SLING CONTRIVANCES FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS. 6'29 



himself; but, having no use for it, it was transferred, still new, to 

 the possession of the Leipzic Museum fiir \"r)lkerkumle. together 

 with three spear slings and all appurtenances. The first variety is a 

 shaft 43 centimetei-s in length, tapering slightly toward the outer 

 end about r» to 8 centimeters broad, called '* Norsok " ('* Vogel- 

 wnrfbrett"), according to VirchoAv, which is used for throwing in a 

 straight lin.e, and is also used in this manner in T^abrador (])]. in, figs. 

 ?>0 to 30e), The upper side is flat; the under slanted off l>oth ways 

 from a central line. In the middle of the upper side a groove shallows 

 from the start and stops short Ijefore i-eachiug the outer end of the 

 stick, so that a snudl, smooth space is left. Upon this a tapering 

 bone hook is attached, leaning toward the front and j)rojeeting over 

 the groove. On both sides of the grip are thin ])oue jjieces somewhat 

 tapering, which seciu-e a Hrmer grip. No ornamentation is present 

 in this kind. A very ingenious harpoon is thrown with this, having 

 a quite strong, round shaft, 1.15 meters long. At the butt end a bone 

 plate is set, which is so hollowed out that the point of the spear-sling 

 hook fits exactly into it. The comparatively long iron head with 

 harpoon blade is so fastened that when the toggle strikes it remains 

 in the animal and is still connected with the shaft by means of a 

 leather line. The shaft now turns downward and takes a perpen- 

 d.icular i)osition in the water and a bladdei- altaclied at the other end 

 (nisily holds the shaft upon the surface of the water and shows the 

 hunter the positioiv of the animal." The method of throwing is the 

 same as with Australuin sticks. 



The second variety is even more ingenious. It is female, and the 

 groove extends from front to l)ack, the shape and the handle being- 

 otherwise the same as with the first variety. Two holes in the groove 

 are to be noted, one occurring about the middle of the grip, the other 

 in a bone set on at the end of the groove fitting into it. The hole is 

 not ])erpendicular, but slants backward. The shaft is decorated 

 with five carved walrus-iAory pieces inserted in each side of the edge 

 (pi. Ill, figs. 31 (( to ('). The accompanying harpoon is '1 meters long, 

 with solid iron point inserted into a ]jiece of bone. The thick shaft, 

 at 20 centimeters beyond the center of gravity, has two bone ])egs 

 corresponding to the holes in the spear slings, and set backward to 

 fit into them. In use the spear is laid in the groove of the spear 

 sling, the pegs fitted into their holes. The shaft then still pi'ojects 

 50 centimeters backward beyond the board. The s])ear sling is not 

 applied at the end, but (juite in the center of the si)ear (as with those 

 from New Guinea). In slinging, according to V'irchow,'' the thrower 

 gives a slight push upward, so that the first peg rises from the shaft; 



a Klemm : Werkz. und Waffen, p. 33 et seq. 



^ Virchow : Verhandluugen dev Berliner AiitUroitol. Uesellscliaft, 1880, i». 

 268 et seq. 



