62 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



expected. The shot was well aimed and hit the spine of the animal, inflicting a mortal wound ; 

 but while the beluga was floundering about in its death struggles, lashing the water into foam 

 dyed with its own red blood, one stroke of the tail upset one of the canoes, throwing the inmates 

 into the water. There was plenty of assistance on hand, however; the canoe was righted, and the 

 men crawled into it, very wet to be sure, but not at all in a bad humor. The accident was the sub- 

 ject of jokes innumerable on the way home. When the last beluga had been secured, and its body 

 fastened to the stern of our canoe, the whole squadron was set in motion. With the tide in our 

 favor, we glided along swiftly in spite of the weighty carcasses we had in tow, and as we drew 

 near to the village the monotonous boat song was chanted by the men as they plied their paddles. 

 On the high bank of the river the old chief was standing ready to receive us, while the squaws 

 were sitting in the grass and watching our approach, joining with their shrill voices in the song 

 as soon as we were near enough to be heard. On our arrival at the beach the whole village had 

 assembled to view and admire the spoils of our day's sport. As soon as the belugas had been 

 dragged ashore, knifes were drawn on all sides and slices of the blubber cut off and eaten raw, 

 apparently with great gusto, by old and young. I tasted a small morsel, and must confess that it 

 resembles raw bacon fat more than anything I ever swallowed ; but that is only the case imme- 

 diately after the killing; as soon as the blubber is half a day old the rancid, fishy taste is there 

 and grows stronger every day. It was dark before all the blubber had been cut off and safely 

 stored out of reach of the village dogs, but late as it was the chief's house was prepared for a con- 

 tinuation of yesterday's feast and games. I was not prepared for a second siege of that kind and 

 managed to slip away unobserved, glad to escape an ordeal which would have been more trying 

 on a Caucasian's olfactory nerves than that of the day before, on account of the fresh supply of 

 blubber and oil. Before I arose next day the visiting party from Laiada had taken their depart- 

 ure to set some other village in commotion, while the good people of Chketuk were yet reveling 

 in remembrance of the joys just past." 



The Indians of Gape Flattery are said to derive their principal subsistence from fishery 

 products, the most important of which are the whale and halibut. Mr. James G. Swan, in a 

 report on the Makah Indians, in No. 220 Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, 1869, says: 

 " Of the former [whales] there are several varieties which are taken at different seasons of the 

 year. Some are killed by the Indians; others, including the right whale, drift ashore, having 

 been killed either by whalemen, swordfish, or other casualties. The various species of whales 

 are: The sperm whale, kots-k6, which is very rarely seen ; right whale, yakh'-yo-bad-di; blackfish, 

 klas-ko-kop-ph ; finback, kau-wid; sulphur-bottom, kwa-kwau-yak'-t'lile ; California gray, che- 

 che-wid or chet'-a-puk; killer, se-hwau. The generic name of whales is chet'-a-puk. The 

 California gray is the kind usually taken by the Indians, the others being but rarely attacked. 



'' Their method of -whaling, being both novel and interesting, will require a minute descrip- 

 tion not only the implements used, but the mode of attack, and the final disposition of the whale, 

 being entirely different from the practice of our own whalemen. 



" From information I obtained, I infer that formerly the Indians were more successful in kill- 

 ing whales than they have been of late years. Whether the whales were more numerous, or that 

 the Indians, being now able to procure other food from the whites, have become indifferent to the 

 pursuit, I cannot say ; but I have not noticed any marked activity among them, and when they 

 do go out they rarely take a prize. They are more successful in their whaling in some seasons 

 than in others, and whenever a surplus of oil or blubber is on hand, it is exchanged or traded 

 with Indians of other tribes, who appear quite as fond of the luxury as the Makahs. The oil sold 

 by these whalers to the white traders is dogfish oil, which is not eaten by this tribe, although 



