188 HUNTING WITH THE ESKIMOS 



There was no opportunity, however, for me to use 

 my rifle. In fact, the Eskimos cautioned me not to 

 fire, stating that the report would frighten the wal- 

 rus away. Therefore I had to content myself with 

 watching the others pursue the game in their own 

 way, which was quite thrilling enough to recompense 

 me for all the danger and hardship of the journey 

 from Annootok. 



With the harpoon as a weapon, the hunters left the 

 solid ice to spring lightly from one small piece to an- 

 other until a pan large enough to hold them was 

 reached, far out in the open lake. The pieces over 

 which the passage was made were often so small that 

 they would have sunk under a man's weight had he 

 faltered or hesitated upon them for a moment. It 

 seemed to me that the Eskimos were absolutely reck- 

 less in this passage over the broken pieces, and took 

 no account of the manner in which they should re- 

 turn. Certainly only a fearless man with a clear eye 

 and nerves of iron could accomplish it. 



A large safe pan once attained, well in the midst of 

 the blowing walrus, a stand was taken near its edge 

 where, with harpoon poised, the hunter waited until 

 a walrus came within striking distance. Then like 

 lightning the weapon was sunk deep into the animal's 

 body, and quick as a flash a harpoon shaft, provided 

 with a heavy point of iron, was driven firmly into the 

 ice, and several turns of the line taken around it and 

 held taut by the Eskimos. This strong line held the 

 walrus in spite of its struggles to free itself, and not 

 an inch was surrendered to it by the Eskimos. As 



