fi28 SLTNG CONTRIVANCES FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS. 



of the Australian sticks, but is inserted in the shaft). The groove 

 deepens as it approaches the hook; toward the opposite end it becomes 

 shallower and terminates in the handle. To the right of this groove, 

 at the more or less distinctly defined grip, is a hole through which the 

 forefinger is placed during use, making impossible the slipping of the 

 board. The grip either is quite smooth on the edges or has notches 

 for the fingers. The spear, thick, heavy, and harpoonlike, has a cav- 

 ity at its square end into Avhich the hook of the spear sling fits Avhen 

 in use, while the spear itself lies in the groove. The left hand holds 

 the spear toAvard the point, otherwise the mode of shooting is simi- 

 lar to that of the Australian spear slings. Slight modifications of 

 this variety, all pertaining to the grip, are noted in different localities 

 in the polar regions.* 



Why are such distinct handles encountered here in the north ( The 

 answer is easy. Because of the small diameter of the forefinger hole 

 it is not possible to use gloves; the natives are, therefore, forced to 

 take hold of the spear slings with the bare hand.- Even then, be- 

 cause of the strong jerk in throwing off, the last-named tend to glide 

 out of the hand. How much more will it not be the case when cold- 

 benumbed hands try to hold the smooth shaft? It is necessary, there- 

 fore, to attain the firmest possible grasp, which, as we have seen, has 

 been done with these artistic grii:)S. The most perfect in this regard 

 is the shaft of the Mahlemut, in which all the good qualities are in- 

 cliuled — distinct handle, thumb groove, forefinger pocket on under 

 side, finger grooves on the side, with peg and finger-tip cavity, shaft 

 groove, and end hook. As to our three principal kind>^, the first is 

 from Baffinsland and Labrador onward over the entire north coast 

 of North America as far as northeast Asia, and returns to America 

 through the Giliaks, Aleuts, Unalaskans, and Kadiak islanders as 

 far as Prince William Sound. It is important to notice that this 

 variety is to be found among the northeast Asiatics, Giliaks, and 

 Aleuts, since this might help to prove the relationship of these iso- 

 lated i^eoples to the Eskimos in a broader sense, in addition to other 

 similarities. 



We now come to the spear slings of Greenland. Iliree varieties 

 are also used here, which are attached to the spear by an entirely 

 new method. The spear slings lying before me are genuine works 

 of art, wrought probably with iron tools and ornamented with in- 

 layings of bone. They were finished off upon the order of a Green- 

 land missionary who was having a complete Kajak outfit made for 



oThe author describes rather minutely a number of varieties in the form of 

 the shaft and the srip. whicli are omitted in this translation. They are illus- 

 trated in pi. 1, li^s. 15-17, pi. ii, figs. 18-28 (also see Mason, Rep. U.S.N.M., 

 1884).— Editor. 



