90 H. P. Steenspy- 
the Ringed Seal lives all the-year round. A kind of transition from hunting 
from kayaks in the open sea to hunting on ice is brought about by the 
hunting from ice-edges in places kept open by currents, from openings 
in the ice caused by the movements of an enclosed iceberg, or from the 
cracks made in the winter-ice by the calving glaciers. The latter mode of 
hunting is practised especially in early winter. The hunter always takes 
his kayak with him in order, if need be, to fetch back the animal harpooned 
or shot. This method is also used in the case of enclosed shoals of White 
Whales which have resorted to the nearest opening in the ice. If the ice 
forms during autumn with a glassy surface, which, however, is not the case 
every year, and then as a rule only in Umanak Bay, hunting on smooth-ice 
can be practised. In the winter-time proper, when the sea is quite frozen 
over and the ice is snow-covered, Maupok hunting is carried on, and in spring. 
the seals which come up on the ice are hunted (Utok hunting). 
Yet another method of hunting was formerly followed in the northern 
part of West Greenland, but even in Rwvx’s time it was of very slight 
importance. Since then it has not become quite extinct, but it is used only 
rarely. In East Greenland near Angmagsalik Gustav Hom found it still 
in use in 1884. According to the description given by Hox, first two holes 
are made through the ice, the one two feet in diameter, and the other just 
large enough to allow the harpoon shaft to pass through it. Two men take 
part in this mode of hunting; one of them lies down on the ice and peeps 
through the large hole, after he has so covered his head that his sight can 
better penetrate the water. This man guides the long harpoon shaft, which 
is held down in the water by the man who is standing upright with the 
harpoon shaft in his right hand and the hunting line in his left. “In order 
to entice the seals there are fixed close to the head two pieces of bone, 
carved in the form of seals, which vibrate on cut feather-bags. As soon as 
the seal comes under the harpoon, and the right moment has come, the 
man on the lookout shouts ‘kae’, and the other man makes a rapid thrust”. 
This mode of hunting is called iéwarpok'. ; 
This last method is undoubtedly a very old Arctic-Eskimo method_ of 
hunting, which in practice, however, has not been able to compete with 
the Maupok method, because it required two men, whereas the Maupok 
method can be practised by a single hunter, who either operates quite alone 
or makes use of a dog to scent out the breathing holes. But the method 
is of interest on account of its original character. 
How the methods of hunting seals — so few in number — have been 
altered in our own days, and especially after the rifle came into general use 
is not of much concern in this connection®. Likewise it will suffice to point 
1M. o. G., Vol. 39, p. 57. Cf. Porsitp, pp. 133—134. 
* As regards some new contrivances which the introduction of firearms has 
necessitated, for instance the kayak rudder, the rifle bag, and the shooting 
screen, the reader is referred to M. 0. G., Vol. 50, pp. 185 sqq., where I have 
shown that the shooting screen for the kayak was probably first used in 
