Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1892 — Winter Houses of the Eskimos. [ARTICLE]

Winter Houses of the Eskimos.

The igloos, or winter stono huts, were not far from the summer tupiks. They were built upon the hill-sido, a portion of which is dug out to form the interior, 'fc'he domed roofs wero made of largo pieces of flat sandstone, curofuily arranged and hold in place by pieces of bono. These protruded somewhat into the hut, and wero utilized us hooks upon which hung harpoon linos, pouches of seal and bird skin, skin drinking-cups, bonedrilis, etc. At the back of the hut was a platform raised about a foot from the floor. Opposite this, which nerved as the bed, was the opening of a tunnel six or eight feet long through which the family must crawl to enter their abode; and here the dogs find shelter during the utoims of winter. The tunnel slopes down from tho floor, so that water from the melting snows of spring may not run into tho house. Over the inner entrance of the tunnel, about four foet square, is another opening of about the same dimensions, which allows light to enter the dwelling. This hole is closed in winter by having stretched soaked in oil. At Herbert Island, sevoral of the igloos were double, that is, two igloos were built close together, each with a separate tunnel, but the dividing, inside, partition was loft incomplete.—[Scribner.