Wichita eagle., 1889-04-20
WHALING BY ESQUIMAUx.
An Exciting Scene at Point Barrow, ii
the Northern Part OF Alaska.

An Exciting Scene at Point Barrow, in
the Northern Part OF Alaska.
A letter from New Bedford, Mass, gives
the following story of an intensely exciting
scene witnessed by q whaleman at Point
Barrow:
Il confess that / am a very poor sports
man." said George Leavitt. Il always felt
that there was something diabolical in this
sporting spirit, and it was not until l took
charge of the whaling station at Point Bar
row and saw an Esquimaux whaling scene
that was willing to admit that there was
any thing but a bloodthirsty spirit
back of this gaming After seeing that,
however, willingly confess that there is
one kind of sport that is truly possessed of
gameness-a kind of sport where the dan
ger IS not all ON one side.
"As preliminary to all preparation
the natives, headed by their medicine men,
marched in solemn procession down to the
beach, and with incantations, beating of
drums and other ceremonies formally
ushered in the spring. This done, there
was no doubt in their minds but that whal
ing would soon be at hand.
Every thing seemed to be unusually
favorable for whaling that spring. There
had been but few gales during the winter,
so the ice was not massed together and
jumbled up as much as usual. From our
lookout we could command view Of the
sea for miles, and none Of the usual phe-
nomena Of ice jams could be seen.
81 went down to see Mung-gy the next
day after he made camp and found him all
ready for whaling, while none Of the other
natives had yet more than begun work.
About twenty feet from the hut and on the
very edge of the foe, he had built chute
of ice for his canoe. Day after day, from
sunrise to sunset, he and his men stood
watch for whales. He was in the head of
the canoe constantly, ready for action, and
armed with harpoon, which was attached
to pole twenty feet long. The men were
near by ready at an instant's notice to
grasp the canoe by the thwarts and throw
it, Mung- gy and all, at the whale.
at was week or two before there was
general breaking up Of the north pack
But when disintegration once began the ice
receded gradually, leaving channel mile
or SO wide along the edge of the grounded
shore ice on which we were encamped.
With the open water came signs of whales.
Occasionally faint blows were heard.
Now and then we could see spouts. But
these torerunners were shy.
"Close behind these were larger whales,
that migrated more leisurely. From my
point on the lookout, with long glass in hand,
l saw them coming, and ] signaed it to my
men. Munggy read it as quickly as they.
l watched them make all preparations for
action Mung gy gave his orders fast, and
sandwiched in frequent anxious glances
down the edge o. the foe.
He seemed so explicit in his orders and
so deliberate IN his preparation that be-
came anxious for the sequel
elbow
GA whale appeared from behind point
Of ice. Blow blow! b-I-o-wr
1.-The pod seemed to be large one, for
many spoutings were seen and heard
Ion they came, nearer and nearer, round
ing over lazily as they rose to spout and
breathe.
-Four times the head one spouted: then,
with splash of the water with his f1ukes,
he sounded
a. How long will he be downs Where
will he riser These must have been Mung-
gy's thoughts. Certainly they were mine,
and was whaling with him in spirit, en-
tlrely oblivious Of my own crews.
There was commotion in the water,
and huge, black object slowly rose out 1t
was IN front of the chute, but too far away
from any possible reach.
Where would the next one rlses
within the shadow of Mung-gy's erect
figure, which was cast upon the water, was
a stir.
He carefully poised his long hsrpoon and
shook the coil of line in his hand.
The men, with firm grasp on the thwarts,
waited breathlessiy.
Slowly the whale rose out as he sounded
to go down.
"Mung-gy shouted, but the men antici-
pated him.
Like fash he and the canoe were shot
off the CLASSY surface of the chute at the
whale.
"Such a splashing as there wasl
Mung-gy darted low and fastened his
harpoon with the bunch of pokes attached
to it into the whale.
1.-The men, shouting at the top of their
voices, each took other harpoons and scat
tered up and down the edge of the foe
1.-The instant the whale appeared another
bunch of pokes was made fast to him.
He rounded TO go down, but the pokes
rolled him over on his side. ana before he
could recover himself third bunch was