Page:Material Culture of the Iglulik Eskimos.djvu/82

of ice, new ice or drifting snow. If the snow is drifting thickly a sheltering wall of snow is sometimes built on the windward side of the hole.

Fig. 40.Sketches of salmon weirs.

When the whole family goes fishing, a sufficient number of salmon spears is often lacking. In such cases the women often fish with a hook. A piece of salmon belly skin is then used at bait, and is so net on the hook that it makes the latter rock when the line is drawn up and down. Sometimes, however, both spear and hook are used together. Hooks are also used to catch quite small salmon, which do not bite but are caught in the side by the hook.

Fig. 41.Salmon weir, Kûk.

Nest fishing often gives comparatively good catches; it is pursued in October when the females have laid their eggs and are guarding them and the males come to spawn. The nests (iglerit), a group of flat stones on the bottom, are found and the males which arrive are speared with the salmon spear, which often must be lengthened by one or two rods; frequently there are two men, one of them lying on watch at the hole while the other directs the spear according to signs from the man at the hole; the female must not be killed, as fishing at that spot would be at an end.^[1]

Salmon fishing from the ice is an occupation which requires great patience; all the family must sit by the holes and fish from morning