The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal and the Seal. 207 



excepting that the hollow becomes filled with bony substance ; but 

 the left tusk rapidly increases in length, and is developed into along, 

 spiral, tapering rod of ivory, sometimes attaining to the length of 

 eight or ten feet." We did not meet with many of these animals 

 during the voyages of the Expedition ; and, so far as I can learn, they 

 are not very numerous in those waters. 



The methods employed in procuring the porpoise, walrus, narwhal, 

 etc., in the Hudson's Bay region afford material for interesting 

 descriptions ; but I can but allude to them in general terms. The 

 porpoise are obtained by means of nets or traps and the tides. Vast 

 shoals swim into the rivers with flood tides, and, as I have said, go 

 out again with the ebb. A net is arranged, extending out from the 

 shore, covering a cove that is dry at low tide, but covered by fifteen 

 or twenty feet of water at high tide. This net is fastened to the 

 bottom, but may be sprung at will by means of a line, when, by the 

 assistance of floaters, its upper portion comes to the surface. 



A watch is placed on the banks of the river, and if a shoal of 

 porpoise are seen ascending the river the net is sprung as soon as 

 they have gotten above it. Then Eskimos go out in their kayaks 

 and beat upon the water with air-bags, making a dull sound, and 

 driving them, as they return to the sea, from the channel into the 

 cove and behind the net, where they are kept going to and fro, 

 driven by these sounds, until the tide runs out, leaving them high 

 and dry upon the flats. They are then secured to lines, and with 

 the returning tide hauled to shore and sculped. At Ungava Bay 

 the Hudson's Bay Company have developed an immense porpoise 

 fishery in this way, and also at Churchill. Last year Mr. Spencer 

 obtained nearly two hundred of these immense animals, by the 

 method which I have roughly described, in a cove in the Churchill 

 river, within three miles of the post. In fact, from their vast num- 

 bers and the ease with which they may be taken, I do not overstate 

 the truth when I say, with proper facilities, four or five thousand of 

 these oil-bearing animals could be taken at one place in a single 

 season ; which means blubber to the value of over $300,000. 



The walrus are generally shot on the ice, where they may be 

 found in vast numbers, in the Strait and in the northern portions of 



