Identifier: alaskaitshisto00bruc (find matches)
Title: Alaska, its history and resources, gold fields, routes and scenery
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Bruce, Miner Wait
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Putnam
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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landing thatcan be made. There is generally but one mast to the oomiak, andthis stands about one-third of the length back from thebow, and when there is no wind it is taken down and laidin the boat. Sometimes, when the wind is fair, a secondbut smaller mast is placed about the same distance fromthe stern of the boat, but they are only used in thelargest oomiaks. The lower end of the mast is insertedin a slot between timbers in the bottom of the boat, andguys extend from near the top to both sides and also toboth bow and stern. One not accustomed to the oomiak is in constant dreadof moving about, for fear that if he should step betweenthe framework he will make a hole in the skin, for thewater is plainly seen through it. The natives pay littleattention to where they step in going from one part of theboat to another, and although their feet will depress theskin two or three inches, there is no danger of its givingway, and the very spot they are standing on woulddoubtless hold up a ton.
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ESKIMO BDY, ESKIMO HUT, ESKIMO QIRLS, ESKIMO FAMILY,ESKIMO SPEARING WALRUS ESKIMO HABITS AND CUSTOMS 103 Nansen says the kyak of the Eskimos is the most re-markable craft known. It is similar in construction andstyle to the skin canoe or bidarka found amon<^ thenatives along the southern coast of Alaska. It is notmuch used by the coast Eskimos, as they do most oftheir travelling by water in the oomiak, but those in theinterior use it to greater extent in navigating on therivers and lakes, on account of its extreme lightness, asingle kyak weighing about twenty-five pounds. Theyare generally the single-hatch kyak, but occasionallyone is found with two or three hatches and capable ofcarrying as many persons. The snow-shoes of the Eskimos are similar to thoseused in all cold countries. They are always carried onthe sled when travelling and are much needed when thesnow is falling in the spring. They are especially usefulwhen hunting seal on ice, for the wearers are thus en-abled to cros

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