File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17538154084).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo18amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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1G4 THE AMEL'ICAX Mi'SEUM JOi'JLXAL For Eskimo clogs, walrus is par ex- cellence the food. A walrus weighs from one to three tliousiiiid pounds, and its capture is of vast importance and a source of congratulation. Sel- dom unaided does an Eskimo accom- plish this feat. Ijecause of the fighting qualities of the animal and its tremen- clous hulk. Help is always at hand and eagerly proffered; for to all \vhi» help conies a ))ortion of the precious meat. Small Ijoys are seen with large knives Imsily engaged in amputating a huge hind flipper, skillfully severing muscle attachments and avoiding all hone. The hody seems to fall apart of its own weight into twenty-two pieces, which apportioned, or better, seized hy all engaged, are cached under a jDile of rocks to be sledged to the winter home by dog team some months later, where they arrive as hard as boulders. For a few days while thawing, the meat serves as a buffet lunch for family and visitors, who are continually hack- ing- it with hatchets and knives. Frozen meat is much more tender than cooked, is easily digested, and highly nutritious. .Strange to say^ the Eskimo affirms that it has greater heating properties than when cooked. Kaw, frozen walrns liver served with bits of fat, we should say at home, but at Etah, "a bite of liver and a bite of fat," is the entree which often assumes the proportions of a full meal. Walrus meat is tough, too tough for the weak jaw muscles of a white man. Fish do iiot seem to ))e caught or eaten much by the Eskimos of Smith Sound. The number of salmon caught is negiigil)le, a few being obtained at the head of Inglefield Gulf, at Etah, and from the lakes near Rensselaer Harbor. The meat is very poor in qual- itv, seeming to lack flavor-))r()ducing fat. In the fall, Arctic hare are numer- ous, and in excellent condition after a two months' diet of grass, willow, and the tender leaves of various kinds of low plants. The meat is excellent and relished by all. Oftentimes, I believe,
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The little auks were in countless numbers on the talus slope; the ground, too. was literally cov- ered with them, and often the air was so filled that at a distance they resembled a swarm of mos- quitoes

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