148 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



materials : but in order to use them with effect in killing- 

 deer, the sagacity of the hunter is often severely tested, 

 for with the Eskimo there is no cover behind which to 

 hide or creep upon his prey. The hunter's first precau- 

 tion is, of course, to keep the deer to windward, for the 

 moment they catch the scent of an enemy they are off, 

 and to get within range of the wary animals upon the 

 open plains or rocky barrens is often a difficult matter. 

 A common way of working, when several hunters are 

 together, is for some to take up positions in concealment, 

 while the others drive the deer their way, causing them 

 to pass within range of the deadly shafts. At a mode- 

 rate distance an Eskimo with his ingeniously constructed 

 bow can drive an arrow its full length into a deer. 



Occasionally vast herds of deer, numbering many 

 thousands, are met with, and at such times their 

 numbers appear to give them confidence. The hunter 

 then has no trouble in approaching them, but may go up 

 and kill as many as he desires, either with bow and 

 arrow or with spear. 



The spear, however, is chiefly used for killing deer in 

 the water. At certain seasons of the year, when travel- 

 ling north or south, the deer cross streams, rivers, or 

 lakes in great numbers, and these crossings are com- 

 monly effected year after year in the same place. The 

 hunter, knowing their habits, lies in wait at the cross- 

 ings, and often from his kyack spears large numbers as 

 they are swimming past. 



When more deer are killed than are required for 

 immediate use, the carcases are " cached," that is, they 

 are covered over by piles of stones to preserve them 

 from the wolves and foxes, and the place of their burial 



