38 THE HAAK-PICK, AXES, KNIVES. 



lances rendered for the time unserviceable 

 in the despatching of a single walrus. The 

 lances lie on the thwarts, with the blades pro- 

 tected in a box, which is attached to the 

 starboard end of the harpooner's, or foremost 

 one. 



The lance is not used for seals, as it is un- 

 necessary and spoils the skins, so that the 

 coup-de-grace is administered to them by the 

 *'Haak-pick" being struck into the brain. 

 Each boat should have five of these imple- 

 ments, which are also indispensable as boat- 

 hooks, for pushing and hooking when the ice 

 is too thick to allow of the oars being used. 



There are then two axes, one a large one, 

 used for decapitating the dead walruses; and 

 the other, a small handy axe, which always 

 lies close to the harpooner, is for cutting 

 the line in case anything goes wrong, or a 

 walrus proves so fierce and mischievous 

 that they may wish to be quit of him on 

 any terms. 



Pive or six large sharp knives are for strip- 

 ping the skin and blubber off the animals, or 

 " flensing " them, as it is called in the fisher's 

 parlance. 



An ice-anchor is employed for anchoring 



