The Eskimo exhibit a thorough knowledge of the geography of their
country. I have already treated of their migrations and mentioned that
the area they travel over is of considerable extent. They have a very
clear conception of all the countries they have seen or heard of,
knowing the distances by day’s journeys, or, as they say, by sleeps, and
the directions by the cardinal points. So far as I know, all these
tribes call true south piningnang, while the other points are called
according to the weather prevailing while the wind blows from the
different quarters. In Cumberland Sound uangnang is west-northwest;
qaningnang (that is, snow wind), east-northeast; nigirn, southeast; and
aqsardnirn, the fohn-like wind blowing from the fjords of the east
coast. On Nettilling these names are the same, the east-northeast only
being called qanara (that is, is it snow?) In Akudnirn uangnang is
west-southwest; ikirtsuq (i.e., the wind of the open sea),
east-northeast; oqurtsuq (i.e., the wind of the land Oqo or of the lee
side, southeast; and avangnanirn (i.e., from the north side along the
shore), the northwestern gales. According to Parry the same names as in
Cumberland Sound are used in Iglulik.
If the weather is clear the Eskimo use the positions of the sun, of the
dawn, or of the moon and stars for steering, and find their way pretty
well, as they know the direction of their point of destination exactly.
If the weather is thick they steer by the wind, or, if it is calm, they
do not travel at all. After a gale they feel their way by observing the
direction of the snowdrifts.
They distinguish quite a number of constellations, the most important of
which are Tuktuqdjung (the deer), our Ursa Major; the Pleiades,
Sakietaun; and the belt of Orion, Udleqdjun.
As their knowledge of all the directions is very detailed and they are
skillful draftsmen they can draw very good charts. If a man intends to
visit a country little known to him, he has a map drawn in the snow by
some one well acquainted there and these maps are so good that every
point can be recognized. Their way of drawing is first to mark some
points the relative positions of which are well known. They like to
stand on a hill and to look around in order to place these correctly.
This done, the details are inserted. It is remarkable that their ideas
of the relative position and direction of coasts far distant one from
another are so very clear. Copies of some charts drawn by Eskimo of
Cumberland Sound and Davis Strait are here introduced (Plate IV, p. 643,
and Figs. 543-546). A comparison between the maps and these charts will
prove their correctness. Frequently the draftsman makes his own country,
with which he is best acquainted, too large; if some principal points
are marked first, he will avoid this mistake. The distance between the
extreme points represented in the first chart (Fig. 543) is about five
hundred miles.
[Illustration: FIG. 543. Cumberland Sound and Frobisher Bay, drawn
by Itu, a Nugumio. (Original in the Museum für Völkerkunde,
Berlin.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 544. Cumberland Sound and Frobisher Bay, drawn
by Sunapignang, an Oqomio.]
[Illustration: FIG. 545. Cumberland Sound, drawn by Itu, a Nugumio.]
[Illustration: FIG. 546. Peninsula of Qivitung, drawn by
Angutuqdjuaq, a Padlimio.]
The Eskimo have a sort of calendar. They divide the year into thirteen
months, the names of which vary a great deal, according to the tribes
and according to the latitude of the place. The surplus is balanced by
leaving out a month every few years, to wit, the month siringilang
(without sun), which is of indefinite duration, the name covering the
whole time of the year when the sun does not rise and there is scarcely
any dawn. Thus every few years this month is totally omitted, when the
new moon and the winter solstice coincide. The name qaumartenga is
applied only to the days without sun but with dawn, while the rest of
the same moon is called siriniktenga. The days of the month are very
exactly designated by the age of the moon. Years are not reckoned for a
longer space than two, backward and forward.
* * *
The Eskimo are excellent draftsmen and carvers. Most of the drawings are
similar to the bear and deer shown on Plate V (Figs. _d_ and _g_) or to
the illustrations of the Qaudjaqdjuq tale (see Figs. 537-541, pp.
631-633.) The rest, on Plates VI and VII, are excellently made, and by
far superior to any I have seen made by other Eskimo of these regions.
A number of carvings are represented on Plates VIII and IX. The narwhal
and the whale are particularly admirable. Among the implements
represented in this paper there are many of beautiful and artistic
design.
I also add a number of engravings of implements plainly showing the
influence of European patterns (Plate X).