Whale Hunting

While we were in Black River last July, John, Maggie, Patrick, and I went beluga whale hunting.

When we got a little ways out from Black River we saw a white whale. So Maggie and I took turns driving the boat while John did the hunting. At first we did not know how to turn the boat and we'd turn right when we had to turn left, and when John shot at the whale he missed.

When he finally shot the first whale we lost it so we decided to follow a boat that was going to Sheldon's Point. The boat was about half a mile away and we all agreed to follow it. As we went, we traveled where we knew the whales liked to swim around. Along the way we actually hit another whale, and broke the kicker drive handle. Lucky all of us were wearing life preservers because the force of the bump was so strong we almost flew out of the boat. The current was so strong we would have been lost. As it was, with the kicker handle broken we had no way of getting back to the land. So John re- started the kicker and drove with a little piece of the throttle that was sticking out.

When we finally got back to Black River we all helped take the kicker off the boat and replaced the 60 horse with a 40 horse.

The next day we went to Sheldon's Point and stayed there overnight. The following day we went to Alakanuk and stayed there for 2 to 3 days. After that we went back to Black River and when we got there we heard that someone had found both the whales we had caught. After a day in Black River we then went back to Scammon Bay to visit John's, Maggie's, and Patrick's parents. After a day there we left for Black River again even though the water was rough and the wind was blowing hard.

In spite of it being rough, there were about six boats going back to Black River. Some of them got there in no time but a couple took longer.

On our way it was foggy, so we had to go out in the ocean and through the thick fog. It was a pretty scary ride. The weather from the fog was moist and cold, and by the time we got to Black River it was really blowing out. Even my grandma and grandpa said we wouldn't make it. But John was brave enough and we finally made it back to Black River. Then after staying a couple of days there we went home again all packed and ready to spend the winter at Scammon Bay.

Upnerrqaq John-aq, Maggie-iq, Patrick-aq, wii-llu cituaniq malirgaulumta.

Black River-am iterryar'ra qituqirrluqu cutuamiq tanglirr-lumta John-am nutillrraqu, qulrrulluqu-llu.

Maggie-iq wii-llu alularr-lung, nallumciqllung pitciatun caqirrtarlunung.

Ciuqlliq nutgarlugu angyaq maligcuarluqu Sheldons Point- artilra. Angyaq yaqsigpignani maligluqu-llu. Wangqutuam cetuat kuimarvatni ayaranimtini puk-pagtuqiut cetuamik. Alularsutii navluku-llu, angirrtim wangkuta pugtaurrniq aturtukut angyamiq kitcingyarpallruqut. Pukpar-llimta gaiullruq, tuanill car-vanillruq caknek. Tamallruiyarr-tukut elliqiryaraq navggumaluku.

Quyllutunata angyaq ninamun piscigganaqu-llu tau-i John-am uiqrrarraq cimirrluqu allamun.

Angyaqani Sheldons Point-amun ayagluta tamaani-llu witaluta malrurniq wallu pingaiyurniq irrnirniq. Tua-llu Black River-amun qiplluta. Teqiitellemta niilluta-llu caa cetuat pitaq-lirrput nallqillruniluki.

Atauciq irrnirniq witarluta marraiyamiutnun uterluta. Snir-luku apaqa anaqa-llu. John-am, Maggie-im, Patrick-amllu angaiyu-kia. Unirrarluta Black River- amun atam qipluta. Qailinran anuqlinran-llu arinelgen angya-neq maling'qillnuqut. Iliit tamaa tekiilluteng iliit-llu cukauna-teng.

Qay'rnaytengran imarpillun ayallrukut. Alingnaqillruq ayallemtni, qar'naytenran qut-narqenran-llu tekicamta anuqlir-ran.

Apaqa anama-llu purnitniluku taugaam John-aq alingnaunani tekitellraqut. Qayuterqunun witaurluta aatam irnineq.

Marrairmuitnun qiplluta caput taumilquita iqcimaluteng.

Uqsugliarluta marraiyarmuitnii-

Arlene Tunutmoak