SEALS. 65 



to one of its hind flippers, and allowed the Seal to re- 

 enter the igloo where it had been caught. 



" As this was something new and interesting to ine, 

 I intently watched what followed. The Seal was, per- 

 haps, two or three weeks old, and, like all young Seals, 

 was white, though not so white as untainted snow. 



" While Koojesse kept hold of the line, four or five 

 fathoms long, the Seal worked itself hastily back into 

 the igloo, its birth-place, where it made a plunge 

 down the seal-hole into the sea. Koojesse allowed it 

 the whole play of his line, crawling into the igloo, 

 taking the seal-hook with him, and waiting patiently 

 for the parent Seal to come up. I was close by him, 

 there being just sufficient room through the opening 

 made where the young Seal was caught for me to push 

 myself in. Then, lying flat down, we both carefully 

 watched. 



" In three or four minutes the young Seal returned, 

 popping up its round, shining head, and blowing and 

 puffing like a whale, though on a reduced scale, its 

 large eyes glistening like lights from twinkling stars. 

 It came directly to its bed-place, where we reclined. 

 As it attempted to crawl up, Koojesse gave it a stroke 

 on the head, signifying, f Go away dive down show 

 to your mother that you, the darling of her affections, 

 are in trouble ; and when she comes to your aid Fll 

 hook her too ! } 



" The two women were now close by us, each with 

 a seal-dog, and, while waiting, I had a good oppor- 

 tunity of inspecting a Seal^s igloo. 



" It was a model of those which the Innuits make 

 for themselves, and was completely dome-shaped. It 



5 



