STURGEON-SPEARING. 185 
each feather represented by a piece of bone, thickly 
barbed, and very sharp at the end. This is so 
contrived that it can be easily detached from the 
long handle by a sharp dexterous jerk. To this 
barbed contrivance a long line is made fast, 
which is carefully coiled away close to the spear- 
man, like a harpoon-line in a whale-boat. 
The four canoes, alike equipped, are paddled 
into the centre of the stream, and side by side 
drift slowly down with the current, each spear- 
man carefully feeling along the bottom with his 
spear, constant practice having taught the crafty 
savages to know a sturgeon’s back when the 
spear comes in contact with it. The spear-head 
touches the drowsy fish—a sharp plunge, and 
the redskin sends the notched points, through 
armour and cartilage, deep into the leather-like 
muscles. A skilful jerk frees the long handle 
from the barbed end, which remains inextricably 
fixed in the fish; the handle is thrown aside, 
the line seized, and the struggle begins. 
The first impulse is to resist this objectionable 
intrusion, so the angry sturgeon comes up to see 
what it all means: this curiosity is generally 
repaid by having a second spear sent crashing 
into him. He then takes a header, seeking 
safety in flight, and the real excitement com- 
