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



kwim rivers wicker fish traps are set, with a brush and wicker-work 

 fence connecting them with the shore. These fish traps form an elon- 

 gated cone, with a funnel-shape entrance in the larger end. Each has 

 two long poles at the sides of the mouth or broad end and another at 

 the small end, by means of which it is raised or lowered. It is set at 

 the outer end of the wicker-work fence with the mouth facing down- 

 stream, and held in place by i>oles driven in the river bottom with their 

 ends projecting above the water. 



A model of a trap from the lower Yukon, used for catching salmon, 

 is illustrated in figure 14, plate lxx. The funnel-shape mouth is fas- 

 tened to a square framework, with handle-like extensions along the 

 upper and lower sides, by means of which poles are fastened for guid- 

 ing the trap in setting, and which rest against the poles driven into the 

 river bottom to keep the trap in position. 



The Eskimo living near the base of the Kuslevak mountains go to 

 the Yukon delta to fish for salmon. Norton bay and the shores around 

 the head of Norton sound are occupied by i^eople from the surround- 

 ing districts, who gather there during the fishing season. Nearly all 

 of the Sledge islanders resort to the adjacent mainland at this time. 



Throughout the region the people go out from their villages to sum- 

 mer camps at places where the run of fish is known to be greatest, and 

 all enjoy a season of plenty, always anticipated with i^leasure by the 

 entire community. 



At times fish are so pleutiful on the lower Yukon in July, while the 

 dog salmon are running, that the wicker fish traps, which measured to 5 

 feet in diameter and about 10 feet in length, have to be emptied several 

 times a day to jjrevent their breaking. The gill nets are also watclied 

 constantly by the owner, who goes out in his kaiak whenever the 

 motion of the floats shows there are fish in them, and, drawing up the 

 net so that the heads of the fish are above water, he stuns them by a 

 blow from a short club and removes them from the net. 



Figure 2, jjlate lxx, represents one of these clubs for killing fish, which 

 was obtained at Sabotuisky. It is made of spruce and is reduced 

 in size downward to form a slender handle, suboval in cross section, 

 grooved on each side, and wrapped with spruce root at the grip. 

 Toward the end it becomes larger and is rounded, and then tapers 

 again to a truncated point. Another club of this character, from 

 Sledge island, is shown in figure 1 of the same plate. It is 30 inches 

 long, and is oval in cross section. 



The blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) is common wherever sluggish 

 streams and lakelets occur from Kotzebue sound to Kuskokwim river. 

 Throughout this region they are taken by means of small wicker traps, 

 about 18 inches in diameter and 5 feet long, which are set in small 

 streams, with a wicker fence leading from the mouths of the traps to the 

 shore. 



A model of one of these traps, from St Michael, is illustrated in 



