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Off-shore hunting
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Sea hunting was most developed in the north-west of the continent among the Aleuts and Wakashan Indians (Kwakiutl, Heiltsuk, Nutka), and to a lesser extent among the Selish people. The Tlingits who inhabited the south of Alaska fell a little behind as they did not hunt whales. Skilful sea hunters knew different sealing techniques. Chase hunting was the simplest technique which provided people with food during the whole hunting season (April to November). This techniques was used to hunt fur seals and sea-lions: they were driven away from the coast and slaughtered by beating on the nose with heavy clubs. Less often this method was used to hunt whales. One whale provided a whole settlement with meat for a lengthy period; the Aleuts mostly hunted whales for fat and tendons. Aluutiq Eskimos hunted seals and fur seals, and Unaligmiut Eskimos hunted white whales: their meat and fat were considered the best food. Up to a hundred hunters in kayaks went far into the sea during high tide. They hit oars against water, beat tambourines and shouted, thus making schools of white whales approach the shore. Here, in shoaling waters and during low-tide they were slaughtered. Seals and fur seals were hunted on seal-rookeries with special clubs. Animals were caught near holes in the ice which seals make to breathe fresh air. In the 19th century with the development of mass hunting sea-otter kalan became the main object of trade. To hunt kalans the Aleuts went into the sea on several kayaks and rowed in a chain to be able to see an animal when it came to the surface of the water. During the first dive a kalan could spend up to 20 minutes under water, and less and less time during further dives. A harpoon with a separating tip was thrown into the animal. The hunter whose harpoon thrust closer to the animals’ head received the skin.
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