ANOTHEU KIND. 



429 



inches in length ; near its base there is a small hole or a 

 ringjAvhcreto is fastened a line of the thickness of one's little 

 finger, and from ten to twelve fathoms long. The shaft, 

 rcmovcable at pleasure, is of wood, and about eight feet in 

 length, but is only inserted in the socket when the 

 weapon is about to be brought into play ; at other times it 

 serves as a staff to assist the hunter during his pi'ogress 

 over weak ice, or to dispatch such seals as may chance 

 to fall in his way. 



UNN.EUS SICAL-JEHN. 



A second form of " Skal-jern," as shown above, is spoken 

 of by Liimseus, who describes the shaft as three feet in 

 length and somewhat less in thickness than a man's wrist. 

 But from the shape of this weapon it is pretty clear that it 

 can only be used when you are immediately near the 

 seal, and then in like manner as an axe. 



It is in winter time chiefly that the harpoon is 

 made use of. Armed with it, and with a white shirt drawn 

 over his usual dress, that he may the less attract the eye 

 of the seal, the hunter steals upon it whilst sleeping at the 

 edge of the ice, or he keeps watch near the " BLls-hal," 

 spoken of at pnge 393, and when the animal comes to the 

 aperture to respire, lie transfixes it with his deadly weapon. 



