iiiACHTEXBERGJ ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 167 



14. The Lost Seal Hunters 



When all lived together at Seal Rock, those who lived in former 

 days severally at Seal Rock, (had) two houses and two canoes. Thus 

 they always lived like that. (They) were habitually makmg all sorts 

 of things for those previously mentioned canoes. Ropes were usually 

 made. Ropes were made of the smews of seals. Smce (those smews) 

 were very strong, (the ropes) never broke. For that reason were such 

 ropes used, whenever a whale w^as being speared. As soon as a pole 

 was finished and also a rope, as well as some killmg tool, such a number 

 (of implements) would be the property of one canoe. And now (there 

 were two people who) were not living (there) long when they two 

 talked among themselves. ''Should both of us two not kill habitually 

 (a seal), we two will divide mutually (our catch). If one (of us) only 

 should happen to kill (a seal), we two will simply share mutually (in 

 the catch)." Tlius-they two were habitually talking while they were 

 staying (at Seal Rock). 



Now (one day) after daylight appeared, the wind just disappeared 

 in the mornmg. Seals were staying on that previously mentioned 

 rock. Then they two launched their canoes. And then they went 

 in canoes and came close to the rock. They were gomg to paddle 

 quickly. Now when they came in their canoes to the rock, two people 

 jumped on the rock from inside the canoe. Then they two climbed 

 up and began to coax each other (to throw the spear). And then 

 some big seals raised themselves (and) those large seals were about to 

 jump into the ocean. Then the two people took positions at the 

 mouth of the river (and) said to each other, "Only when (a) big (seal) 

 will come into the mouth of the river, then shalt thou spear him." 

 Tiius they two were talkmg to each other. They tw^o were standing 

 (there) ; they two w^ere countmg (the seals) . And then one of them 

 said: "A big one is commg this way now. Now thou shalt spear 

 him." So then after (the seal) arrived at the mouth of the river, he 

 speared him. And then they two went into the boat. The seal had 

 a carefully (planted) wound. Now they went by means of (their) 

 canoes. Then he who had charge of the harpoon stood up. Verily, 

 (it was) not long before the pole was seen as it kept on gomg (into the 

 body of the seal). (Tiie seal) jumped upward from the water. 

 Although (the seal was going) very far, nevertheless (the pole) was 

 sticking out. That seal was about to go in a southerly direction. 

 "Let us paddle!" Then, verily, they (did so). Now they began to 

 come close to the pole. The seal floated up just a little from the 



11 Abbreviated for sis. 



12 qalo'sik-s into the ocean would have been more proper. 



13 k'is + -aux + -auk-. 



i^ The prefix hak-- has been transposed here from the followhig noun- 



