The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-03-16
81
ALASKAN. EES TIVITLES.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 0 ~
Next day about noon, I was invited to
participate 10 Z canoe excursion in pur-
suit Of some beluga, or white grampus, q
member Of the whale family, but Of an
average length Of only sixteen or twenty
feet. The blubber Of this animal is con.
sidered = great de:icacy by tho Indians in
this neighborhood, and tho Lhida Chief
wished to get : supply. Of that greasy
staff ST life before returning home. Ac.
cordingly We started off in ten bidarhas.
oil the. Indians being provided with va
rious sizes ofspears, while I took nothing
but my rife. In half an hour after lcav-
ing the mouth IF the river. the proposed
hunting ground was reached and the
canoes separated in search of the game.
For some time We cruised about without
seeing . :'blow," but finally the long.ex.
pected signal shout was heard from one
of the canoes, and all assembled immc-
diately around their intended victim,
which was I female beluga, nth calf
following in its wake. First the old one
would come up and blow, and in few
seconds after the young one would follow
suit, throwing up = diminutiveI spout.
The calf was attacked first, and as soon
as its blood dyed the water the dam turn.
ed around as if in pursuit Of the murder
er, describing circles around the float.
ing body Of its offspring and lashing the
water into foam with its tail and fiukes.
While racing around the animal received
wcll.aimcd spears from the bidar kas,
which had formed . circle, and as these
weapons were provided with inflated
bladders near the head, tho beluga was
soon buoyed up on the surface of the
water, being too exhausted to draw under
tho large number of bladdcrs fastened to
its back and sides, and in that position
was easily killed. Three more were
killed in the same manner, and the party
was preparing to return to the village
when thought I would try another way
Of securing the game, and without giving
any notice to the men in the other canoes,
Is I ought to have done, / aimed my: rifle
at . beluga which was showing its
huge white back above the water Short
distance from me. The shet went off and
its effect was instaneous, though not ex.
actly as expected. The shot was we'll
aimed and hit the spine Of the animal,
inflicting q mortal wound but while the
oeluga was aoundering about in it's death.
struggles, lashing the water into foam
dyed with its own red blood, one stroke
of the tail upset one of the canoes, throw.
ing the inmates into the water. There
was plenty Of assistance on hand, how
ever the canoe was righted and the men
crawled into it, very wet to be sure, but
not at oil in bad humor. The accident
was the subject of jokes innumerable on
the way home. When the last beluga
had been secured and its body fastened
to the stern of our canoe, the whole
squadron was set in molten. With
the tide in our favor We glided along
swiftly, in spite Of the mighty carcasses
| We had in tow, and, as we drew near the
village, the monotonous boat song was
chanted by the men as they piled thci,
paddles. On the Oh banks Of the river
the old Chief was standing ready to re.
ceive US, while the squaws were sitting in
the grass and watching our approach
joining with their shrill voices in the song
as soon as We were near enough to be
head. On our arrival at the beech the
| whole village had assembled to view and
| admire the spoils Of our davis sport. As
soon as the belugas had been dragged
ashore knives were drawn on every side
and slices Of the blubbcr cut off and eaten
raw apparently with great gusto, by old
and young. I, tasted small morsel, and
must confess it resembles raw bacon fai
more than anything I ever swallowed
but that is only the case Immediately
after the killing as soon as the blubbe,
is half day old, the rancid fishy taste is
there and grows stronger every day. II
was dark before all the blubber had beer
cut off and safely stored out of reach o;
the village dogs, but late as it. was the
Chiefs house was prepared for a contin'
uation Of yesterdays feats and games
was not prepared for second siege o.
that kind and managed to slip AWAY un
observed, glad tofescape an ordeal which
would have been more trying on a eau
cSsian's olfactory nerves than the day
before on account of the fresh supply Of
blubbcr and oil. Before arose next day
the visiting party from Laida had taken
their departure to set some other village
in commotion while the good people o.
Chketuk were yet reveling in rcmcm
brance of the joys just past.
SEAL SKINS.
(From the Contemporary Review.]
When the seals have reached the kill
ing ground they are allowed a certain