128 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH. ANN. 18 
_ Figure 25, plate Lit, is a rudely oval, wooden net float, pierced on 
one side. It is frorn Icy cape. 
Figure 24, plate 111, from St Lawrence island, is a wooden net float, 
somewhat rounded in outline, with an ear on one side, which is pierced 
with a hole for the attachment of the line. 
Figure 14, plate Lu, from St Michael, are specimens, made from wal- 
rus ribs, of a class of implements which serve a double purpose; they 
are used as sinkers and as handles for hauling in the seal or beluga 
nets. ; 
Figure 20, plate Lu, from one of the Diomede islands, is an elongate 
oval sinker for a seal net, made of walrus ivory; it is surrounded vith 
etched bands of zigzag pattern. 
About the end of February the Eskimo from Bering strait southyard 
begin to hunt seals at the outer edge of tie shore ice, where the leads 
are open at that season. On the 28th of February, 1880, I met 2 party 
of people on their way from the head of Norton bay to Cape Darby, 
where they were going to hunt seals on the ice until spring opened, 
At midnight on March 28, the same season, I reached a Village on 
the northern shore of Norton sound as a party of seal huyters eame 
in from the outer edge of the ice, bringing several fine, large 1.4 j> seals, 
The entire village was up awaiting their return, and we were Cordially 
welcomed to the ensuing feast, which lasted until well into the MOI ino, 
The entrails and other parts of the viscera were cooked and pas.oq 
around as special delicacies, while the people of the village who hig 
come to share in the feast assisted in dressing the animals. 
At this season, also, the people about St Michael begin their usual 
spring hunting upon the ice. They leave their village, hauling their 
kaiaks, spears, guns, and other implements on small, light sledges made 
specially for the purpose. Whenever open water is to be crossed the 
kaiak is launched, the sled placed upon it, and the hunter paddles to 
the opposite side, where he resumes his journey upon the ice. The 
method of obtaining seals at this time is by the hunter concealing him- 
self on the ice close to the water, and from this point of vantage shoot- 
ing or spearing them as they swim along the edge. Sometimes a seal 
is shot or speared while lying asleep on the ice. 
When the ice breaks up, so that there is much open water, with 
scattered floes and cakes of varying size, the hunters make long hunts 
in their kaiaks, searching for places where the seals have hauled up 
onto the ice. 
On the 10th of May, one season, I met a party of Eskimo between 
Pastolik, near the Yukon mouth, and St Michael. They had umiaks of 
ordinary size on sleds, drawn by dogs, and were going with their families 
to the outer edge of St Michael island to hunt seals, planning to return 
to the Yukon mouth in the umiaks when the ice had left the coast. 
During the early spring months the small hair seals come up through 
holes in the ice to be delivered of their young. These holes are 
