140 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH.AXN. 18 



spear used 011 Nunivak island and the adjacent mainland, between the 

 Yukon and the Kuskokwim. A deerhorn peg is inserted in the side of 

 the shaft to serve as a finger-rest for casting. The shaft is largest near 

 the head, round in cross section, and tapers gradually back to the 

 truncated tip. A modification of this style is seen in figure 4, plate 

 Lva, from Pastolik, which has the finger-rest formed of a small bone 

 pin inserted in the side of the shaft, but with the latter oval in cross 

 section and tapering each way, like the Norton sound spears of this 

 kind. 



FLOATS 



The sealskins used as floats in connection with spears in capturing 

 large seals, walrus, and white whales, are taken from the seals entire 

 and are tanned usually with the hair removed. To stop the holes made 

 in them by spears or in other ways, and to prevent their fastenings from 

 becoming loose and the consequent loss of the float and the game, plugs 

 of wood, bone, ivory, or deerhorn are used, which are stud-like in form, 

 with spreading heads and a deep groove around the side. The hole in 

 the skin is first sewed up or patched, if necessary, leaving a very small 

 orifice, through which the stopper is pressed until it projects far enough 

 on the inside for the workman to wrap a stout lashing of thin rawhide 

 or sinew cord around the groove and make it fast. This work is done 

 through a hole left open at the muzzle of the skin, after which the 

 nozzle through which it is inflated is inserted and fastened by rawhide 

 lashings. Some of these stoppers are plain, but most of them have the 

 upper surface carved in a great variety of ornamental designs. 



Figure 5, plate LVI a, illustrates a specimen of one of these stoppers 

 obtained at Koiiigunugumut, having the top in the form of a cone. 



Figure 7, plate LVI , from Nubviukhchugaluk, has a conical head 

 with half of a blue bead set in the top. 



Figure 1, plate LVI a, from Kofiigunugumut, has an oval head. 



Figure 4, plate LVI a, from the same locality, has an oval head with 

 the raven totem sign etched upon its surface. 



Figure 0, plate LVIO, also from the same locality, has around, flat top, 

 with two concentric circles surrounding a wooden plug set in the center. 



Figure 3, plate LVI a, from Cape Nome, has the top surrounded by a 

 circle with an inlaid bead in the center and a conical base. 



Figure 10, plate LVI a, from Cape Nome, has the top in the form of a 

 seal s head, with the eyes, nostrils, and ears indicated by round wooden 

 pegs inlaid in the ivory. 



Figure 14, plate LVI a, from Sledge island, is a large, round, wooden 

 plug, on the surface of which are three concentric incised circles. 



Figure 13, plate LVI a, from Cape Vancouver, has the upper surface 

 very slightly rounded and bearing the features of a woman in low 

 relief. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are incised; there are two labret 

 holes on each side of the lower lip, and radiating lines from the middle 

 of the mouth indicate tattooing. 



