoes. Not before one reaches northern
Alaska does the well known double-bladed kayak oar make its
appearance, and, not before east of the Mackenzie river is the
former wholly abolished and supplanted by it. Our vocabulary
shows that the following objects are identically named in the
eastern and the western dialects: 1) the open skinboat, 2) the one-bladed paddle, 3) mast, 4) sail, 5) kayak, 6) kayak
side-laths, 7) kayak ribs, 8) kayak prow, 9) kayak cross-piece,
10) the double oar. Only the objects 6—9 have been omitted
in the vocabularies of the Extreme West.
In passing to the weapons and other instruments of chase,
we leave out the bow and arrow, the same as they may have
used in their original home, and similar to those still used by
their Indian neighbours in the chase ashore. As to weapons
we therefore only have to consider those for stabbing and for
throwing. The simplest of them is that which is wielded with
the hand, and remains in the hand after having been applied:
viz. the lance or spear for stabbing. The highest development
on the other hand is exhibited in the large harpoon with the
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