Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-09-19
re ST Oh THE VIVA lie
ssklMc BAN UE THAT NAY
LAST Ole DAy Ss

|AMOAAen1& Oh ne 00CAaAa ID A4A1S AAAOA8
81 tie Natives ~ Arctic Alaslka AFTER
ire HsntinG seaison III Oxer Ths
4 Rsturn q 10 g1sst 70 shofs.
Writing u the industrial ana social
methods and customs OF the Eskimos
5pf arctic Alaska Edward a. cIlhen,
ny, fl the Century says: n
The principal occupation OF these
Eskimos (of arctic Alaska) during the
.bpring ID the hunting Of the bow head
whale III the leads, or open water, and
among the doe Ice of the Arctic ocean.
The taking Of whale Is always Il
time of great rejoicing with these peo-
pie, for 1t means not only an album:
dance Of food and fuel, but a large
amount OF valuable trading material.
After the whaling season Is over the
boats which have been used In the
chase are gathered on the leads be-
tween the pack and shore ice, which
8 often some miles from shore, at the
FOOT OF some road that has been cut
through the rough Ice from the land
70 the water. The most successful
boat crew, with their umiak "a whal-6
dng boat covered with skinsl, takes the
lead, followed BY the other boats In the
order Of their success. q The harpo0ns.
hoats. paddles and everything pertain
Ing to the chase Of the whale are,
placed IN their respective positions.
The umiak i then placed on q nat
Ivory runnered sled and dashed firmly
IN place. The owner, who = called;
omelic (headmanl, stands on the Ice
ut the right hand side OF the bow; tho
boat steerer stands at the stern and
the paddlers stand at their respective
places along the sides OF the poat.
When all ID ready the omelic gives the
word to 60 forward, and each OF the
! crew slips over his shoulder q broad
breast strap OF sealskin, which Is at
tached to short Zine made fast to
| the thwarts Of the boat. When all n
I ready the boat Is pulled forward a few
! lengths and the next boat In order goes
through the same form, moving on In
! itS turn, until all the umiaks are strung
out In a long line on tho grounded Ice
ready for their return to land.
At a signal from the head boat all
move forward, chanting weird songs
+ bf the goodness and power Of the
whale, for one Of the superstit ions OF
these people Is that whenever working
/ on any object to be used In whaling or
i doing anything connected with whaling
| they must constantly extol the merits
Of this great animal. 81 S 5as353 u
Long before the boats reach shore
i the entire populat lion left in the VII
1 1age men, women, children and dogs
eongregate on the beach to welcome
4 the home Corners. When the first boat
nears land 1t Is brought to halt a few
feet from the shore line, and its tails
man, which is always carried in little
\ pouch In the bow and may be VOLS
I head, the head Of a raven. iron pyritet
or any odd thing. Is lifted out by thu
4 omelic and held in his right hand to
ward the shore, where stands the chic
medicine man Of the tribe, who pour
i ever It q little fresh water to refrenh i
and thank 1t for the benefits giveh, i
i the boat has secured q whale, or, II tn,
Z boat has not been lucky, to appease an.
slight that may have been put upol
4 the tansman, In the hope that 1t vii
give them better luck in the future.
After reaching shore a day or posi-
bly, two may be given for preparation
Il and then the great feast begins. Eacl
Il Suecessful boat owner, beginning wit
the one whose boat secured the mos
"a whales, gives a feast, to which he in
Ivites all the members Of the tribe an'
any other people who may be in th
\ village. First wind break OF uni
Il axis, sails or skins Is built to act as
shelter against the chilly blasts Of TIL
+ polar winds, It Is placed In the form
D Of a large circle if enough material Cal
SEbe secured, IN the center Of which I,
II walrus hide 10 placed on the ground
and to its four corners are tied lonl
i ropes, which are passed over tripod
Il placed about TWENTY-FIVE feet from tn
skin. The ends Of the ropes are thel
drawn tight and made fast with stou
stakes driven into the ground. thu,
raising the skin about four feet. TIL,
skin thus becomes platform SOM
sight or ten feet square, which serves
i as a sort Of movable stage on which
Il the young women canoe. .s;:.a
The feast usually begins at the tim,
b when the sun reaches due western