354 TESTIMONY 



towards the prey, care being taken not to make the slightest noise. 

 We had approached within about 40 feet wlien the seal began to grow 

 restless, as if it was dreaming of danger. The hnnter stood braced, spear 

 in hand, and with true aim he hurled it with all his force at the sleep- 

 ing object. In an instant the scene of repose was changed into one of 

 intense excitement and pain. With a jump the seal instantly disap 

 peared below the surface, but not to escape, for when once a spear be- 

 comes fastened to an object it seldom pulls out. Soon it came up to 

 breathe and renew its d esperate struggle for liberty. It stood in the water 

 facing us, with its body half exposed as if taking in the situation, and 

 with a kind of low, piteous growl, as thougli it realized its end was near, 

 it renewed the contest. It fought madly, <living, jumping, and swimming 

 with great speed, first in one direction and then in another, sometimes 

 on one side of the canoe and then on the other, the Indian all the time 

 holding on to the spear rope, trying to draw the seal near the canoe so 

 as to strike it on the head with the killing club. In its frantic efforts to 

 escape it bit at the line several times, but soon abandoned the idea of 

 gaining its freedom in such a manner and again resorted to jumping 

 and diving. The loss of blood soon caused it to grow weak, and after 

 a fight, which lasted perhaps five minutes, it ceased to struggle alto- 

 gether, and was hauled to the side of the canoe and dispatched with 

 the club. 



In a fcAV minutes another seal was observed asleep a short distance 

 away; again sail was taken in and the same precautionary means used 

 as before. This individual was approached within 25 feet, and so good 

 a mark was it that the spear was driven nearly through the body. It 

 died almost immediately, and from the time it was struck until it was 

 landed in the bottom of the canoe did not occupy more than three 

 minutes. 



We had not proceeded far on our course when two seals were sighted 

 close together. They were so near each other that it was impossible 

 to spear one without waking the other, so the larger one of the two was 

 selected. As soon as it was struck, the other awoke, and with a few 

 jumps was out of danger, leaving its comi)anion to perish alone. We 

 soon found that this seal was going to make a hard fight and would 

 probably give us no little trouble. It jumped and dived in quick suc- 

 cession, pulling at the spear rope with sufficient force to move the 

 canoe about in a lively manner, and on two occasions the Indian who 

 was "playing" it had to let go of the line altogether to save himself 

 from being pulled overboard. This kind ol work was very severe on 

 the hands, but the Indian held on regardless of bleeding fingers. 

 When the seal would come to the surface to breathe a little slack rope 

 would be gathered in, only to be lost much quicker than gained. And 

 so they fought; first the hunter and then the seal would have the ad- 

 vantage of the situation, and, at the end of eight or ten minutes, the 

 seal apparently was as fresh as Mien first struck. It looked as if the 

 fight might last for a considerable length of time, which of course did 

 not suit'the Indians. In order that there should be no mistake about 

 the result of the fight, an old rifle was brought forth from the bottom 

 of the canoe. Watching his opportunity when the seal was making 

 one of its leaps, the hunter in the stern fired. He missed the mark 

 twice, but these failures did not by any means prove him to be a poor 

 shot, for a person who can hit a seal that is jumping wildly about in 

 every direction at the end of a spear line is indeed a good marksman. 

 A third shot, however, took effect, and the battle was decided. 



Close quarters evidently did not suit the seal, for it showed its teeth 



