104 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



head. The first thing its eyes fell upon was 

 our tame seal, watching the scene without 

 emotion. Instantly the cub rushed at it. 

 Fortunately for the seal the rope was short. 

 The struggle recommenced. 



Again the cloth blinded the cub and again the 

 men mounted it. This time Ollivier succeeded 

 in fastening the animal's hind legs, and it was 

 quickly reduced to impotence. 



In the meantime, Swensen had had the 

 mother's body hoisted aboard. As soon as 

 the cub saw the body it rushed to it and com- 

 menced to suckle gluttonously, all the time 

 watching us with terrified eyes, but making no 

 further attempt to move, sucking successively 

 the four teats. 



Merite was successful in obtaining several 

 photographs of it while the men were hauling 

 on deck Martin's old cage, which I always 

 carry aboard. The cub continued to suckle 

 furiously, paying no attention to what was going 

 on around it. The presence of its mother 

 reassured it ; the sight was both poignant 

 and moving. 



At last the cage, well washed, stood ready, 

 and to MeYite's despair the final struggle 

 commenced. Two men mounted the vedette, 

 raised the cub and lowered it into the cage. It 



