CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 41 



camping place with traveling parties of natives on account of the abundance of birds and eggs 

 and the stream of fresh water. The cape terminates in a cliff about four hundred and fifty feet 

 high, composed of stratified fossiliferous rocks, ci imped and curved in a remarkable manner. 



The natives catch birds by means of a long handled net, which, from some convenient poiut 

 on the face of the cliff, they scoop among them as they fly past. The eggs are taken by lowering 

 one of their number over the face of the cliff armed with a small egg-net and a basket. This is 

 done by means of a rope made of seal-skin thongs. When the basket is filled the native is drawn 

 up and the basket discharged. The eggs are eaten raw or boiled, as is most convenient. Being 

 less liable to injury when traveling if hard boiled, they are generally prepared in that way. The 

 condition of the eggs is not at all considered by the natives, and even though they may be more 

 or less advanced in the process of incubation, it is a matter of no importance to them. 



In the evening we returned to our anchorage at Point Hope, and found two more whalers at 

 anchor, the Eliza and one whose name we could not make out. They had come in during the day 

 to avoid the gale. The natives came on board in large numbers during our stay at Point Hope. 

 They are lazy, filthy, worthless, and dishonest, and require constant watching. 



A young colored man deserting from the Hidalgo after some trouble with one of the officers, 

 spent the winter at Poiut Hope and was kindly treated by the natives, who shared their quarters 

 and food with him, giving the best of all they had. As an evidence of the rapid manner in which 

 news travels. among these people, it may be mentioned that the fact of this man being at Point 

 Hope was known at Saint Michael's, Norton Sound, before the winter was half over. I inquired into 

 the facts of the alleged desertion, but could only learn that some trouble had occurred between 

 the man and the second officer on account of the loss of an as, and instead of making complaint 

 to the master, the man deserted and remained concealed until the sailing of the brig, probably 

 partly through a romantic desire to winter among these people. On the arrival of the brig the 

 following spring the deserter delivered himself up and was restored to his position by the master, 

 who, so far as I could learn, was iu no way at fault in the matter. 



The chief of the Point Hope natives, or >'Owallk," as he is called, is quite a character and 

 deserves a few words of mention. He does not hold the position of a chief as an hereditary right 

 or by influence of wealth, but by sheer force of arms. He is never without his Sharps rifle, and 

 with it he overcomes all opposition. He is well built, rather quiet looking, not much given to talk- 

 ing, and much more cleanly in appearance than the others. He is a good shot, aud is quick to act. 

 It is said that he has killed several of the tribe and has the rest thoroughly cowed. We were 

 requested to take him away, but of course could not do so. Although a horror to the natives, he 

 is friendly to strangers. The colored deserter from the Hidalgo says that it was mainly due to 

 this man that he received such kind treatment. Of course it is only a question of time when some 

 other native will catch him at a disadvantage and kill him. In their present state of mind, how- 

 ever, they will not attempt it until quite sure it can be accomplished, for failure means death to 

 the one who makes the attempt. 



While at Point Hope we had an opportunity of seeing two white whales taken by the natives. 

 They were swimming very near the shore iu shallow water, and were shot with rifles as they rose 

 to the surface to breathe, and were drawn out on the beach, or rather parbuckled out. One was a 

 full-grown female 11 feet long, and of a rich cream color, aud the other a younger one about 8 feet 

 long, of a light lead color. The natives commenced to eat them before they were fairly out of the 

 water, cutting off pieces of the fins and eating them raw. The white whale, or beluga, I believe, 

 is less known than any other of the inariue mammals. It belongs to the order Cetacea, and is a mem- 

 ber of the dolphin family. The generic name Beluga is derived from the Russian word "byelyi," 

 meaning white. It inhabits only the colder parts of the globe. It reaches a length of about 14 

 feet, aud when full grown is milk-white. The young are nearly black, and gradually change to a 

 brighter color as they grow older until they are eight years of age, when they attain their natural 

 size aud color. They are very timid, and when found iu the bays by the natives are easily driven into 

 shallow water, where they are dispatched with flint spears. According to native tradition, if these 

 spears are not used the whales will not return again. Even after killing them with the rifle the 

 form of spearing is gone through with. They pass north through Bering Straits as soon as the 

 S. Ex. 204 6 



