ACEOSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OP CANADA 



When its head is down upon the ice its eyes are shut, and it 

 is said that in these brief intervals it takes its sleep. How- 

 ever this may be, the hunter, by carefully watching the seal's 

 movements, is able, without much difficulty, to get within 

 about two hundred yards of it; but for closer quarters other 

 tactics are necessary, and iiere the real sport begins. 



The hunter lies down at his full length upon the ice. 

 Seal takes Eskimo, who is able to talk seal perfectly, to be 

 one of its kinsmen; and indeed there is a great deal of re- 

 semblance between the genera, for both are similarly clothed, 

 and the Eskimo, living largely upon the flesh and oil of the 

 seal, is similarly odorous. As the two lie there upon the ice, 

 a most amusing sort of conversation is kept up between them. 

 Seal makes a remark and flips his tail. Eskimo replies in a 

 similar manner, making the gesture with his foot, and at the 

 same time throws himself a little forward. Seal soon has 

 something further to say, and again flips his tail. Eskimo 

 replies as before, and closes up slightly farther the distance 

 between them. 



When the seal's head is down, the hunter, who ever keeps 

 his eye on his prey, is able to approach still nearer by drag- 

 ging himself forward upon his elbows. This manoeuvring 

 goes on for some time, until the distance between the per- 

 formers has been reduced to a few yards, and sometimes to a 

 very few feet. 



When near enough to make a sure shot, the Eskimo takes 

 his bow and arrow from his side and sends a shaft through 

 the head of his outwitted companion. Sometimes, instead of 

 the bow and arrow, a harpoon is used with equal effect. 



I knew an Eskimo who was so expert at this kind of sport 

 that he was able to catch seals with his teeth. 



In order to secure one by shooting, as just described, it is 

 necessary to finish it instantly, for if only shot through the 

 body, or even through the heart, it will throw itself into its 

 hole and thus be lost. 



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