Page:The American Indian.djvu/95

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CLOTHING
63

garments are practically those of the caribou area, but in modified form they extend down into the most nomadic part of the bison area. Also, in some of the inland districts of the salmon area variants appear. The whole Pacific Coast plain from the Tlingit of Alaska to Lower California was occupied by bare-footed, scantily clothed peoples, among whom the true coat and trousers were unknown. In the southern part of the eastern maize area, the costume consisted of little more than a breech or loin cloth. When needed, a robe or kind of loosely fitted cape was put on. Notwithstanding its ill adaptation to winter climate, this form of costume extended into New England, where, while leggings and moccasins protected the feet, the trunk was covered by a robe so arranged as to leave one arm free. This was covered by a muff-like sleeve.[1] In the bison area, as far north as Dakota, where the winters are severe, the bison robe was the only upper garment. It is quite clear, therefore, that tailored skin clothing is an associate of the caribou or reindeer area, and that the only definite intrusion it makes is in the western part of the bison area and the contiguous parts of the salmon area.

In the great weaving area of Mexico and the Andes, clothing is of woven cloth. The peculiarity of such clothing is that it was never cut and fitted, but each garment was worn in the form in which it came from the loom. Thus a poncho, or shirt, is rectangular, with one slit for the neck and two for the arms. In some cases very short sleeves were added, formed by folding a rectangular piece of cloth and sewing. Thus, in the textile area we find the tailor's art at its lowest. That this is not entirely a matter of environment is suggested by the weakness of tailoring among the skin-wearing tribes of Patagonia, who do little more than muffle themselves in a robe. Originally this robe was worn over one shoulder like the Algonkins of the Atlantic plain.

When we look to the Old World we find a similar distribution. In Siberia and northern Europe, we have tailoring of reindeer skins. Across southern Asia and around the Mediterranean is the great historical textile area from which all our own fine textiles seem to have been derived. As we pro-

  1. Willoughby, 1905. I.