355 



one with detachable foreshaft and another with a foreshaft 

 which is firmly lashed to the end of the harpoon. Of the light 

 harpoons I have only seen one kind with firmly lashed fore- 

 shaft and at the same time a little less in length than the 

 foregoing (in all about 1,5 m). 



The heavy harpoon with detachable foreshaft is used from 

 the kayak; the line passes from the point up along the shaft 

 of the harpoon and is fastened by a bone-ring to a small but- 

 ton — now as a rule a nail without head — which is fixed 

 into the shaft a little beyond the. bone-button serving as sup- 

 port for the hand. As the foreshaft is broken by the struggles 

 of the wounded animal in the water, the point of the harpoon 

 is set free and also the line from the shaft, and the latter 

 floats up on the water. The various harpoons with fixed fore- 

 shaft seem on the other hand always to have another arrange- 

 ment to let the point and line free. Along the shaft lies a 

 fairly tight thong, about 75cm long, which is firmly attached 

 to the shaft at the ends and at one spot in between ; a coil of 

 the harpoon line is now placed in under the thong and round 

 the middle fixed point in such a way, that it runs out at the 

 moment there is a pull upon the harpoon line. This mode of 

 attachment is specially practical in the case of harpoons, which 

 are not thrown but thrust into the animal and the shaft with- 

 drawn. 



A heavy harpoon with fixed foreshaft is used in the walrus- 

 hunting on the ice in the spring. A light form of harpoon 

 with fixed foreshaft is used in the Utok hunting of the spring, 

 or the hunting of the seals which have crawled up on the ice. 

 Which forms of harpoons are employed in the other methods 

 of hunting, as for example on the smooth ice and in the Mau- 

 pok hunting, has not been cleared up with certainly. It will 

 be of importance especially to ascertain, whether a harpoon 

 with fixed or detachable foreshaft is used in the Maupok me- 

 thod. An interesting question is also, whether the Folar Eski- 



