One specimen from Fort Chimo in this region, southeast of Hudson Bay,
kindly lent by Mr. Lucien Turner, is very interesting, having little
relation with that from Greenland (which is so near geographically), and
connecting itself with all the other types as far as Kadiak, in Alaska
(Fig. 3). The outline of the implement is quite elaborate and
symmetrical, resembling at the hook end a fiddle-head, and widening
continuously by lateral and facial curves to the front, where it is thin
and flat. A slight rounded notch for the thumb, and a longer chamfer for
three fingers, form the handle. Marks 5 and 6 are wanting. The cavity
for the index finger extends quite through the implement, as it does in
all cases where it is on the side of the harpoon-shaft groove, and not
directly under it. The shaft groove is shallow, and the hook at the
lower extremity is formed by a piece of ivory inserted in a parallel
groove in the fiddle-head and fastened with pegs. It is as though a
saw-cut one-eighth inch wide had been made longitudinally through the
fiddle-head and one-half inch beyond, and the space had been filled with
a plate of ivory pared down flush with the wood all round, excepting at
the projection left to form the hook or spur for the harpoon shaft. This
peg or spur fits in a small hole in the butt of the harpoon or spear
shaft and serves to keep the weapon in its place until it is launched
from the hand. The Ungava spear is heavier than that of the western
Eskimo, hence the stick and its spur are proportionately larger. It is
well to observe carefully the purport of the spur. A javelin, assegai,
or other weapon hurled from the hand is seized in the center of gravity.
The Greenland spears have the pegs for the throwing-stick sometimes at
the center of gravity, sometimes at the butt end. In all other uses of
the throwing-stick the point of support is behind the center of gravity,
and if the weapon is not fastened in its groove it cannot be hurled.
This fastening is accomplished by the backward leaning of the peg in the
Greenland example, and by the spur on the distal end of the
throwing-stick in all other cases.