Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-10-01
FEAST OF THE WHALE
AN ESKIMO BANQUET THAT MAY
LAST A WHOLE DAY.

,.x, of the Social Life Among
A. Natives of Arctic Alaska After
r. uurtfns sesson Is over - The
Return of the Fleet to shore.
Writing of the industrial and sociai
md customs Of the Eskimos
Of arctic Alaska, Edward A. Mciihen'
ny. in the Century. says:
The principal occupation OF tnese
pskimos (of arctic Alaska) during Tue
snr,nc "a the hunting Of the bow heau
whale in the leads, or open water, ana
. noonU the foe Ice Of the Arctic ocean
The taking of q whale Is always d
time Of great rejoicing with these peo
nle for II means not only an apuh-
dance of food and fuel, but large
amount of valuable trading material.
After the whaling season Is over Tue
hoats which have been USED III tne
chase are gathered on the ieaus ".
+yaen the pack and shore Ice, winch
70 often some miles from shore' a' 'ne
foot OF some road that has Deeh Gu.
through the rough ice from the 'anu
20 the water. The most successiui
boats crew. with their umiak Ia whai-
inc boat covered with skins, taxes .n0
lead followed by the other boats III 'ne
order OF their success. The harpoohs'
doats. paddles and everything pertain
inc IN the chase of the whale are
nlaced In their respective position'
The umiak is then placed Oh nut
ivory runnered sled and dashed nrmiy
IN Mace The owner, who ID calieu
omelic (headman), stands on the ice
at the right hand side Of the DOW the
boat steerer stands at the stern anu
the paddlers stand at their respective
nIecas along the sides OF the Doa''
when ali is ready the omelic gives the
word to 90 forward, and each OF the
crew slips over his shoulder oroau
breast strap Of sealskin, when ID a'-
tachad 70 a short line made fast 10
tho tbwarts Of the boat. When Ill ID
ready the boat is pulled forward "a le"
aonoths and the next boat In order goes
through the same form. moving Oh AZ
,ts turn until all the umiaks are strung
ont in a long line on the grounaeu ie'
ready for their return to iand. ,
AT a signal from the head boat al
uove forward. chanting weird song
of the goodness and power OF III
whale for one OF the superstnons o
these people Ia that whenever workin'
on any object to be used In whaling o
doing anything connected with whahhl
they must constantly e1toi 'ne "e'''
, of this great animal.
long before the boats reach snor
the entire population left IN lhe VA
laoe-men. women, children and dogs
congregate on the beach 10 "e'com
tho home corners. When the first poa
nears land II is brought 10 halt ie'
feat from the shore line, ana lts tam
: man. which Is always carried In Il htu
/ nouch in the bow and may be Won
head. the head Of a raven, IRON p'ri.e
], or any odd thing, is lifted out py III
! omeltc and held in his night hanu y
y ward the shore, where stands the chi'
a madeleine man Of the tribe. VINO pour
over it a little fresh water 10 reireS"
n ond thank It for the benefits given,
+ the boat has secured whale, or II u
J, boat has not been lucky, to appease al
d sl,ght that may have been put upe
d the talisman, in the hope that II WI
q give them better luck In the future'
e After reaching shore a day or poss
s bly two may be given for preparatio
e and then the great feast begins. Ia'
Is suecessful boat owner, beginning WI
e the one whose boat secured the mo
Re whales. gives a feast, to when DO
e v,tes all the members Of the tribe al
S, any other people who may De III u
IL village. First a wind breaK Vi I'LL
IS AXIS sails or skins is built to act as
It shelter against the chilly blasts OF i
y nolar winds. It is placed In the for
of a large circle II enough materiai q
ha secured. In the center OF when
waIrus hide Ia placed on the groun
IF and to its four corners are ued 'ol
s. ropes. which are passed over tripo
ID placed about twenty-five feet from I
n akin. The ends Of the ropes are ID
IL drawn tight and made fast Win $40
III stakes driven into the ground ID
IN raising the skin about four feet !
lie skin thus becomes a platform soi
10 eight or ten feet square, which serV
at az sort Of movable stage on VIII
in the young women dance. -.
i'll The feast usually begins at the III
On when the sun reaches a due weste
Id point. about 9 o'clock In the allerno'
n for during the eighty days OF SUNNI
ed at Otkeavic the sun never se", al
ed being without tlmepieces, the Eskiu
be mark their time by the position Oh
to sun while it Is visible and by the mo
es and stars when the sun has gone
of the long arctic night. These teal
q sometimes last twenty-four hours.