The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-01


kahe, an instrument used in all cere-
monies of sacred character, which he
rattles as he sings his chant of prayer.
After the whale is killed victor
chant Of melody is sung, and they keep
time with the paddles, a slow drawing
music.
The whale is landed on the highest
place possible on the beach convenient
to haul away the remains of the car
cass. When the tide recedes all hands
that are entitled to a share swarm
around the carcass with long thick
bladed butcher knives and begin the
butchering, stripping it off in blocks
generally two feet square. A cacred
part forms the saddle and the most
choice part is taken from the head, and
is always the property of the hunter
who pierced his harpoon in the whale If
he killed it alone. The other portions
are divided and distributed proportion
ately according to an established rule,
so that each one knows just exactly
the quantity of whale blubber or meat
he is to receive. If some one gets more
than he can amply use it is given away
to some unfortunate friend, but the
compliment is expected to be returned
either in cash or something of equal
value. The more unfortunate ones get
a share of the meat by helping them
selves.
The saddle, when it is cut off, is put
on a pole supported by two posts on
either end and hung with the harpoons
and lines which are used in the capture.
1t is also customary to stick eagles
feathers in a row along the top and q
bunch on each end, and then cover or
sprinkle it over with down., a vessel is
put underneath this to catch what oil
drips from it. This is kept four days,
according to custom, and then an invi-
tation is sent to the male residents of
the village for a festal assemblage TO
partake if it. ! have not known any
instance, and I inquired for further in
formation by asking several Indians, OF
failure to give a potlatch in honor of
whales saddle with the compliments
of the hunter. At this potlatch the
participants of the recent expedition
| always relate the story and never fan
to congratulate the host on his ability.
Some one makes a speech relating the
ancestral trait of the family or clan, his
past achievements and the honor other
tribes will give him, and the feast Is
| closed with a vote Of thanks. If the
saddle is not all eaten what Is left may
be carried away by the guests. The
skin is considered very palatable and
is usually given to the younger genera
ton, who are very fond of "cle-ditse.'
They win chew on it till they besmear
their faces with grease.
The blubber after it is skinned Is cut
into strips and boiled, to extract the
oil. This oil is SKINNED very carefully
from large iron pots with clam shells
or thin saucer. The -blubber is hung
up in the smoke to dry. This is some-
times eaten raw or boiled twenty or
thirty minutes and eaten with dried
halibut. 4ts@
The oil extracted is used In eating
potatoes, cammas, dried clans, boiled
or dried fish, by dipping into It, This
Ills put up In stomachs of the sea lion
or seal and the whales bladder and in
testines, which are inflated and dried.
The surplus oil, or oil that has turned
rank is sold or traded with other tribes
or sold to logging camps and Graders
for logging and grease.
There is hardly a part Of the whale
| that is useless to them. The blubber
| and flesh serve for food, the sinews are
prepared and made irto'ropes and cords
and used in various manufactures; the
bladder and intestines- are used for
holding oil, and the bones and teeth
utilized in fishing gears or curies.
OF late years the whales have not
been so plentiful near the shore as in
| the past. The ground now most gem
orally travelled by them is the halibut
banks off Cape FHattery or wherever
| there are great schools of fishes,
There are many tales extant among
the Makahs, superstitious tales con-
nected with this seafaring life, which
| they say are all true.
one / remember especially, where a
canoe was hit by the powerful stroke
of the whales tail. No one escaped,
| but bits of cedar canoe and q few seal
skin bags washed ashore. One year, or
| twelve moons, according to their COM
putation of time, after the incident, the
occupants of the wrecked Whaler an
nounced their arrival by uttering their
own names from lofty trees They had
been transformed into hooting owls.
They believe that one who meets a wa
terry grave is transformed into an owl
in every instance.
From four to ten of these huge levia-
thans are killed every year in this small
Indian village by the Makah Indians of
Cape Flattery with the method as de-
scrlbed. They are plain, seafarlng
men, independent and a class among
themselves. They face desperate peril
| when on duty, but are accustomed to
take their lordly ease when off duty
| not Incidence They are self-support-
| ing and have been ever since their con-
| tact with the white man, and have fol-
| lowed seafaring life as a means of live