NELSON] WALRUS AND WHALE SPEARS 139 



to escape. Figure 2, plate LV, is a typical spear of this kind from 

 St Michael. 



Figure 3, plate LV, illustrates a typical example of this kiud of 

 spear which was obtained at Sledge island. The shaft is a little over 

 six feet long, tapering from the middle toward both ends, the upper 

 end being the smaller. The private mark of the owner is marked on 

 the shaft in red and black paint. The head is held in place by a com 

 bination of sinew and rawhide lashings. Spears very similar to this 

 are in common use on the shores of Norton sound and Bering strait. 



Figure 1, plate LV, from Xortoii sound, is an example of the large 

 spear used in that locality. 



Figure 8, plate LV, is another spear of this kind, about seven feet in 

 length, from Port Clarence. .The shaft is strongly lashed with rawhide 

 in several places, the lashings being held in place by small bone pins, 

 and a strong finger-rest in the form of a seal-head is attached to one 

 side for use in casting; the butt has a tapering, rounded point of bone, 

 fastened by a rawhide lashing which passes through an orifice in the 

 bone. The bone head is inserted in a groove in the wooden shaft, 

 against which it is held firmly by a rawhide lashing; an ivory rod 

 about seven inches in length is inserted in the top and on it is fitted 

 the detachable harpoon point, the tip of which is slit and a triangular 

 piece of brass inserted to form a sharp point. The detachable point 

 has a hole through which is passed the cord which attaches it to the 

 shaft. 



Figure 7, plate LV, from S.ledge island, is a similar but shorter 

 walrus and whale spear, having the bone head worked into an image 

 of a white bear s head, with pieces of blue beads inlaid for eyes. 

 Spears of this character were found also in use along the coast of 

 Kotzebue sound and northward to Point Barrow. 



From St Lawrence island a similar but ruder spear of this kind was 

 obtained. It has a long, rounded shaft, with a small ivory head and a 

 finger- rest at the middle; the short bone tip at the butt is sharpened 

 to a wedge-shape point. This specimen, which measures nearly eight 

 feet, is the longest of any of the spears that were seen. 



Figure 0, plate LV, from Xorton sound, is a spear used for walrus 

 and whales, somewhat similar in general character to those already 

 described, but the long, slender .shaft has a spur-shape point of bone 

 inserted in its upper end and fastened by a rawhide cord. This pro 

 jects obliquely from the shaft instead of being in line with it, as in the 

 other specimens described. The usual lashings of rawhide are around 

 the shaft, but the bone head is smaller and terminates in a knob, in 

 which is inserted the bone peg on which is fitted the detachable point. 

 This point has a flat, triangular, iron tip and a hole through the base 

 for the attachment of a stout rawhide cord that passes backward 

 through two grooves in the bone head and thence along the shaft to 

 the butt, where it is coiled and attached to a float. 



Figure 5, plate LV, from Chichifiagainut, is the style of large hand 



