NELSON] TOMCOD-FISHING APPARATUS 177 



sinker, passes a whalebone leader with a small hook at each end ; these 

 hooks have an ivory shank through which is i^assed a pointed iron spike 

 bent upward at the point. Hanging from the lower end of the sinker 

 is another leader of about the same length as the others with a straight 

 shanked hook of the ordinary style, with four points. 



The style of tomcod hook used from the Yukon mouth to the Kus- 

 kokwim is illustrated in figure 3, plate lxix. This specimen, obtained 

 at Askinuk, has a long, round shank of deerhorn, with a knob at the 

 upper end for attachment of the line, and the lower end is enlarged 

 to a doubly conical base, which has three slits at equal intervals, nar- 

 rowed on the outside and widening within. Above these, on the upper 

 cone, are three similar slits alternating around the surface with the 

 first-named. Into these slits are fitted long, slender, sharp-pointed 

 spines of deerhorn, 3^ tp 4 inches in length, projecting upward and 

 slightly outward. This hook is moved slowly up and down in the 

 water, and catches the fish by piercing them from below while they 

 are gathered about the ivory sinker. 



Figure 21, plate lxviii, from Cape Prince of Wales, is a common 

 style of ivory-shanked tomcod hook,'*with four projecting iron points. 

 It varies from the ordinary style in having the shank made in a series 

 of curves instead of being straight. 



A peculiar style of tomcod hook and sinker, from Cape Nome, is 

 shown in figure 10, plate lxix. The sinker is made from an old, stained 

 piece of ivory, fashioned into the shape of a fish. Two blue beads are 

 inserted in rings of ivory near the lower end to represent eyes, and 

 another is inlaid on the lower surface. The tail is formed of a piece of 

 white ivory attached to a truncated end of the dark material by a lash- 

 ing of fine cord; the mouth is represented by a hole, in which is a 

 leader, attached to which, below the sinker, are three orange-yellow 

 pieces from the bill of the crested auklet, which are strung on a 

 fine sinew cord with two blue beads, serving to attract the fish. At 

 the lower end of the leader is a hook, with the upper part of the shank 

 of ivory and the lower of deerhorn. These are fastened together with 

 small bone pegs and a lashing of fine cord around the joint. At the 

 base were four iron points, one of which has been broken oft'. 



Figure 26, plate lxviii, from Cape Nome, is a rod used for fishing 

 for tomcod, with an ivory line guide in the end. Figure 20, plate 

 LXVIII, from St Lawrence island, are bone shanks for tomcod hooks, 

 made with two slits on the sides at the lower end, in which may be 

 inserted upright bone barbs; the upper end is broadened and flattened 

 a little and pierced for the attachment of a line. Figure 22 of the 

 same plate, from St Lawrence island, is a rather flat, shuttle-shape rod, 

 notched at each end and having wound upon it a long line made from 

 whalebone, with a set of four tomcod hooks at the ends of leaders, 

 which are of the ordinary straight-shank pattern with four barbed 

 points of copper. Figure 9, plate lxviii, from St Michael, is a deer- 

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