630 SLING CONTRIVANCES FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS. 



the second hook, as it is placed slantingly backward, easily releases 

 itself from the shaft, and serves to help it in swinging otf. A 

 strongly curved thrust is attained after the first push in swinging 

 off. This implement is used in hunting aquatic animals, for which 

 a curved thrust from the kaiak is necessary. 



The third variety is most interesting. Its shaft is generall}^ of the 

 same form as the foregoing, except that it tapers suddenly at the 

 outer end to the half of its width. The grip is about the same as 

 the preceding, the reverse, slanting toward each side, is not decorated. 

 The shallow groove runs from front to l)ack. Eight centimeters dis- 

 tant from the inner end, in the center of the groove, is a hole, which 

 narrows toward the bottom. In the groove at the upper end a narrow 

 bone about 6 centimeters long is inserted, which bends upward and 

 forward to a hook extending from the end of the weapon (pi. iii, 

 figs. 32 a to e). The harpoon accompanying it, called " erneinek " 

 (Klemm), is l.GO meters long, somewhat thicker front and back than 

 in the center, and leveled. The bone point is bound fast to the shaft, 

 on the butt end is a bone plate with a small hollow, on both sides 

 of this a long, flat, broad piece of bone is attached, formed like a 

 shuttle (Klemm), which extends about Vl centimeters over the end. 

 Both these plates are very ingeniously fastened by means of small 

 bone rivets. Thirty-seven to forty-two centimeters from the back end 

 a bone hook is struck through the shaft at right angles, so that the 

 hook nearest that end is on a level with the flat surface of both bone 

 plates. In use the hook of the spear sling grips into the cavity of the 

 end plate between the two prolonged flat bones. The other hook, ?u 

 centimeters distant, grips into the hole in the shaft, which is supported 

 by the left hand. Again an upward push is given from the front, so 

 that the spear releases itself from the board. The back hook then 

 gives the proper swing and direction, and thus results a curved 

 thrust. Both the side pieces of bone at the back end serve, according 

 to Klemm, to make the aim straighter and surer. They therefore 

 serve the same purpose as the feathers at the end of the arrow. At 

 the second hook an 8-fathom-long leather line (Klemm) is fastened 

 by means of a bone ring. So it is seen how the Eskimos, " with nuich 

 intelligence, with simple appliances, have provided themselves with 

 an implement for the main purpose of their existence, the hunt, Avhich 

 allows them to take their prey at considerable distance from their 

 kaiaks and with the greatest safety." (VirchoAv.) 



The last area of distribution of the spear sling is Ceniral and 

 South America. It was used both in the chase and in war. The 

 spear sling was in use, probably till the end of the con(iuest (1530), 

 in Utah," Colorado, California, Florida, Mexico, Yucatan, on the 



a George H. Pepper : Internat. Cong, of Americanists, N. Y., 1902, 107-130. 



