172 VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



as we rowed off to the Princess May from the shore 

 one day. We stopped over the spot, and peering 

 down into the crystal water, could see him ten 

 fathoms down. Suddenly, one last kick only it 

 seemed a slight movement and the carcase rose to 

 the surface for the last time. Up, up ! We watched 

 it gyrating round and round, and as it reached the 

 surface, grabbed hold of one flipper and slung it 

 into the boat. We had one or two good meals off 

 that fellow, for we hung him up from our forestay, 

 and the frosty air kept him sweet and fresh as long 

 as we needed him. Had he not arisen we should 

 have got him up by means of our " jiggers," i.e., our 

 heavy leaded hooks. 



The Eskimo harpoon their seals from the kayak, 

 occasionally shooting it first ; but shooting accurately 

 from a kayak is no easy matter. The harpoon is 

 made of light wood, about three feet in length. On 

 the end of this is fixed a whole walrus tusk, to carry 

 the loose barbed iron top, and also to weight it and 

 carry it truly home. As soon as the seal is struck 

 it dives, taking the harpoon with it, but as the har- 

 poon is attached by about twenty fathoms of walrus 

 hide to an inflated air-tight seal-skin, the hunter 

 spies it, as soon as it comes up, even if it ever 

 succeeds in carrying the buoy down. A few strokes 

 of the paddle brings the kayak once more alongside, 

 and the seal is soon put hors de combat with a lance, 

 lashed on the back of the little boat, and the hunter 

 starts for home, or it is towed home alongside the 



