Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442Murdoch, John
History
Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442
Murdoch, John
Eskimos -- Alaska -- Barrow, Point, Region
cut in the end of the main line through which are passed both ends of
the short line. The longer part is then slit about 2 inches from the
end and the shorter part passed through the slit, and a slit cut close
to the end of it, through which the longer end is passed. The whole is
then drawn taut and the longer end clove hitched round the main line.
[Illustration: FIG. 225.--Details of retrieving seal harpoon. 1/4]
No. 89908 [1058] is one of these spears rigged ready for darting. The
line is secured at about the middle of the shaft with a couple of
marling hitches. This specimen, except the head, is new and was rather
carelessly made for the market. It has neither line catch nor finger
rest. The foreshaft and ice pick are lashed in with sinew braid, which
is first knotted round the tip of the shaft and then hitched round
with a series of left-handed soldier’s hitches. The end of the thong
which holds the loose shaft is passed through the hole in it and
knotted and the other end hitched into the pulley at the smallest part
of the foreshaft. The head is like that of the preceding, but has a
conoidal body of reindeer antler, a common material for seal-harpoon
heads, and the line, which is of stout sinew braid 43 feet long, is
attached to it simply by passing the end through the line hole and
tying it with a clove hitch to the standing part 9½ inches from the
head. This spear is about the same size as the preceding. These
weapons are all of the same general pattern, but vary in length
according to the height of the owner. The heads for these harpoons, as
well as for the other form of seal harpoon, are usually about 3 inches
long, and, as a rule, have lanceolate blades. The body is generally
conoidal, often made of reindeer antler, and always, apparently, with
a double barb. It is generally plain, but sometimes ornamented like
the walrus-harpoon heads.
[Illustration: FIG. 226.--Jade blade for seal harpoon.]
No. 89784 [1008] was made by Ilû´bw’ga, the Nunatañmeun, when thinking
of coming to winter at Utkiavwĭñ. He had had no experience in sealing,
having apparently spent all his winters on the rivers inland, and this
harpoon head seems to have been condemned as unsatisfactory by his new
friends at Utkiavwĭñ. It looks like a very tolerable naula, but is
unusually small, being only 2½ inches long.
We saw only one stone blade for a seal harpoon, No. 89623 [1418], Fig.
226. This is of light olive green jade, and triangular, with
peculiarly dull edges and point. Each face is concaved, and there is a
hole for a rivet. (Compare the jade-bladed harpoon figured by
Nordenskiöld and referred to above.) It is 2 inches long and 0.7 inch
wide at the base. It appears to have been kept as an amulet. The other
form of seal harpoon comes properly under the next head.
THRUSTING WEAPONS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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