478 



THK CKNTRAL ESKIMO. 



He then takes hold of the coil, picks up his iinaiig. and, having risen, 

 strikes the center of the hole. 



retuni of seal to blowhole. (From a photograph. 



Ross (II, p. 368) and Rae (I, p. 133) state that the sealing at the hole is 

 more difficult in daylight than in the dark. I suppose, however, that 

 when the snow is deep there is no difference ; at least the Eskimo 

 of Davis Strait never complain about being annoyed by the daylight. 



Sometimes a small instrument is used in the hunt to indicate the 

 approach of the seal. It is called qipekutang and consists of a very 

 thin rod with a knob or a knot at one end (Parry II, p. 5-50, Fig. W). 

 It is stuck through the snow, the end passing into the water, the knol) 

 resting on the snow. As soon as the seal rises to blow, it strikes the 

 rod, which, by its movements, warns the Eskimo. Generally it is 



