The weekly messenger., 1890-12-06
WHALING ON ICE.
HOW ESKIMOS CAPTURE ARC
TIC SEA MONSTERS.
An Interesting Account of Floe
Hunting in the Ice Bound North
west-A Native Outfit.

ohsiuS IN the 1ce-6Ound North
west-A Native Outfit.
The Eskimos mainly depend on catch
ing whales for livelihood, in which
business they become very expert,
especially since improved craft has been
introduced among them; generally they
are very successful, having taken during
the last season, say, twenty-five off Cane
Smythe, ele en- at Point Barrow, same
number at Point Hope; in all, forty -four
whales between these three named vii
iages. Besides these several were taken
by the whites here and at Point Hone.
and Others were captured by the natives
OF the numerous villages scattered along
the coast.
About the middle of the month of
April, though much depends on the con.
ditiOn of the winds and currents. n lead
usually opens on the ice from five to ten
miles out from shore, and allows the
whales to come along. Soon as the lead
opens whales can be seen, sometimes
pushing their way through quite heavy
drift ice on their migratory Journey
northward. In general they move along
quite rapidly, seldom showing them.
selves more than one rising.
by the time the lead opens the natives
are supposed to have everything ready
for start after whales. Canoes over
hauled, fresh skins of walrus, or seal,
have been prepared and put on the canoes
where needed, seal pokes have been made,
guns, lances, bombs, lines and harpoons
looked after-all prepared and ready for
the great work of the season.
The ordinary outfit for canoe is one
darting gun, carrying harpoon and
bomb; one shoulder gun, for bomb, car
trldges and other ammunition; three or
four rifles and fowling piece; furnace,
with few splints of wood to start the fire !:
food, blubber, clothing, ETC., etc. snow
sled, and crew of eight or ten, men
and women, boys and girls. Thus fully
equipped, the canoe starts out to remain
on the tlOe five or six weeks, or during
the entire whaling season. They take
out but little food, depending on seals,
ducks, bear or walrus, when they cannot
get whale. Their food is eaten raw. and
of any quality or condition It may be in.
They sleep without shelter on the ice or
IN the canoe-whereve or whenever
sleep overtakcs them. The furnace is
more for melting snow for drink than
for cooking; tho gh they have no objec-
tion to cooked food, yet they eat it raw
from sheer laziness. With few splints
of wood fire can be started, and when
fed with blubber it is surprising how
rapidly snow enough can be melted to
satisfy the thirst of forty or fifty people.
Once out on the ice they wander about,
shooting whatever may come along, but
always keeping sharp lookout for the
larger and more valuable game, the
whale.
The canoes are at all times kept IN
readiness, either on the ice or in the
water, to shove off at a moments notice.
Should whale come along near the foe
he is approached from the ice, and, if
within striking distance, struck and
bombed both at the same time, perhaps
instantly killed, as frequently happens,
without using the canoe. Attached to
the line, scme three or four fathoms from
the harpoon, are two seal pokes, and at
the end another. The two first pokes
seem to worry and perplex the whale, if
he is not at once killed, so the canoe can
come up and dispatch him. The poke
on the end of the lines shows the direc-
tlOn the whale takes while under water,
as it remains on the top and points out
the locality in case of his sinking Whales
often find breathing holes in the ice, and
are frequently approached, struck and
killed and cut up without the aid of
canoe. Darling guns, tonite bombs and
breech-loaders are all the rage now among
the EskimOs, yet, in accordance with an
old superstitious custom among them,
the first whale of the season must be
struck with native slate-pOinted har-
poon. After the first, then the Yankee
guns and bombs will do.
But more and more, year by year, the
natives arc using improved implements.
Naturally good hunters and whalemen,
they readily perceive the advantages of
our superior craft, in the use of which
they have become very expert. The first
report of whales seen here this season was
on the 22d of last month, in an open
lead, two miles wide and ten miles off
shore. At once everybody was excited
and on the move; track commenced
out over the rough ice, which was filled
up in ridges, parallel with the shore,
thirty or fortJ feet high, for miles and
miles seaward. To get their canoes out
with their outfit over the ice, so filled
with ridges. appeared terribly formid
able undertaking, but many hands made
light work, and all went at it with will
Every pick, axe and shovel that could
be found was brought into use and kept |