The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-10-16
Laid Out Route to the
North While $50 Natipes
Secured Region for Game
How the Eskimos in Their Fral Kayaks Follow Up
the Huge Denizens of the Arctic Deep
with Their Harpoons.

seal was the luck Of the chase 90 N
skin was one Of our most important aes1s.
of 1t boots were ordered anl an Immense
amount of tine and lash'aSs was pse-
pared.
Thus in one way or another svery man,
woman and most Of the ehiIdrpn Of this
tribe of 250 people were kept pnss ~
the service of the expedition. The wort
was well done and with much betfer
knowledge of the fitness Of things than
could be found in any possible gathering
Of white men.
Use Of the NnpwhsI
The quest of the walrus and the mai.
whal came in our own immediate plan
of adventure. The unicorn, or unrwhs,.
does not often come under the eye OF
the white man, though one Of the frst
animals TO leave our shores.
1t gave for a brief spell good results In
sport and useful material. The biubb.r
is the pride Of every housekeeper, for
Iit gives long, hot fame to the lamp,
with no smoke to spot the igioo 6nery.
The skin is regarded as quite a delicaey.
Cut into squares II looks and tastes Ike
scallops. with only a slight aroma of train
oil.
The meat dries casily and Ia thu.
priced as an appetizer or as a lunch 20
4 eaten en- route in sled or kayak. In
this shape it was an extremely nsefu,
thing for us, for it took the place Of
pemmican for Our less urgent journeys.
The narwhal, which. apart from its
usefulness, is most interesting to denizens
of the Arctic deep, played In schools fss
on shore, usually along the edge Of large
ice. Its long ivory tusks rose under
spouts Of breath and spray.
When this glad sight was noted ever,
kayak about camp was manned and ths
Hitter OF skin canoes went like bir,is
over the water. Some of the Eskimos
rose 10 the Ice fields and delivered hsr.
poons from secure footing. Others hid
behind floating fragments of heavy ice
and MADE 4 sudden rush as the animal,
passed.
Still Others came up In the rear, for
the narwhal cannot easily sec backward
and does not often turn to watch hs
enemies, its speed being SO fast that iI
some creatures.
Buntipg the NsrwhsI.
The harpoon Is always delivered at
close range. When the dragging float
marked the end of the line in tow of
the frightened creature the line Of akin
canoes followed, The nsrwhai In timia
by nature. Fearing to rise for breath,
he plunged along until nearly strangu-
lated. W hen It did como up there were
several Eskimos near with drawn iances,
which inflicted deep gashes.
Again the narwnal plunged deep down
with but one breath and hurried aionr
as best it could. but its speed siackenss
and u line of crimson marked It's hidden
path. Loss Of blood and want Of air
did not give il chance to hgnt Again
1t came up with spout Again tie
lances were hurled. ~. as .4eS
The battle continued for several hourS,
with many exciting adventures, pat In tbs.
end the narwhal always succumpsd, OF,
fering prize OF several thousands OF
pounds Of meat and blubber. .yictorJ as
u rule was aot gained until the huhlers
were tar from nome, also tar from ths
shore line. hut the Eskimo is a couIagt-
Gus hunter and an intelligent seaman.
10 the huge carcass trail kayaks were
hitched Ia a long line. Towing 10 siov,
wind and sea combining 70 make the task
ditneult and dangerous. Une sees nothing
of tho narwhal and very little Of tbs
kayak, tor dashing seas wash over the
little craft, but the double bladed paddles
see-saw with the regularity Of pendulum
Homecoming takes many houfs and elS
genders prodigious amount oe hsrl
work, but there Is energy 10 spare, for 4
wealth Of meat and fat Is the eulmiAA tiou
Of all Eskimo ambition.
Seven Of these ponderous animals 60
brought in during five days, maklno {
heap of more than forty Thousand posnk
OF food and fuel Then tho narwhsi sNd
denly disappeared and We saw no more ~
them.
Three white whales were also ssuzsss
in similar way at Etah at about ~
same time. $50.
- ..- Gaa ghirS lrstslnsss 60.