38 THE HAAK-PICK, AXES, KNIVES. 



lances rendered for the time unserviceable 

 in the despatching of a single walrus. The 

 lances lie on the thwarts, with the blades pro 

 tected in a box, which is attached to the 

 starboard end of the harpooner s, or foremost 

 one. 



The lance is not used for seals, as it is un 

 necessary and spoils the skins, so that the 

 coup-de-grace is administered to them by the 

 &quot; Haak-pick &quot; being struck into the brain. 

 Each boat should have five of these imple 

 ments, which are also indispensable as boat- 

 hooks, for pushing and hooking when the ice 

 is too thick to allow of the oars being used. 



There are then two axes, one a large one, 

 used for decapitating the dead walruses; and 

 the other, a small handy axe, which always 

 lies close to the harpooner, is for cutting 

 the line in case anything goes wrong, or a 

 walrus proves so fierce and mischievous 

 that they may wish to be quit of him on 

 any terms. 



Pive or six large sharp knives are for strip 

 ping the skin and blubber off the animals, or 

 &quot; flensing &quot; them, as it is called in the fisher s 

 parlance. 



An ice-anchor is employed for anchoring 



