New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-03

animal provided some or his best nouTisnIns
supplies. The biubber was cut into small
chunks and packed into TIN cans for use while
making his sledge journeys. The skin was d.
vided into strips and given food to the dogs.
1t appears hardly credible to the sportsman Of
civilization, yet it is all the a tribute to
the bravery and skill Of the Esquimau hunter
that this leviathan Of the Arctic world. with
powerful body and tusks measuring twenty-five
feet could be killed by his captor. seated in
frail skin kayak. with only crude bone har-
pooh as the weapon. yet such Is the case Mod
ern firearms have not yet been adopted in this
remote and Inaccessible region. White explorers
shoot narwhaI, and in many instances fail to
cure their game. owing to the sinking of the
body before it can be reached.
Lieutenant Peary states that the surest meth
cd is the one adopted by the natives. who eau
tiousIy approach them In their kayaks while
they are feeding or sporting in the water. Dur
ing these playful exhibitions. they rise to the
surface they sometimes cross their horns, I'm
fencing. On these occasions. the keen eyed and
experienced hunter. watching for the moment
when the narwhal reaches the surface to blow.
hurls his harpoon with all his strength into its
body After the harpoon has been thrown IL
penetrates the animals flesh I'm a longitudinal
manner. Soon. however. owing to the weight,
pressure of the shaft. and also the increased
movements OF the WOUNDED ndrNndl, lne nedO
Of the shaft is forced into a transverse position
in the flesh. and the head of the harpoon at the
same time becomes detached from the shaft
The injured narwhal is then held secure by q
line until exhausted and finally killed by lance
This latter weapon is employed to finish the Life
of the weak and partly wounded creature. and
has long wooden shaft An ivory tusk is In
serted in this. having unbarbed and leaf
shaped iron point riVeted on Sometimes q
straight iron rod is used as a point This
weapon has inflated skin buoy or float ar
ranged to IT, which is used to keep the carcass
from sinking while IT is being lowed home or
to the shore. to be cached high rock or
ledge. In the winter and spring the narwhal
is speared through the breathing holes In the
ice which they are compelled to frequent to
obtain air to fill their lungs Formerly. Wen
at present when wood was hardly procur-
able the long narwhal tusks were used for tent
poles
In earlier times. when the origin OF the mar
whal horns was not widely known great magi-
cal powers attributed to them These
tusks brought high price. The monks IN
European monasteries and physicians employed
them and they were thought to be able to ef-
feet speedy cures of nearly all maIadies The
kings of Denmark reported to possess a
magnificent carved throne. which is whittier
than ivory, wrought from these tusks into
royal treasure and heirloom. According to the
oral traditions handed down from generation
to generation in remote ages, the narwhaI Is
said to have been a mighty denizen OF the Polar
world sixty feet in length. supplied with a large
head. having an outreaching tusk OF vast
length Schools OF hundreds or more are said
to have been abundant, and armed with their
sharp tusks, waged deadly warfare upon the
ether inhabitants Of the ocean, who fell easy
victims TO their terrific thrusts- The supersti-
tous EsQuinaus have Incorporated u deep root
ed bit of mythology into their beliefs in regard
to this creature. In the times of famine and
great scarcity OF the narwhals ii is thought
that the shamen who practise the working of
charms and sorcery can procure food by caus-
ing the narwhals to appear from the bottom
sf the sea The narwhals are said to ~ con-
tralled by old woman goddess. who resides
fkr IN the Depths The shaman, by the aid Of
his supposed supernatural power. can descend