146 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [eth. ann. 18 



common to the stone points of these weapons. Usually the shafts of 

 these lances are plain, but a specimen (number 33891) from Norton 

 sound, has a finger rest of bone bound midway on the shaft. 



The other form of lance is a peculiar one used along the coast of Nor- 

 ton sound, about Nunivak island, and in the region lying between the 

 mouths of Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. It is from 4 to 4| feet in 

 length and has a walrus ivory butt from 20 to 24 inches in length fas- 

 tened to the end of the wooden shaft. The end of the butt has two 

 holes, through which a sinew cord is passed and wound tightly around 

 the junction of the two i^arts of the shaft. The head has a round hole 

 for the reception of the point, which is held in position by a stout 

 lashing of sinew cord. 



Figure 2, plate lvZ;, represents a specimen of this kind of lance 

 obtained on Nunivak island. It has a butt made from a walrus tusk, 

 along each side of which is etched a long, slender figure of an animal, 

 having a blue bead inlaid for the eye; the tip of the butt is shaped to 

 a tapering point. In the wooden shaft, just above the ivory butt, a 

 deerhorn peg is inserted for a finger-rest. 



Another example (number 1G8579) from Nunivak island has the ivory 

 butt etched with the outline of a long arm, with a hand at the lower 

 end and the i^alm pierced. 



Figure 1, plate Lvft, from Nunivak island, has a round bone head 

 with three deep grooves extending around it, leaving four ridges ter- 

 minating in a shoulder next to the shaft, bound in position by a cotton 

 cord, evidently obtained from some trader. A long, tapering ivory butt, 

 triangular in cross section, is fastened to the wooden shaft, and about 

 the junction is a strong binding of cord similar to that used on the head. 



All the points used on these lances are detachable, and every hunter 

 carries a small bag made from sealskin or other hide, containing eight 

 or ten additional points. 



Figure 17, plate LViia, from the lower Yukon, is a fish-skin bag for 

 holding a set of spearj)oints. These points vary somewhat in char 

 acter, but are from 8 to 10 inches in length, with thin, triangular tips 

 of stone, glass, iron, or other material. Sometimes the points are made 

 of ivory or bone, but this is not common. Slate is perhaps most 

 frequently used, and occasionally flint or iron points are seen. 



Figure 5, plate lv h, from Chalitmut, is a lance with a wooden shaft 

 on which a raven totem mark is incised. The point to this is of slate, 

 beveled on both sides to a sharp edge, and set in a wooden foreshaft; 

 with it is a wooden sheath, to slip over the point and ])rotect it when 

 not in use (figure 25, plate lvii«). Figure 27, plate LViia, represents 

 another form of these wooden sheaths for lance points. 



Figure 19, jilate LViia, shows a lance from Port Clarence, Bering 

 strait. It has a wooden shaft, with a chipped flint point inserted in a 

 slot in the end and held in position by a wrapping of whalebone. The 

 upper end of the shaft is wrapped with whalebone to prevent splitting, 

 and a small tuft of seal hair is inserted in a narrow slot on the side. 



