150 cruise of THE NEPTUNE 
cold. All preparations being complete, he stands or sits abso- 
lutely motionless for hours until a seal comes to the hole to 
breathe. The slightest movement or noise made as the seal 
approaches raises suspicion and the animal goes elsewhere. The 
near approach is heralded by strings of bubbles formed by the 
animal emptying its lungs as it rises to the hole. When its 
nostrils are above the water and it begins a series of long 
inspirations, the Eskimo noiselessly brings his spear directly 
over the centre of the hole, and strikes down with his full 
strength, hoping to drive the barb into the brain and immedi- 
ately kill the seal. This often happens with small ones, but 
with the large ground-seal a single blow rarely kills it, and a 
struggle between man and victim then takes place. The winter 
seal spear is from five to six feet long. It consists of four parts, 
the barb, the iron rod on which the head fits, the wooden shaft 
and the iron ice-chisel at the end opposite to the spear. The 
head or barb is now almost always made of iron, the ancient 
ones being of stone, or iron and ivory. It is about three inches 
long, and quite narrow in proportion to the length; the point is 
formed into a slender barbed spear, with a small hole at its base 
which fits the iron rod of the handle. Near the centre is another 
hole, at right angles to the length, to which is attached several 
fathoms of seal line. The rod of the shaft is from fifteen to 
thirty inches long, and is usually made from three-eighths or 
half-inch iron or steel. At the upper end it is pointed to fit the 
hole in the base of the spearhead; at the lower end it is securely 
fastened to the Wooden handle by being driven into it to the 
depth of three or four inches, and the end of the wood is 
strongly bound with sinew. The wooden handle forms the 
middle portion of the spear; it is usually about two feet long, 
and of sufficient circumference to afford a strong and convenient 
grasp. A small peg of ivory projects about half an inch from 
the side of the wooden handle, and over this peg a small loop 
attached to the spear line is passed. This keeps the line   
