Bidarkis 



bound together with sinew. The arrows, made 

 of spruce, are thirty-four inches in length, the 

 last six or seven inches being of walrus ivory, 

 into the end of which a small barbed piece of 

 ivory fits loosely ; this barb has attached to it 

 a plaited length of sinew seventy-one inches long, 

 which at three-fourths of its distance from the 

 barb is divided into two and is attached to the 

 shaft of the arrow twelve inches from the barbed 

 end and ten inches from the notched end. When 

 ready for use this plaited sinew is carefully wound 

 in a peculiar manner round the shaft of the 

 arrow, the barb being inserted in the ivory end. 

 The three strips of feathers are tied on. These 

 arrows when used are not fired directly at the 

 sea-otter, but into the air, so that the barb may 

 more easily penetrate the skin. The sea-otters 

 are hunted by the Indians in " bidarkis," a form 

 of canoe, the ribs and woodwork of which are 

 made of the ever-handy and useful spruce, 

 walrus hide being used as a covering for deck 

 and sides. They are constructed to hold two 

 or three, and are consequently termed two ^ or 

 three-hole bidarkis. In the case of one of the 

 latter the front man does the paddling, the centre 

 man also assisting, whilst the third man in the 

 stern does the steering, and is the best shot of 

 the party. Schooners are employed by white 

 men in hunting the sea-otter, and these boats 

 carry five or six bidarkis, with their native crews 



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