Sketches From Oldest America 



time, it being the forerunner of the spear, which has 

 proved as useful for small game as it has for the 

 great brown bear. When the animal charged, the 

 hunter quickly placed the butt of the spear on the 

 ground, and the bear, thus coming in contact with 

 the sharpened end, was pierced and killed. The 

 noose also proved of service for bear and deer. If 

 hunting the former, a steep bank, where the crea- 

 ture was known to walk, was chosen and the noose 

 set. On becoming entangled, the bear in its strug- 

 gle fell over the bank, where it would hang until 

 dead. The sling probably never proved very effica- 

 cious, as its accuracy for birds on the wing is too 

 uncertain. It was useful for casting stones into the 

 ocean to frighten and drive the beluga into the nets 

 set for that purpose. The " kalimetown " was a far 

 more effective instrument. It was made of seven 

 small ivory balls, each having a string of deer sinew 

 attached, the strings being joined at the end by a 

 feather. On being thrown into a flock of ducks on 

 the wing, any one of the balls striking a bird would 

 act as a pivot for the others to encircle the victim 

 and bring it to the ground. 



Bone or ivory hooks were used in fishing through 

 the ice, the line being made from strips of whale- 

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