HOW I LEARNED TO HUNT CARIBOU 247 



against Novemberjwe needed Jhe warm caribou clothes 

 which the Eskimo women would make for us if we only 

 could get skins out of which they could make them. 



We held a council. Kunaluak suggested that Storker- 

 son and I should go with the Eskimo woman, child and 

 dog teams the shortest distance towards the land and 

 make camp while he and Ilavinirk went after the caribou, 

 but Ilavinirk said that he wanted me to learn caribou 

 hunting and that Storkerson and Mamayauk could easily 

 make camp. Kunaluak demurred at first, saying that it 

 was very important that no mistake should be made and 

 that we get all the caribou. Like most Eskimos, he was 

 kindness itself and was obviously of a divided mind be- 

 tween the courtesy which prompted him to invite me to 

 come along and the caution which urged him to get me to 

 stay behind. But Ilavinirk and I had our way. 



Just as we were separating from the sledges, Mamay- 

 auk pointed out that while we needed especially the skins 

 of the younger caribou for our inner clothing we should 

 also secure the bull if possible, for his thick hide was 

 needed for the soles of our winter boots. As we walked 

 along Kunaluak and Ilavinirk discussed this point. They 

 decided to leave the killing of the bull until the last for at 

 this season bulls_are very thin and their meat is considered 

 nearly unfit for use (except for dog food) and they are 

 valued chiefly fur the hide. So they agreed they would 

 shoot the other eight animals and the bull last. 



We were still a mile away from the caribou, Kunaluak 

 was walking rapidly and Ilavinirk and I dropped a little 

 behind. He now told me that he had laid a trap for 

 Kunaluak. Both of them had agreed not to shoot the 

 bull until the last. Ilavinirk now told me to be sure to 

 kill the bull while they were firing at the others. To his 



