Across the sub-Arctics of Canada

by J. W. Tyrrell

The Eskimo custom in bear-hunting is, that whoever first sees a bear is the owner of the carcase, no matter who kills it, but the skin is divided up among the several hunters.

A bear-skin is so heavy that the Eskimo has no special object in preserving it whole, but he finds the greatest use for it when it is cut up into small pieces. In this condition it is commonly used by hunters as mats, which they tie under them when crawling over the ice after seals, or across the wet plains after deer. The pieces of bear-skin act as skates, upon which they can easily drag themselves along.

The Eskimo method of hunting birds is chiefly with a spear of somewhat peculiar design. It is in all about five feet long, and consists of a wooden handle terminated at one end by a slender barbed ivory or iron rod, sharply pointed. About half way up the handle, three pointed barbed ivory fingers are securely fastened. The handle is then fitted into a wooden socket, which is held in the hand, and from which the spear is thrown. It is claimed that by means of the wooden socket the spear can be thrown with greater precision than by the bare hand, to which it would adhere more or less. However that may be, an Eskimo can hurl his bird-spear a marvellously long distance, and with deadly effect.

If the point of the spear misses the bird, one of the side fingers is almost sure to pierce it, or catch it between the fingers and the spear handle.

In this way, ptarmigan, ducks, and other land and sea fowls are obtained in considerable numbers. They are usually speared while sitting in flocks upon the snow or in the water, but they are also frequently killed in this way when on the wing. Sometimes the bow and arrow is used for bringing down the feathered game, but the spear is the instrument chiefly employed.

Fish are caught both by spearing and with the hook. The latter is of the crudest design, and is used in trolling. A troll consists of a heavy iron hook, fastened to the face of a small ivory disk, to which is attached a fine, strong line, made from plaited deer-skin sinews.

Fish are not, however, caught so much with the hook as they are by the spear. Indeed, it is chiefly by means of the harpoon and spear that the Eskimo larder is supplied. The fish-spear is a kind of three-pronged barbed fork, fastened to a handle. It is used chiefly for spearing fish through the ice, and with good results if in the hands of an expert.

I tried fish spearing in the north, but lacked the patience necessary for success. Many times, however, I purchased from the Eskimos the magnificent trout and whitefish by which their efforts were rewarded.

The way in which they spear is this: First, the most favorable spot of the lake or river is selected, and then a hole cut through the ice. With some kind of a bait, which they lower into the water by means of a string, they endeavor to attract the fish to the hole; when they appear they are thrust through by the spear and hauled out upon the ice. Great numbers of beautiful fish are caught by the Eskimos in this way during the fall and winter seasons.

Trapping is not extensively followed, unless it is by the Eskimos living within reach of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s posts, perhaps because of the inefficiency of the native traps, but also owing to the comparatively slight value to the Eskimos of the animals which may be caught. For instance, the wolf is an animal little sought for, because his flesh is not considered good food, and his skin is no better for clothing than the skin of the deer, which is much more easily procured. So also with the fox. Both wolves and foxes are, however, caught to some extent by “dead fall” traps, built of stones, or of snow, and so arranged that when the animal enters the trap and touches the bait, a heavy stone is caused to fall and kill or imprison him.