Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-12-09
MIGHTY BIG GAME.
A wALRUs HUNT WITH STURDY
ESQUiMAUX.
All Parts of the Animal Utilized by
the Natives--H the Esquimaux
Harpoon the Tusked
Monsters.

il all food, with the exception of the
bones, but even the softer bones and car
tilages are eaten also. The blood is
saved to put into the water in which the
meat is boiled, so as to enrich the soup.
The iutestines are boiled and form a
very delightful portion of the repast,
after one has overcome the usual repuy-
nance to that kind OF food. Even the
skin, which is so tough dog can't chew
1t, is cut up into little bits and forms the
last course at every meal when there is
any skin in the hut. The fact that it has
a short, coarse growth of hair still grow
ing upon one side is no bar to its being
eaten, aud it is possible that it makes
one warmer By scratching the inside of
his stomach.
The walrus is a clam-eater, aud his
long, formidable looking tusks are Clam
diggers. Often, when waIrus mas peen
killed and the hunters are cutting him up
so that they can stow his flesh in bags,
made Of his own skin, they find on open
ING his stomach that be has recently
dined and has not had time to digest his
meal. Sometimes as much as two or
TIRES pailfuls Of clans are found in his
stomach, and they too are used for food
by the Unsuitable Esquimaux. So that
there is absolutely no part Of the wslrus
that is not utilized for food.
But it always seemed to me that the
last feather was hesped upon him and
insult added to injury when the greedy
natives plucked the short stiff hair from
his under lip, that when the warus was
living served as mustache-his only
Accommodation the walrus is not
pretty animal
That portion of the skin which Is not
eaten is saved TO make lines that are
used in killing other walruses; also to
make soles for summer shoes aud fox
dog food.
During the summer and fall OF 1878,
when encamped on the north coast of
Hudson Bay, was very anxi a. to add
a walrus to my game list, and at last the
hoped-for opportunity arrived.
Que day in the latter part Of October,
a party of Esquimaux hunters came to
our camp in boat, bringing quantity
Of reindeer meat, which they exchanged
for ammunition and tobacco.
One of these hunters, an Esquimau
known as Brownie told rue there
were plenty of reindeer near the coast,
about twenty-five or thirty miles to the
east of US, and not far from where an
old man named ToOgoolah was en-
camped, With his family, on an island.
He invited me to go back with him to
Toogoolah's tent, where we would spend
the night, and next day go to the main
land and kill all the deer wanted.
The temptation was too great for me
to resist, SO packing small quantity Of
white mems food in the boat, and armed
with my Winchester carbine, l went
with them. We reached TOOgoolah's
lust before dark.
Ms companion, Brownie" and my
boy, Koomahnah, make small tent of
the boats mansail and jib, and we
three occupied it that night. Next day we
went over to the main LAND, and as usual
with these people, Immediately climbed
to the top of the highest hill to look the
land over for game.
Though aided with my siguai.servlce
spy-glass, they saw no sign OF reindeer,
so they then directed the glass to small
island, out upon the horizon, twenty i've
miles away, aud we're delighted to see
that it was apparently covered with wal
rusCe, lying in toe rocks to bask in the
sun. A consultation was held and we
decided to hunt the walrus instead OF
the reindeer, as in that way there would
be greater probability of securing game.
Returning to the island we made the
necessary changes in our outfit, bat a
heavy gale coming up we concluded TO
postpone our hunting trip until the next
day. That night the Augetco or medi-
cine man prayed for still weather, and
that the white man (meaning me- should
kill two walruses next day.
When I woke up noticed that there
was no wind at ali; that the sun was
shining bright, and that it was vety cold
indeed. A tin cup of water which |
had brought into our tent the night be-
fore was frozen solid, but the wind had
gone down aud the surface OF the sea
was like glass. Our preparations were
soon completed aud we started for the
island. There was so little wind that
we had to row most of the way.
As we reared the island we could see
the great animals where they slept, or
prodding each other with their lon g
tusks. We could distinctly hear them
emit their familiar cry of "oof-oof" as
the crowding and prOdding continued.
We effected landing with considerable
difficulty on the windwsrd side of the
island, where the rocks were wave worn
and slippery, but where our movements
we're concealed from the herd.
Creeping cautiously TO point COM
handing a good view of them within