424 General Notes. [April, 
have been shot in open holes or “ leads” of water, within darting 
distance from the edge of the ice. The Eskimos call it “ aú- 
lt-gt.” 
It consists of a long light shaft (¢-pz-@) of wood, about one inch 
in diameter, and generally about five feet long, though the Jength 
varies with the height of the man who uses it. The butt of this 
is armed with a slender bayonet-shaped ice-pick (¢#-~) of walrus 
ivory, about fourteen inches long, and to the other end is securely 
fastened a heavy pear-shaped foreshaft (u-ku-mat-lu-ta, “ weight”’) 
of walrus ivory or compact bone, which serves to give weight to 
the head of the harpoon and make it fly straight. It is about 
five inches long and an inch and a half in diameter at the forward 
end. In the center of the end of the foreshaft is a deep round 
socket into which fits the butt of a slender rod of ivory about 
two inches long, the “ loose-shaft”’ (¢-gi-mz). This is secured to 
the foreshaft by a thong passing through a hole drilled in it, so 
that it can be easily removed from the socket, while the thong 
prevents it from being dropped and lost. On the tip of the loose- 
shaft fits a detachable toggle-head (maz-/#) of the ordinary type 
common to the whole Eskimo race, provided with a long line of 
seal thong upwards of ninety feet in length. 
When ready for use the line is drawn taut from the head to 
about the middle of the shaft, made fast by a couple of half- 
hitches, and kept from slipping by a little ivory peg (4z-/er-dwif) 
inserted into the shaft. Just back of this there is also a little 
curved ivory knob (#-£a) secured to the shaft as a rest for the 
forefinger in aiming the weapon. 
e hunter on starting out carries his rifle slung in a sort of 
holster across his back, and secured to this the zaú-¿ú and line 
folded in long hanks. The rest of the harpoon is carried in the 
hand and serves as a staff in walking and climbing among the 
ice-hummocks, where the sharp pick is useful to prevent slipping 
and to try doubtful ice, and also enables the hunter to break away 
thin ice at the edge of a hole so as to draw his game to the solid 
floe. It can also serve as a bayonet for defence in case of neces- 
Sy. 
When a seal has been shot and floats, the zaú-ľû and line are 
fitted on and the weapon darted with the right hand while the 
left holds the end of the line. The maz-/é enters the animal en- 
tirely, and a pull on the line causes it to slip off the top of the 
loose-shaft (which is facilitated by the play of the latter) and to 
oere securely under the skin. The whole is then drawn in by 
e 
the line. 
The use of this weapon appears to be éonfined to Northwestern 
; ` Alaska, and it is very rarely found south of Bering’s strait. In 
the large collection made by Mr. E. W. Nelson in the neighbor- 
hood of Norton sound, there is only one rather clumsily-made 
 naúlīgů, with a fragment of the line, which is labeled a “ beluga 
