MURDOCH.] 



CARVINGS WH.ALKS. 



403 



perhaps were charms to be carried in the boat to secure good hick in 

 whaling. No. 897. ?&amp;lt;! [8(i7&], Fig. 4(Mi, from Utkiavwiii, is perhaps the 

 best proportioned of these figures, though the only details represented 

 are the flukes (which arc broken), and the incised spiracles. It is 5-4 



inches long and made of 

 spruce or hemlock, stained 

 almost black by dirt, 

 grease, and weathering. A 

 long string of sinew braid 

 is tied round the &quot;small.&quot; 

 No. 89735 [10:?&amp;lt;&amp;gt;] from 

 t tkiavwifi, is also a rather 

 well proportioned figure, 

 rude in execution, with no 

 details carved out except 



the flukes-, one of which is broken. An angular bit of iron pyrites is 

 inlaid to represent the left eye, and a similar piece appears to have been 

 lost from the right eye. The anus is represented by a light blue glass 

 bead inlaid in the belly. It is 8-8 inches long and made of soft wood, 

 probably cottonwood, weathered and stained to a dark brown. It is 

 very old and much chipped and cracked. Two small oblique holes in 

 the middle of the back make a transverse channel for a string. This 

 specimen was said by the man who sold it to have been dug up among 

 the ruins of one of the old houses in the village. 



Ho. 89734 [987] from Nuwuk, is 12 inches long, very broad in propor 

 tion to its length, and rather rude in design, with a Hat belly, though 



FIG. 4UO. Wooden cnrvini: uliale. 



Km. 4117. Whale carved i nmi soapstone. 



neatly carved and scraped smooth. The spiracles and the outline of 

 the mouth are incised and little angular bits of brown quartz are inlaid 

 for the eyes. Both flukes have been split off and part of the right 

 fluke has been fastened on again with a single wooden treenail. It is of 

 spruce or hemlock and has weathered to a brown color. 



Fig. 407 (No. 89561 [125:5] from Utkiavwln) represents the best image 

 of a whale in the collection. It is very well proportioned, though per 

 haps a little clumsy about the flukes, with the external details correctly 

 represented. It is 4-5 inches long, neatly carved from soapstone, 

 scraped smooth and oiled. It was made for sale. There are five other 

 round soapstone carvings of whales in the collection, but none so good 



IT 



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VVXVlIUiTT 



