BOAS] . SEAL HUNTING. 477 



end of the line is folded up in a coil, which he holds in the left hand. 

 The unang is held in both hands, and thus the hunter sometimes 

 remains for hours, occasionally stooping and listening, until he hears 

 the blowing of the seal. Then, all of a sudden, he stands upright, 

 and, with all his strength, sends the harpoon straight downward into 

 the hole, payin,i;-Hut tlirlim-at the same tiini'. but krcpiiiL;- a, firm liohl 

 of the loop at its on 1 (Fii;. :;'.'; ). ( iciirrall.\ tlirs. al is st luciv near the 

 head. If the line is fasten. ■(! f,, ih,. shall l.y a sliiipin- hitch it is at 

 once detached and the harpoon either remains sticking in the snow or 

 falls down by the hole. If the line runs through the nabiring, the 

 harpoon is dragged into tlie water and impedes the movements of the 

 animal. The hunter then Ijegins at once to cut down the snow cov- 

 ering with his knife, which has been left within easy reach, and hauls 

 in the line. As soon as the seal comes to the surface to breathe it is 

 easily dispatched and drawn up on the ice. 



The arrangements at the seal hole are more elaborate if the sealei' 

 expects to wait a long time. If only a few men go out hunting and 

 famine is impending, he sometimes waits for a whole day or even 

 longer, though it be cold and the wind rage over the icy fields. He 

 builds up a semicircular wall of snow blocks to keep off the piercing 

 wind and makes a seat in the center of it. A skin is spread under 

 his feet and his legs are tied together with a thong, which is fastened 

 by a peculiar kind of buckle (tutareang) Avith two holes (Fig. 398). 



Fig. 308. Tutareanj; or Inickle. (Museum fur Volkerkuntle, Berlin. FT A Onn.i 



One end of the thong is firmly tied to the buckle, passing through 

 one of the holes, while the opposite end passes tightly through the 

 second hole. The thong may be quickly opened by a strong effort on 

 the part of the hunter, while it helps to keep him quiet. At his right 

 hand (Fig. 399 ; in this drawing it appears on the left) the snow knife 

 is stuck into the snow, while to the left the unang is placed upon 

 two pegs. The coil of the line lies in his lap. His left arm is drawn 

 out of his sleeve, that he may more easily keep warm. Both sleeves 

 air :;cni'rally held toi^vther by a piece of deer's horn with a branch 



a<'h si.le which serves as a hook. Thus the hunter waits until 



lie hears the l)reathiiig of the seal. As it usually stays for several 

 minutes he is in no hurry to get ready. Cautiously he places his 

 left arm into the sleeve, having first disengaged it from the hook. 



