]22 SEAL-CATCHING. 



place open day by day, or biting right up tki'ough as 

 much as three or four feet of sohd ice. Through these 

 holes they get on to the ice, and generally lie close to 

 the edge of the aperture, but if not rendered shy by 

 frequent disturbance will wander off to some distance. 

 It has always been a matter of wonder to me how 

 they manage (particularly small ones) to climb up the 

 wall sides of their holes with so little apparent 

 holding powers, but they certainly do so with 

 perfect ease. 



The natives, accomplished in all primitive arts 

 of obtaining their prey, proceed to their task of 

 capture with perfect self-confidence and deliberation : 

 two modes are followed, one a simple question 

 of patience, the other requiring much skill and 

 strategy. In the first a mound of snow or ice is 

 raised at some distance from the seal hole, behind 

 which, before his prey emerges from the water, the 

 hunter ensconces himself, and where he must wait 

 motionless and silent for the seal to appear, which 

 often does not occur for a long period ; great skill is 

 then necessary to secure his victim, as, unless killed 

 instantaneously when struck, it is almost sure to 

 escape into its hole. I believe bears have the same 

 mode of catching them. In the other mode, the hunter, 

 leaving his sledge and dogs at a distance, approaches 



