132 EXPERTNES8 OF THE ESQUIMAUX. 



on his stomach towards it, wagging his head, and making a 

 sound like a seal, thus deceiving the poor animal into a be- 

 lief that it is one of his companions. But tlie seal is usually- 

 wary — that is, the older ones — and takes every opportunity 

 of escaping from its pursuers. When one is seen at sea, a 

 signal is passed to the different boats engaged in the chase, 

 and the animal is surrounded ; a careful watch is kept for 

 the moment of its reappearing, and on this taking place, one 

 of the boats having advanced near enough, a dart is hurled 

 with unerring aim. The seal, terrified and wounded, dives 

 in the greatest hurry ; but a float being attached to the dart, 

 it is soon forced up again and dispatched. The wounds of the 

 seal are then carefully staunched, to save as much of the 

 blood as possible, and the body is distended by blowing into 

 the cellulat part, in order to render the animal buoyant, or, 

 otherwise, it would sink to the bottom as soon as dead. 



The chase of the seal, however, is not free from danger, 

 even to the expert fisherman of the Arctic shores. If the 

 animal is not too much exhausted when pursued, it some- 

 times turns on its adversary, seizes his frail skin boat, and 

 with its sharp teeth pierces a hole, when the kayak sinks 

 with its unfortunate owner. Many risks also occur from the 

 lines to which the floats are attached getting foul of the pad- 

 dle or the arms or neck of the fisherman, when the seal dives 

 suddenly on being wounded. The males are very pugna- 

 cious, and have terrible fights among themselves. 



Seal-hunting, or fishing, as it is often called, is the great 

 occupation of the Greenlanders, and is also extensively pur- 

 sued by various nations in other northern parts of the 

 world. 



A great many species of seals are met with on the west- 

 ern coast of Greenland ; but the most highly prized by the 

 natives is what sailors call the Sea-Calf, so named from a 

 supposed resemblance of the voice to that of a calf. These 

 animals live in families, the old male being attended by hi& 



