The Material Culture of the Eskimo in West Greenland. 



155 



basal-piece. On the accompanying figure (Fig. 18, from Disco Fjord), 

 is also seen a heel to the mortise, and the angle here is just as acute 

 as on the east coast — 20 degrees at the most. A mortise is also 

 found on the bird-darts of the Chukchi (see e. g. figure in Norden- 

 skiöld: Vega's Färd, etc., II, p. 109). The object of the upper 

 lashing was not to hold the branches to the shaft, but to secure 

 their mutual positions, which can very well be attained by mortising 

 alone, if only the materials are adapted 

 thereto. 



Figure 18, a shows a lateral branch; b a 

 terminal point of bone for a bird-dart, с a 

 basal-piece for dart-iron in a bird-dart or 

 bladder-dart. All of antler. Disco Fjord. 



B. The Bladder- dart {agdligaq, 18; the 

 word means simply "provided with barbs"). 



As will be seen from the above it is not 

 exactly the bladder which in the Eskimo con- 

 ception is the characteristic feature of the 

 implement. The main thing is that it shall 

 be a missile for the hunting of marine mammals, 

 where the prey is secured to the imple- 

 ment which is such that it resists the animal's 

 efforts to swim or dive away. The marine 

 mammals which are pursued with darts are 

 various kinds of small seals besides, in Alaska, 

 sea-otters, and as certain habits are peculiar 

 to every kind of seal and to every stage in 

 the development of seals of similar kind, we 

 already have herein ample scope for multi- 

 plicity of form. The greatest variety of forms 

 and the highest development of these darts is 

 found with the West Eskimo, and this is not 

 so strange, as here occurs an abundant and 

 multifarious fauna as well as a freer choice 

 in, and easier access to, adaptable materials. 



In conformity with the nature of the 

 various animals there are two things in parti- 

 cular which vary, viz., first, that part of the instrument which serves 

 to hold the animal fast, and second, that part which offers resistance to 

 the animal's efforts to escape. 



These diversities, however, will be discussed in a later section; 

 here, only the bladder-dart in its West Greenland forms shall be men- 

 tioned. Of this instrument, also, we find in Fabricius a full descrip- 

 tion, and the details which he mentions will be found sufficiently well 

 illustrated in his figures; but, as usual, these are very unsuccessful in 



г ^ 



Fig. 18. a, Lateral branch; 

 b, terminal point of bird- 

 dart; c, a torrutâ for dart 

 with iron point. 



