The Wrangell sentinel., 1930-03-06

I his boat. The food most sought is the walrus. As the ice packs come down from the Arctic with the wal rus riding on the Hoes it passes rapidly through the Boring Strait and past St. Lawrence Island. pro- viding a fine food supply. The walrus is sighted asleep on the ice and shot with a rifle or is har- pooned, as of old. Since the time of the Boring cruise, when metals were brought n from Russia, the harpoon has had a steel point, al- though originally slate and stone points were used. It may have a seal poke attached as a float to keep the animal from sinking. Since a walrus may weigh from 1000 to 1500 pounds. it has to be cut up. either in the water or on the ice. Modern methods of meat cutting probably are not employed but a very neat job saves everything but the backbone. No food value is | lost by washing, but the intestines are cleaned. As soon as the animal ceases contracting (about thirty minutes) they begin to eat, start ing with warm clam chowder which nature provides in the stomach of the walrus. The walrus feeds large ly on clans and after a full meal it climbs on the ice to sleep and to digest its food. By the size of the clans in the stomach, the Eskimo determines when the clans were eaten This rare delicacy, MT. Geist declares, rivals the clam chowder of the white man and vies with the heart and kidneys, which may also be eaten on the spot. We would prefer salt but the Eskimo uses no salt The lungs are the least popu- lar of the internal organs.
 Walrus Meat Divided
 The walrus meat is taken to the beach and divided among the mem- bers of the cruise. The captain or owner of the boat also gets the ivory tusks and teeth, which are very valuable. Each member takes his share and freezes it. After a certain time, indicated by the pass l ing north of a certain sea bird Ga specie of the loon family), the meat is piled in layers in the meat cellar, skin side down on the ground. This. cellar, about 8'xS'x1O', is usually constructed on the highest points in the village. The door is covered by a shoulder blade of a whale, which in turn is anchored by boulder. The meat may be left un- til it is partially decayed. Sour and frozen meat are preferred; some of it is dried. The cellar may be cleaned once a year in the late summer when it becomes empty.
 We shall now return to the Agra, the inner room in a Siberian type of house, and made of driftwood and walrus skins, to see what prep arations are in order for the next meal. Although there is usually no timepiece they generally eat about three times a day. Time is judged largely by the sun. The woman is l on the alert for the return of the hunters and is careful to have food ready. She may be preparing dough- nuts in the oil from the seal or walrus blubber. The latter fat, found in a thick layer between the , skin and muscle in the proportion of about three of fat to one of lean, is thrown into barrel where, due to it's low melting point, it is self rendering. The oil is dipped off the top as needed. The fat sur rounding the internal organs of the animal is also used but is not so desirable. The so-called doughnuts might truly be called "sinkers." The batter, mixed in wooden bowl with a wooden spoon, consists of flour and water and, in very rare cases, baking powder Baking powder is not usually found on the pantry shelf of the Eskimo. On ac- count of the low smoking tempera- ture of the oil, fire of driftwood is built outside. Some of the oil is used on the fire occasionally to increase the heat Matches are used now for starting the fires although until recently fire was produced by friction. The dough balls fried in deep fat or iron kettles are the only bread stuff. They are prob ably served about once each week.
 All Meals Are Much Alike
 The other meals of the day are very much like the breakfast. They may be varied with a few other foods at certain seasons of the year. The bear berry Ga small black ber- 1 . oI+,;rod from Q npranDial which