1G4 



THE AMEL'ICAX Mi'SEUM JOi'JLXAL 



For Eskimo clogs, walrus is par ex- 

 cellence the food. A walrus weighs 

 from one to three tliousiiiid pounds, 

 and its capture is of vast importance 

 and a source of congratulation. Sel- 

 dom unaided does an Eskimo accom- 

 plish this feat. Ijecause of the fighting 

 qualities of the animal and its tremen- 

 clous hulk. Help is always at hand 

 and eagerly proffered; for to all \vhi» 

 help conies a ])ortion of the precious 

 meat. Small Ijoys are seen with large 

 knives Imsily engaged in amputating a 

 huge hind flipper, skillfully severing 

 muscle attachments and avoiding all 

 hone. The hody seems to fall apart of 

 its own weight into twenty-two pieces, 

 which apportioned, or better, seized hy 

 all engaged, are cached under a jDile of 

 rocks to be sledged to the winter home 

 by dog team some months later, where 

 they arrive as hard as boulders. 



For a few days while thawing, the 

 meat serves as a buffet lunch for family 

 and visitors, who are continually hack- 

 ing- it with hatchets and knives. Frozen 



meat is much more tender than cooked, 

 is easily digested, and highly nutritious. 

 .Strange to say^ the Eskimo affirms that 

 it has greater heating properties than 

 when cooked. Kaw, frozen walrns liver 

 served with bits of fat, we should say at 

 home, but at Etah, "a bite of liver and 

 a bite of fat," is the entree which often 

 assumes the proportions of a full meal. 

 Walrus meat is tough, too tough for the 

 weak jaw muscles of a white man. 



Fish do iiot seem to ])e caught or 

 eaten much by the Eskimos of Smith 

 Sound. The number of salmon caught 

 is negiigil)le, a few being obtained at 

 the head of Inglefield Gulf, at Etah, 

 and from the lakes near Rensselaer 

 Harbor. The meat is very poor in qual- 

 itv, seeming to lack flavor-] )r()ducing 

 fat. 



In the fall, Arctic hare are numer- 

 ous, and in excellent condition after a 

 two months' diet of grass, willow, and 

 the tender leaves of various kinds of 

 low plants. The meat is excellent and 

 relished by all. Oftentimes, I believe, 



The little auks were in countless numbers on the talus slope; the ground, too. was literally cov- 

 ered with them, and often the air was so filled that at a distance they resembled a swarm of mos- 

 quitoes 



