CUSTOMS OF THE ESKIMOS. 159 



trhe method adopted in hunting a polar is as follows : 

 o men, armed only with lances, approach it from 

 opposite sides at the same time. Then, as they close 

 upon it, and the bear charges either man, the other 

 rushes forward with his lance. Thus they let out its 

 life-blood. It requires cool heads and steady nerves to 

 be able to cope successfully with a polar in this way, 

 but both of these characteristics the Eskimos possess in 

 <a marked degree, and it is comparatively seldom that 

 accidents happen while thus engaged. 



These bears, which live almost entirely upon seals, are 

 usually found near the sea-shore, and often out some 

 distance, swimming in the water, where they can live 

 for a considerable length of time. The Eskimos attack 

 them here as well as upon the land, but in the water 

 they are treacherous enemies to deal with, as they 

 are expert swimmers and divers. They are very liable 

 to surprise one by suddenly disappearing and reappear- 

 ing at embarrassingly close quarters. 



The Eskimo custom in bear- hunting is, that whoever 

 first sees a bear is the owner of the carcase, no matter 

 who kills it, but the skin is divided up among the 

 several hunters. 



A bear-skin is so heavy that the Eskimo has no 

 special object in preserving it whole, but he finds the 

 greatest use for it when it is cut up into small pieces. 

 In this condition it is commonly used by hunters as 

 mats, which they tie under them when crawling over 

 the ice after seals, or across the wet plains after deer. 

 The pieces of bear-skin act as skates, upon which they 

 can easily drag themselves along. 



The Eskimo method of hunting birds is chiefly with a 



