a
half to five
The knives they used were made of the tusk of the walrus , cut or ground sufficiently thin for the purpose , and retaining the original curve of the tusk . In the tent I observed a number of the weapons they use in the chase . The spears or darts employed in killing seals and other sea animals are something like harpoons , consisting of two parts , a spear and a staff . The latter is of wood when it can be obtained , and is from three and a half to five feet in length ; and the former is of bone , ground to a blunt point . The lines attached to the spears are cut out of sealskin , well stretched and dried , and then coiled up like a rope . To serve as a float , a large bladder is used . Most of the ladies had their faces tattooed , and some their hands ; and I certainly did not think it improved their beauty , though I suppose they did .