Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-11-06
LIFE UP AT POINT HOPE
WHALERs CATCH SALMON IN THE
SMALL. RIVERS.
rxvice "A |Yeur the Whales Run the
Straits On the lee In the
spring-BOmb Shot.

Schooner Ella Johnson. Captain john
Smith, which carried Miner w. Bruces
expedition to the Arctic this summer re-
turned to Seattle, after more or less ao-
venturous season up north, says the t.V-
ening Times
The Johnson made Point Hope and then
made a VOYAGE south along the coast,
crossed over to st. Lawrence lsldilus'
thence northerly and easterly along the
Siberian coast and back again. AT 81
Lawrence island Mr.. Bruce LETT some men
who will cross to Siberia this winter anu
arrange for a large number OF reilueei
for next years transportation. 1t Is pul
about 80 miles to the MAINLAND from
the islands. st. Lawrence Islands IN Der
ing sea contain a poulation OF ABOUT 'eV
natives who closely resemble Siberian ma
tiles. They are peculiar people, 1al'oo
their faces and have very strange Gus
| TOMS One of these was eNempllned Whiie
| Mr. Bruce was ashore there. one OF the
native women died, and it being the Gus
ton, to denude the body of all dress anu
| IN Mace it on the summit of very high
| promontory back of the village, the OBJECT
| being to have the wild animals devour II
! as soon as possible, this was done with
the remains Of the dead woman while MI
Bruce was there.
p n. Leib, a whaler who has spent
several years in the Arctic, came down on
the Ella Johnson. The last three years
he has lived at Point Hope and the last
wear has with a partner been whaling on
his own account. Twice he was wrecked
on whaling vessels, once at Point Bar
row and once at Sea Horse island, before
he betook himself to land and began to
| chase the whale in small boats from the
shore. The whalers stationed at Point
| Hone got all told about 10000 pounds OF
hone this year, and as there are but
half a dozen or so white men, and they
secured most of the bone, they have made
money.
1--WE were down to cases, I tell you,
said Leib today. I'VE had but one boat
my partner and land it was catch
whales or starve. There was about 30
whales caught at the point this year,
mostly small ones, with little bone. The
largest whale taken this year had Z9oO
pounds of bone. My partner and 1 did
pretty we'll this year. I brought down
some 1900 or 100 pounds of bone and left
about 500 pounds with my partner so that
in the event of the Ella Johnson coming
to grief there would still be a nest-egg to
do business on next year"
johnson is a hale and hearty looking
young man. The bone he brought down
will fetch here $4,000 to $4,000. He has many
interesting things to tell of his life al
Point Hope and the exciting chase after
tie great leyiathans of the deep. Point
Hope commands Boring straits on the
Alaska side. Twice a year the whales
run the straits and 1t Is while they are
headed north to their summer grounds
about the mouth OF the Mckenzie riyei
that the whalers on shore go after them
In boats. The whale Is a traveller and he
never stops while shooting the straits. II
is quick work when a whale Is sighted
from shore. The ice generally in the
spring extends out 10 or IL miles from the
point and the whalers stay on the outel
edge, sending their bone in on sledges
p and take out provisions from the village
in the same way. They never leave the
ice while the whales are passing. The
beats get up within few feet of the
h whales and the first boat makes fast with
harpoOn and then finish the whale with
a bomb shot from shotgun. The whale
l. is towed to the edge Of the Ice field ant
there the bone is removed. When killeG
the whale turns on its back, but wheT
towed in it is righted by tackle and the
bone which grows from the upper jaw
Is cut out. The whalers on the beach d.
not bother with the oil. 1t does not pay
bur the Indians use a good deal of tn,
e blubber and meat
The diet of the independent whalers a
Point HOPE is bare of luxury. 1t Is almos
altogether -four bread fish, seal meat
whale meat and water fowl. The whal
Il ing vessels sell them little, but they some
times get hold of beans, bacon, etc. Thi
| year the whaler Hidalgo was crushed b,
the ice near Point Hope and the whal
ers ashore bought all her provisions 70
400 pounds of bone.
e This summer they bought -four at IS
barrel from Miner W. Bruce, paying L
e bone at $3.50 a pound there. The whal
ers catch a speckled salmon in the small
.iVers which in size goes from a few
'I Alches 10 three feet long, and this Is pack
/ c" IN ice and will keep always. Duck
J. and geese are killed as they fly north an,
south and by a voyage of some mile
g 'helr feeding grounds are reached, wher
thousands can be slaughtered for white
consumption. All kinds of wild animal
u are numerous in summer, but In white
nothing Is seen but seal, and taking II a
such time is dangerous work, for the ic
IS likely to break and float off with tn
hunters upon 1t.
Ihere is Presbyterian mission men
o. Folnt Hope and an EplscopaIian mIssio,
IS DIT ST. Lawrence Islands. There are al
h.. natives ABOUT Point Hope who are peace
RI aple when not influenced by Honor