186 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



was superb. It had raised itself on its fore 

 fins and turned its nose to the wind. Its large, 

 inflated neck resembled that of a bull. The 

 head now became discernible. One could see 

 the two long, bristly white moustaches forming 

 a bar across its black face, in which sparkled 

 large, rounded eyes surmounted by white brows. 

 Altogether it was a very different animal from 

 any I had encountered up to that time, and this 

 face, to some degree almost fantastic, vividly 

 impressed itself upon my memory. I perceived, 

 however, that it was taking alarm, and, seizing 

 an opportunity when its head was turned to me 

 in profile, I aimed beneath the ear and fired. 

 It relaxed like a spring, its head fell on to the 

 ice ; a shudder passed right through its body. 

 Two vigorous strokes of the oars brought us 

 to the ice. Two of the sailors, armed with 

 boat-hooks, sprang on to it. The seal was not 

 dead, but only paralysed beyond power of 

 movement, yet it could still see. Its large eyes 

 followed every movement of the men as they 

 approached it ; it seemed to wish to escape 

 from them. Its gaze was so human in its 

 intensity that it was impossible to endure it. 

 A blow of the hook on the muzzle finished 

 it, and we examined it. It rewarded us 

 generously for our trouble. It was as long 



