SEAL HUNTING. 157 



the natives, as is often the case, have 

 been almost starving, owing to the scarc- 

 ity of seals and other game on which 

 they live, the best and most patient seal- 

 hunters have been known to sit for two 

 or three days at one hole watching vigi- 

 lantly for a seal's nose. But, however 

 long it may be before " pussy" (as the 

 seals are sometimes called) comes around 

 to breathe a little whiff of fresh air, as 

 soon as the first "blow" is heard by the 

 hunter, who is, perhaps, half asleep, he 

 is at once full of expectation and excite- 

 ment. He places the point of his seal- 

 spear close to the "blow-hole," and by 

 the time " pussy " has taken two or three 

 whiffs she is astonished by a sudden 

 thrust of the spear crushing through the 

 dome of snow ; the cruel barb on the 

 spear-point catches into her flesh under- 



