3 io HAYES, HALL AND OTHER ADVENTURERS 



and during the night of the i6th, another disruption of the floe 

 occurred, Tyson and his companions finding themselves adrift on 

 one part, with one of the two boats, while the other boat and part 

 of the provisions remained on the main body of the floe. On the 

 2 ist, however, they succeeded in recovering these precious and 

 necessary articles; and, afterwards, in removing to a larger and 

 firmer floe which lay much nearer the shore. Then they built up 

 their snow-houses, forming quite a little encampment: one hut for 

 Captain Tyson and Mr. Meyers, a second for the men, others for the 

 Eskimos, for Joe, Hannah, and Puney and for Hans and his family ; 

 a store-hut for provisions, and a cook-house, all united by arched 

 galleries or corridors made of snow. These were true igloes, and 

 made in the regular Eskimo fashion. 



Their hope was to get to the shore, where their ammunition 

 might provide them with some species of game. On the 3Oth of 

 October the day's allowance for the whole company consisted of two 

 pounds of pemmican, six pounds of bread, and four pounds of 

 canned meat. On such scanty rations everybody's strength rapidly 

 declined; and though the natives continued hunting, no success 

 atended their efforts. In fact, it is very difficult to find the seal in 

 winter. They live principally under the ice, and can be seen only 

 when the ice cracks. Being warm-blooded animals, they cannot long 

 continue under the ice without breathing. Consequently, for the 

 purposes of respiration, they make air-holes through the ice and 

 snow; but at the surface these holes are so small not more than 

 two and a half inches across that they are scarcely distinguishable, 

 especially in the dim uncertain light of an Arctic winter-day. A 

 native will sometimes remain watching a seal-hole for thirty-six or 

 forty-eight hours before getting a chance to strike ; and if the first 

 stroke misses, the seal is gone for ever. Barbed spears are used by 

 the hunter ; and as the seal's skull is exceedingly thin, a well-aimed 

 blow is sure to penetrate, and then the prize can be held securely 

 until the hole has been sufficiently enlarged for the body to come 

 through. 



