299 



as a rule in a snow-drift close by an ice-6eld. From the hole 

 a large opening leads down through the ice, through which 

 the mother passes up and down, and there is a smaller opening 

 up through the snow-drift for the passage of air. A sharp 

 eye can detect these "seal-igloos" from outside; the Eskimo 

 walks softly up to it, and puts his ear close to the snow and 

 listens. If he hears any sign of life he jumps on the mound 

 as hard as he can, until it caves in, and then, with a kick in 

 the head, he dispatches the young one. If the mother is pre- 

 sent, he seeks first of all to plant the harpoon into her; if 

 she is away, he patiently awaits her reappearance up through 

 the hole in the ice, and then she meets the harpoon. 



The second method is the likewise well-known Utok hunt- 

 ing, or the hunting of the seals when they lie and sun them- 

 selves on the surface of the ice. The Eskimo approaches his 

 watchful prey crawling on his stomach; at the present day he 

 uses fire-arms, but unlike the Eskimos in the more southern 

 parts of Greenland he does not have a small sledge with out- 

 stretched, white linen sail, behind which the hunter is able to 

 conceal himself. In earlier days it was necessary to approach 

 his unsuspecting prey so closely that he was able to stick a 

 harpoon into it. The method then was, to crawl up against 

 the wind and as far as possible imitate the movements of the 

 seal, lifting the head in the same manner, flapping the arms 

 just like the seal with its flippers and moving the legs as the 

 seal does the tail-end of its body. It is quite an art, which 

 the older Eskimos have all practised and can still practise, but 

 it is dying out in the younger generation. 



In the latter half of this period, as a rule from the first 

 half of May, tlie Eskimos dwell in tents, as the snow-houses 

 become damp and wet. The sun is now above the horizon 

 during the whole twenty-fours hours. The Auks and Little 

 Auks have come and taken possession of the sides of the cliffs. 

 There is now abundance of food and it is a time of enjoyment 



XXXIV. 20 



