SAILING ON THE ICE. 435 



and tedious operation. To render the task easier, they 

 are, therefore, accustomed from time to time to deposit 

 the heavier portion of the stores on the ice ; and, after 

 proceeding a short distance farther, to return and fetch 

 them in Jtalkar, or hand-sledges. But the several stages, 

 so to say, are very short, seldom exceeding an English 

 mile, the men being fearful that a sudden disruption of 

 the ice, as frequently happens, might separate them from 

 their baggage. 



oo O . 



Their mode of proceeding when " under sail " on the 

 ice is somewhat curious. Two men, with their hands on 

 the lee gun-wale, run alongside of the boat to prevent 

 her capsizing ; whilst the skipper, holding by the outer 

 end of the as as a long pole fixed across the craft is 

 called, and which answers the purpose of a rudder steers 

 and steadies her. If, however, the boat be simply drawn 

 on the ice, then the services of the skipper only are 

 required, the rest of the crew having, meantime, ample 

 employment at the hauling-lines. 



When at length the boat is fairly afloat, the men 

 navigate her as best they can amongst the numerous 

 ice-fields that are drifting in every direction about the 

 gulf. Some of these are miles and miles in extent ; and 

 when, from storms, several have packed one above the 

 other, regular icebergs often many fathoms in height 

 are formed. During the winter these "floes" and ice- 

 fields are pretty sound and secure ; but, as the spring 

 advances, they become full of holes and fissures. In these 

 the seals, more especially the P. Grypus, often congregate 

 in large numbers at times, it is said, in droves of several 

 hundreds. Such an assemblage is called a Skal-Lager, 

 or seal-encampment. Here one sees the old males, and the 

 females with their cubs, lying huddled together indis- 

 criminately. Immediately near to a "Liiger" is always 

 open water, in the shape of so-called Bntnnar, or wells 



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