A brown wool broadcloth octopus bag edged with blue and off white ribbon (possibly a faded red) and small white beads. The lower edge is cut in points and edged with loops of white and green beadwork. The bag is lined with cotton material printed with brown flowers and suspended from a strap of blue ribbon with silk cord tassels at the ends - the strap holds the bag shut by running through chain-stitched eylet holes. The bag is sewn with thread rather than sinew.

The item is part of a collection of ethnographical material made by Admiral Sir George Back (1796-1878). Back took part in three overland journeys to explore the north coast of America in 1819-22, 1825-27 and 1833-35. He travelled north via the network of rivers and lakes on the Canadian Shield stopping at Hudson Bay Company trading posts where he had the opportunity to acquire this type of material. Part of his collection was bequeathed to Greenwich Hospital in 1900 by Mrs Eliza Back, widow of Sir George's nephew - the Reverend Henry Back.