CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Seal-liunting.— The Skiil-Sten.— A Drowsy Phoca.— Tlie Stand-Nat.— 

 The Ligg-Niit.— The vSkal-Kista. — The Seal-Hook —The Skrjickta. 

 — The Skiil-Jern. — Persson's Adventures. — Sealiug-Expeditions by 

 Water. — Sailing on the Ice. — The Seal-Camp. — Attacking it. — 

 Cruel Expedient. — Sealing- Expeditions by Land. — Perils attending 

 Seal-hunting. — Utility of the Seal. — Its Medical Properties. 



~^TTHEN Christianity was first preached to the Esqui- 

 ' ' maux by the missionaries, who depicted to them in 

 glowing terms the pleasures and delights of the regions 

 above, men, women, and children, we are told, started to 

 their feet, exclaiming, " Tell us, are Seals plentiful in 

 Heaven ? " That tlie thoughts of this simple-minded 

 people should be wholly engrossed on Seals is, however, 

 little to be wondered at, as on these animals their very 

 existence almost entirely depends. In making this quota- 

 tion, however, I do not mean to imply that the Scan- 

 dinavians set so high a value on the Phoca as the Green- 

 lander; but for commercial and other purposes it is 

 still held in considerable estimation, and various expe- 

 dients are resorted to by them to effect its capture. 



Many fall to the gun during both winter and summer ; 

 and for the most part to rifles of large calibre, say 



