[105] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 375 



PRODUCTS OF THE WHALE. 

 Baleen. 



Nine slabs of whalebone from the sulphur bottom whale. Makah 

 Indians, iNeah Bay, Washington Territory. 72692. James 

 G. Swan. 



IMPLEMENTS USED IN THE CAPTURE OF THE SEAL. 



Spears, Heads, and Lanyards. 

 Seal spear. 



A slender staff or pole, with two prongs of unequal lengths upon 

 which are placed respectively two metal heads with one barb 

 each. The spear-heads are held in place by laniards which are 

 hauled taut and firmly grasped with the pole in the left. hand. 

 When used the ends of the laniards are attached to a long line, 

 one end of which remains in the boat. The butt of the pole 

 is provided with a flaring piece of wood which is used as a 

 finger rest when the Indian thrusts the instrument into the 

 seal. Length, 15 feet 10 inches. Makah Indians, Neah Bay, 

 Washington Territory. 72671. James G. Swan. Used by the 

 natives in killing fur seals. The canoe is paddled silently to 

 a short distance from the sleeping seal, and the spear thrust 

 forcibly into the animal. The canoe is hauled by means of 

 the rope closer to the seal, which is dispatched by a blow on 

 the head with a club. The Indians invariably smash in the 

 skull of a seal even when the animal is killed by the thrust of 

 the spear, which is frequently the case. So universal is this 

 practice that I was unable, during a residence of three years 

 at Neah Bay, to obtain a perfect specimen of a skull, although 

 hundreds of skulls may be seen on the beach any day during 

 the sealing season, but every one was fractured. [James G. 

 Swan.] 



Staff for seal spear. 



Slender pole with two prongs, without spears, and finger-rest at 

 rear end. Used for killing seal. Length, - — -— . Makah In- 

 dians, Cape Flattery, 1883. 72670. James G. Swan. 



Eeceptacles for Sealing Implements. 

 Basket. 



A large basket, "Kla-ash," used by natives for holding spear-heads, 

 harpoons, and lines, when sealing. Length, 28 inches. Port 

 Townsend, Washington Territory, January, 1883. 72665. James 

 G. Swan. These baskets are never offered for sale. The prices 

 asked for them, when a native is induced to sell, exceed those 

 for the ordinary baskets. 



