430 THE TABLES TURNED. 



On receiving the wound, it plunges downwards, carrying 

 with it, however, only the barhed iron, the shaft remaining 

 in the man's hand. But the seal is presently " brought 

 up " again by the line spoken of (whereto is attached a 

 swivel), the inner end of which is tied to the hunter's 

 left wrist. The battle is often severe and protracted, in 

 which the man "plays" the beast in the same way as the 

 fisherman a salmon. It usually ends, however, in the 

 seal's discomfiture, for when at length it is compelled to 

 come to the surface to breathe, it is presently destroyed, 

 either by the hunter himself, or by his comrade, whom he 

 may have called to his aid.* 



But in thus securing the harpoon line to his own arm, 

 the hunter runs no inconsiderable risk, as has been proved 

 on many occasions. A rather remarkable instance is 

 mentioned by Samuel Odman, who, when speaking of a 

 certain rock in the Baltic, called Skdl-Berg, well known 

 as the resort of numerous seals, and access to which is not 

 at all times easy, owing to the surf, &c., says : — "A peasant 

 from the hamlet of Gillinge, plunged his spear into the 

 body of a very large seal ; as usual, the line fastened to the 

 weapon was tied to the man's arm, and as the animal had 

 the advantage of falling ground, it drew its assailant down 

 the rock into the sea. Happily the seal was unable to dive 



* According to Crantz, the Greenlander destroys tlie seal at the 

 Bldshdl in much the same manner as in Scandinavia. " He seats himself 

 on a stool near the apertiu-e, resting his feet meanwhile on a board to 

 keep them from being chilled. When tlie animal makes its ajipearance, he 

 plunges his harpoon into its body, and afterwards kills it at his leisure. 

 The Samoyedes, Pallas tells iis, have a very ingenious way of cu-curaveuting 

 the Phoca on its resorting to the ' Blas-hrd.' They place several boards, 

 nailed together, and to which a rope is affixed, near the aperture, and 

 afterwards conceal themselves behind a neighbouring 'hummock;' wlieu 

 the seals have left the water, and lie down to bask on the ice, they draw 

 the boards in question over the hole to ]n-event their return, and then 

 despatch their victims." 



