136 Morten P. Porsild. 



of hunting employed in the northern part of Danish West Greenland, 

 and there determines the greater collective and individual prosperity of 

 the inhabitants in comparison with those of the southern districts. 

 The ice-net is from 5 — 8 metres in length and from 2 — 3 metres in width 

 and is made of the cheapest string available, so as to be of very little 

 value, because it is very liable to get lost; but, on the other hand, it 

 is paid for if it catches a seal once only. At the lower edge of the net 

 a few stone sinkers are fastened, and at the upper edge there is a fairly 

 thick line. The net is often set at right angles to the coast, especially 

 off headlands, where currents occur, or in the neighbourhood of openings 

 in the ice caused by currents or around the foot of icebergs of moderate 

 size. In order to set the net three holes are made with the toq, the 

 upper line of the net is tied securely to the blade of the toq, and 

 then the latter is thrust into one of the holes and is given a push in the 

 direction of one of the other holes. If the buoyancy of the shaft is 

 properly calculated in relation to the weight of the iron, the point of 

 the shaft appears by itself out of the hole, and in this way one can "sew" 

 from hole to hole, even if the ice be above one metre thick. The net 

 hangs down like a curtain, and the free ends of the upper hue as well 

 as a cord from the middle of the net are fastened to a small fragment 

 of ice, or to a small lump of snow upon which water is poured to cause 

 it to freeze fast. Every other day the net should be inspected, which 

 is done by breaking open one of the holes. When a seal is caught it is 

 taken out, and the net is reset, unless it has got so entangled that this 

 cannot be done in the severe cold. This mode of hunting can be prac- 

 tised by everybody, and with the help of sledges and several nets one 

 hunter may utilize large areas. Besides Phoca foetida, the ground seal, 

 Phoca barbata is also sometimes caught in these nets. 



C. Hunting of seals and small whales at the ice-edge 

 and in openings and cracks in the ice. 



1. Savssarneq. (PI. X). When severe cold sets in suddenly, and 

 with calm weather, it frequently happens that a shoal of White Whale 

 or Narwhal is cut off from the open water by a broad belt of ice. The 

 whales soon become exhausted owing to the difficulty of breathing, 

 and if they find an opening in the ice they all resort to it, and cannot 

 leave it again. Here, from 20 to several hundred animals may be found 

 at such an opening. If this opening is small the animals may lie closely 

 together; the Narwhals, for instance, pushing their way to the edge 

 and placing their tusks upon the ice. In calm weather their moaning 

 may be heard for miles round, arid the steam from their breathing rises 

 from the hole into the air, so that such a savssat is soon discovered. 

 According to the hunting by-laws in force it is the joint property of 

 the surrounding settlements, and the finder gets a reward at the 



