Porpoise -Shooting. 487 



" No ; Pieltoma best paddle canoe. I shoot 'im porpusis." 



It afterward transpired that Pieltoma was not an expert in por- 

 poise-shooting. I had thought that all Indians were good porpoise- 

 hunters ; but it seems that there are several grades of excellence, and 

 that some of the Indians never attain the requisite skill. Poor Piel- 

 toma was one of the latter class, and in future would have to stick 

 to the paddle, in the management of which he excelled. 



After paddling along for some time in silence, he said : 



" Sebatis, s'pose we try 'im farther out ; porpus may be chase 'im 

 mackerel somewheres. I see 'im plenty gulls outside." 



"Sartin, that's a very good plan," replied Sebatis. "We'll go 

 about two miles out." 



" Storm coming, Sebatis ; wind and sea both rising." 



" No, not any storm ; only little breezy, that's all. By-em-by you 

 see 'im plenty porpusis. Always when breezy, then porpusis kind 

 playin', you see — jump 'round everywheres." 



" Do the porpoises go in large schools ? " 



"Always good many together; sometimes I see 'im forty or fifty 

 porpusis all jumpin' 'round at the same time." 



" There goes three porpusis ! " said Pieltoma. 



" Which way ? " asked Sebatis. 



"There they are, Sebatis," I said, as several black objects ap- 

 peared, rolling over in the waves. 



" I see 'im now. 'Most too far off shoot 'im. Paddle little ways 

 closer, Pieltoma." 



Presently, bang goes his gun, and we are paddling rapidly up to 

 the fish, which is blowing and thrashing the water into foam. 



" Pretty big porpus ; go over three hundred," said Sebatis, as he 

 savagely speared the porpoise. 



"'Most too big take 'im in, Sebatis," said Pieltoma. 



" No, not too big ; s'pose you come help me to lift 'im up." 



Pieltoma came forward, and I passed aft and took the paddle to 

 steady the canoe. As they struggled to get the fish aboard over the 

 gunwale, my knees began to shake — there was quite a swell on, and 

 I feared that we might go over. However, they got it safely aboard 

 at last 



" By tunders ! that's pretty good luck, gettin' so big porpus ; 

 about six gallons oil, sartin ! " exclaimed Sebatis, exultingly. 



