146 



Morten P. Porsild. 



Fig. 13. Whaling harpoon with fore- 

 shaft, Cumberland Soynd (After F.Boas). 



a, Blade of bone or ivory with cutting 

 edges made of three pieces of iron ; 



b, harpoon with dilating edges; double 

 harpoon-line of strong rawhide thongs, 

 fixed to a strong toggle (g) which is 

 fastened to a number of sealfloats and 

 to a large drag ; e is a light thong for 



securing the loosely inserted blade. 



sloping forward. Then a loose blade is 

 inserted at right angles to the fore-edge of 

 the harpoon, and, consequently, again in the 

 vertical plane. The blade appears to be of 

 bone and in the edge of this are inserted 

 three cutting edges of metal (or stone?). 

 With the thrust, therefore, the first result 

 is a long vertical wound the edges of which 

 are immediately dilated by the fore-edge 

 of the harpoon itself, so that ample room is 

 made for the large harpoon. The blade is 

 neither riveted nor lashed, but loosely in- 

 serted ; in order that it should not be lost 

 a line is spliced at each corner. The harpoon- 

 line itself is of very thick, double rawhide- 

 thongs 2.18 metres in length. It terminates 

 in a very strong toggle of peculiar shape. The 

 foreshaft consists of a piece of bone about 

 40 cm in length. The author merely states 

 that it is spliced to the wooden shaft which is 

 2.60 metres in length, but how this can be 

 achieved cannot be seen from the figure. If 

 it has been lashed, as the prominent ridge 

 at the bottom might indicate, then this 

 fastening of the main line by aid of the 

 blade line is impossible, but perhaps this has 

 been done merely for the purpose of putting 

 it by, or for transport. But if it has been 

 done intentionally, then the foreshaft cannot 

 be attached to the wooden shaft, but must 

 be loosened together with the harpoon and 

 remain attached to the latter. The floats 

 have been held together by a line which 

 has been fastened to the toggle by means of 

 a loop; some indentations in the toggle 

 preventing the loop from slipping off un- 

 intentionally. 



III. Harpoon shafts, Throwing 

 sticks and various other Ac- 

 cessories of kayak weapons. 



For throwing harpoons which are flung 

 from kayaks two different forms of shafts 

 are used: — 



