NATURAL SCIENCES OF rniLADELPHIA. 47 



— the rude weapon being cautiously bandied to prevent accident to the craft 

 by contact with the dashing flukes and fins of the whale. This careful 

 manoeuvring subjects the bleeding animal to a system of torture character- 

 istic of the savage horde about it, and eventually, bleeding its last blood from 

 a lacerated heart, it writhes in convulsions and expires. Immediately after 

 the whale is dead, the whole fleet of canoes assist in towing it to the shore. 

 As soon as the prize is brought to the beach a division is made, and all the 

 inhabitants of the village gorge themselves upon its fat and flesh till their 

 greedy appetites are satisfied. After the feast, what oil can be extracted 

 from the remaining blubber is put in skin« or bladders, and becomes an 

 article of traffic with neighboring tribes, or the white traders that frequently 

 visit them. 



This whale of passage, when arrived among the scattered floes of the Arctic 

 Ocean, is rarely pursued by the whaleship's boats, consequently thev rest in 

 some degree of security; but even there, when a favorable opportunity offers, 

 the watchful Eskemos steal upon them and with their rude weapons and 

 torturing process, the whnle pursued, at last yields to the combined enemies 

 about it. and supplies food and substance for its captors. , ^Z~L. ,< .^i^ 



The Eskemo whaling boat, although to all appearances simple in its con- 

 struction, will be found, after careful investigation, to be admirably adapted 

 to the purpose, as well as for all other uses necessity demands. It is not 

 only used to accomplish this the most important undertaking within their 

 frozen imaginations, but in it they pursue the walrus, shoot game, and make 

 their long summer voyage about the coast, up the deep bays and long rivers, 

 for the purpose of traffic with coast and interior tribes. 



When they prepare for whaling, the boat is cleared of all passengers and 

 their effects, nothing being allowed in it but the whaling implements and 

 boat gear. Eight picked men make the crew.* Their boats are twenty-five 

 to thirty feet in length, flat on the bottom, with flaring sides and tapering 

 ends; there are four thwarts which are placed about midway between the 

 bottom and the gunwales. The frame is of wood, and consists of fourteen 

 or sixteen ribs, a center-piece along the bottom, stern and bow timbers and 

 strips run along each side to receive the thwarts and give shape to the craft. 

 The frame is lashed or served together, with the fibres of whalebone and thongs 

 of walrus' hide, the latter article being the covering or planking to the boat. 



The whaling implements are one or more harpoons of their own make, 

 four seal-skin buoys, a line made of walrus hide, one end of which is fastened 

 to the harpoon, the other to one of the buoys, a boat mast that serves the 

 triple purpose of spreading the sail, and furnishing the staff for harpoon and 

 lance, a large knife or two, and eight paddles. 



The harpoon is made out of the walrus tusk, with a piece of stone or iron 

 fitted in the end for a point; it is nine inches long, three-fourths of an inch 

 in average thickness; width one inch and three-eighths, tapering a little 

 towards the pointed end. The socket end is of a diagonal shape, the better 

 to catch the flesh ; in the middle or nearer the socket end, a hole is made to 

 receive the strap of walrus hide to which the line is fastened. The point end 

 has a triangular-shaped piece of thin iron or stone inserted in it — as before 

 mentioned-^which completes the weapon. In the socket end of this harpoon 

 the small end of the boat mast is fitted, and serves as the harpoon staff. A 

 common butcher knife, the blade fourteen or sixteen inches long— which they 

 purchase from whale ships or trading vessels — lashed to the boat mast con- 

 stitutes the lance. 



The boat being in readiness the chase begins. As soon as the whale is 

 seen and its course ascertained, all get behind it; not a word is spoken, nor 

 will they take notice of a passing ship or boat, when once excited in the chase. 



*It is said by Capt. Norton, who commande<l tlie ship "Citizen," wrecked in the .\rctic 

 severai years since, that the women engage in the cliase. 



1869.] 



