A BEAR HUNT 97 



was encountered, and the drivers made free use of 

 their whips. It is remarkable how expert Eskimos 

 are in handling this weapon. It has a short wooden 

 handle, and a square-flipper seal- or walrus-skin lash 

 twenty to twenty-five feet in length, and the Eski- 

 mos, who wield it equally well in either hand, can cut 

 with never failing accuracy the delinquent dog at 

 which they aim. 



The ice foot here must be very old. It is two 

 hundred yards wide and fully twenty feet thick. 

 Presently we climbed it and on the upper level found 

 a clear, fine road of smooth and perfect ice. It had 

 been pitch dark for two hours before we reached 

 Cape Scott, where we halted to make camp. Here 

 we found Sipsu's tupek, or tent, and lying around 

 it nine deerskins, two large Polar bearskins, and a 

 great deal of meat piled up and covered with rocks, 

 but no sign of the hunters themselves. Sipsu, Tuk- 

 shu and Teddylinguah had preceded us, and appar- 

 ently had found game promptly. As quickly as 

 possible I put up my tent, got my fire going, and 

 in a little while had a generous quantity of Sipsu's 

 deer meat sizzling in the pan for supper. 



After a sumptuous meal, I waited for an hour for 

 the return of the hunters, and had just crawled into 

 my sleeping-bag when I heard the crack of dog 

 whips, and presently Tukshu, Teddylinguah and 

 Sipsu arrived, each with a komatik heavily loaded 

 with meat. The three Eskimos had killed eleven deer 

 and two bears. All day they had been hauling the 

 deer meat out of the hills, and were now making 

 s 



