632 FAMILY PHOCID^. 



for fear of the breaking up of the ice, which might separate 

 them from their sledges, and they would thus lose their provis- 

 ions and other necessaries, they having learned this precaution 

 through such losses. If the new blue ice was too weak to sup- 

 port the boat, they waited till it became stronger, or till a 

 strong favorable wind enabled them to sail through it, in case 

 it was not broken up by the waves. To protect the boat at 

 such times from being cut by the ice, boards were nailed upon 

 it. If the ice was not of great extent the men passed along 

 outside of the boat and broke it through with clubs ; if very 

 weak and the wind favorable, they sai]ed through it without 

 delay or fear. If on the other hand they found the ice strong 

 and comparatively smooth, with not too much snow upon it, 

 they sailed over it, the keel of the boat being protected from 

 wearing by the iron sheathing. In sailing over the ice two men 

 run on the leeward side of the boat and one man on the wind- 

 ward side, who keep the boat steady, while the captain steers it 

 by means of the pole. If after having pursued their journey, 

 by pulling and sailing, for a long time they meet with no 

 Seals on the ice-fields to which the Seals are accustomed to re- 

 sort, two men from each boat are sent on in advance to search 

 for the Seals. They take with them the wherry, so that they 

 can cross any openings in the ice they may meet with, and also 

 a white dog, which by barking gives them notice if it discovers 

 any Seals. 



When at last they arrive at an ice-field on which there are 

 great numbers of Seals, the men hasten with clubs to kill them. 

 The largest of them, says our narrator, are so courageous that 

 they face their pursuers, who, if they do not kill them at once 

 must get out of the way, as the Seals can bite very severely. 

 They leave the young ones tiU the last, as they are not shy. If 

 there chance to be a great many holes in the ice-floe, so that the 

 Seals can readily get under the ice, the hunters creep stealthily 

 upoH them till they get near enough to cut them off from such 

 retreats, and then aim at the largest of the herd. Should there 

 be a great many Seals on a small ice-floe, the men cry like the 

 Seals, and creep toward them on their bellies, often raising their 

 feet and striking them together. But should there be hope of 

 getting only a single shot, they are not permitted to shoot at all, 

 as then, certainly, all the Seals would leave the ice and go di- 

 rectly into the water, save those that were killed. Those Seals 

 that are under the ice are not alarmed by the shooting, and as 



