AND ITS APPOINTMENTS. 33 



the boat ; he alone uses the weapons and the 

 telescope ; the strongest man in the boat usu 

 ally sits next to the harpooner to hold and haul 

 in the line when a walrus is struck, and it is 

 also his duty to hand the harpoons and lances 

 to the harpooner as required. 



There is a deep notch cut in the centre of 

 the stem-piece, and three others in a piece of 

 hard wood on each side of it ; these are for the 

 lines running through, and great care is requi 

 site to prevent them from slipping further aft 

 on the gunwale than the notches, as if they 

 do, the boat will probably be upset ; it is from 

 this cause that most of the accidents that one 

 occasionally hears of occur. 



There is sometimes also a &quot; bollard,&quot; or little 

 upright post in the bow of the boat for making 

 fast the lines to, but many harpooners prefer 

 to dispense with this, using instead the fore 

 most thwart of the boat. 



The boats are invariably painted white out 

 side, in order to make their appearance assimi 

 late as much as possible to that of the ice, and 

 I think it would also be a great advantage to 

 have the crews dressed in caps and jackets of 

 some shiny white material, which would keep 

 its colour in spite of dirt and grease. 



* D 



