406 HOW HUNTED. 



only above water, aud, without chauging bis place, quickly 

 dives down again. Tbey seldom a])pear solitary ujion tbe 

 wave, principally swimming and fishing underneath, occa- 

 sionally raising their beads when devouring larger prey. 

 They swim in a variety of ways ; sometimes on their 

 backs, often on their sides, occasionally whirling about as 

 if to amuse themselves. Tbey frequently sleep on tbe 

 surface of tbe water, and upon tbe whole are regarded as 

 incautious, especially when on tbe ice." 



Crantz, after telling lis that tbe Seal in question " is 

 careless and stupid, and tbe only one which tbe Green- 

 lander, when quite alone, will venture to attack," goes 

 on to say : — " This he does in bis Kajak, which is shaped 

 like a weaver's shuttle. Thus equipped, away he goes 

 with as high a conceit of himself as any Mr. Captain in 

 bis ship. When lie espies the Seal, be tries to surprise 

 it unawares, with tbe wind and sun at his back, that be 

 may not be beard or seen. He makes hastily, but softly 

 towards it, till he reaches within four or six fathoms. He 

 then takes hold of tbe onr in his left hand, and the harpoon 

 with bis right, and so away be throws it at the Seal. Tbe 

 • moment tbe instrument is fixed, the Greenlander must 

 throw the attached buoy into the water on tbe same side 

 that tbe Seal dives, for that he does instantly like a dart. 

 The Seal often draws the buoy along with it under water, 

 and it so wearies itself, that it must come up again in 

 about a quarter of an hour, to take breath. The Green- 

 lander now bastes to smite it with bis long lance ; thus he 

 keeps darting at it till it is quite spent, when be kills it 

 outright with bis small lance ; lastly, be blows it up like 

 a bladder, that it may swim tbe more easily after bis 

 ' Kajak.' In this exercise be is exposed to tbe most and 

 greatest danger of his life ; for if tbe line should entangle 

 itself, as it easily may in its sudden and violent motion, 

 or if it should catch bold of the ' Kajak,' or of an oar, 



