140 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH. ANN. 18 
spear used on Nunivak island and the adjacent mainland, between the 
Yukon and the Kuskokwim. A deerhorn peg is inserted in the side of 
the shaft to serve as a finger-rest for casting. The shaft is largest near 
the head, round in cross section, and tapers gradually back to the 
truncated tip. A modification of this style is seen in figure 4, plate 
Lva, from Pastolik, which has the finger-rest formed of a small bone 
pin inserted in the side of the shaft, but with the latter oval in cross 
section and tapering each way, like the Norton sound spears of this 
kind. 
FLOATS 
The sealskins used as floats in connection with spears in capturing 
large seals, walrus, and white whales, are taken from the seals entire 
and are tanned usually with the hair removed. To stop the holes made 
in them by spears or in other ways, and to prevent their fastenings from 
becoming loose and the consequent loss of the float and the game, plugs 
of wood, bone, ivory, or deerhorn are used, which are stud-like in form, 
with spreading heads and a deep groove around the side. The holein 
the skin is first sewed up or patched, if necessary, leaving a very small 
orifice, through which the stopper is pressed until it projects far enough 
on the inside for the workman to wrap a stout lashing of thin rawhide 
or sinew cord around the groove and make it fast. This work is done 
through a hole left open at the muzzle of the skin, after which the 
nozzle through which it is inflated is inserted and fastened by rawhide 
lashings. Some of these stoppers are plain, but most of them have the 
upper surface carved in a great variety of ornamental designs. 
Figure 5, plate Lvia, illustrates a specimen of one of these stoppers 
obtained at Konigunugumut, having the top in the fourm of a cone. 
Figure 7, plate Ly1a, from Nubviukhchugaluk, has a conical head 
with half of a blue bead set in the top. 
Figure 1, plate Lvia, from Konigunugumut, has an oval head. 
igure 4, plate Lvia, from the same locality, has an oval head with 
the raven totem sign etched upon its surface. 
Figure 6, plate Lyra, also from the same locality, has a round, flat top, 
with two concentric circles surrounding a wooden plug set in the center. 
Figure 3, plate Lyla, from Cape Nome, has the top surrounded by a 
circle with an inlaid bead in the center and a conical base. 
Figure 10, plate Lyia, from Cape Nome, has the top in the form of a 
seal’s head, with the eyes, nostrils, and ears indicated by round wooden 
pegs inlaid in the ivory. 
Figure 14, plate Lyra, from Sledge island, is a large, round, wooden 
plug, on the surface of which are three concentric incised circles. 
Figure 13, plate Lvia, from Cape Vancouver, has the upper surface 
very slightly rounded and bearing the features of a woman in low 
relief. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are incised; there are two labret 
holes on each side of the lower lip, and radiating lines from the middle 
of the mouth indicate tattooing. 
