OCCUPATIONS OF THE ESKIMOS 



as before, and if not with fatal results, the same manoeuvres 

 are repeated. In this way often two or three harpoon lines 

 and floats are attached to one walrus, but when so hampered 

 it is considered well secured, and is finally despatched by the 

 long, keen lance. 



When, however, the attack is made in the neighborhood of 

 heavy ice, as it frequently is, the hunt is much less likely to 

 result successfully. Because of the floating crystal, the hunter 

 often finds it difiiciilt to follow the movements of his game, 

 and even if successful in this and in placing a harpoon or 

 two, he is often defeated in the end by the line being torn 

 from the float, which has become fast in the broken ice. 

 Thus once freed, the wounded animal usually makes good 

 his escape. 



Occasionally these walrus contests result disastrously to 

 the hunter, for the sea-horse is by no means a passive, harm- 

 less creature, submitting without resistance to the attacks of 

 its enemies. Frequently one — or a number of them to- 

 gether — will make a charge upon the assailants, attacking 

 them viciously with their huge tusks, which, if brought in 

 contact with an Eskimo, are likely to make a sorry-looking 

 object of him. Of course, through long experience and prac- 

 tice in the chase, the Eskimo hunters become very expert in 

 dodging and foiling a charge, but sometimes they are caught 

 and roughly handled by these uncouth monsters of the sea. 



Upon one occasion an old hunter, named Goto, whom I 

 knew, met with a serious accident while hunting walruses in 

 his kyack. A number of them charged upon him suddenly, 

 and he being unable to get out of their way, his frail craft 

 was broken and torn to shreds, and his body was frightfully 

 bruised and lacerated before he made his escape. The poor 

 fellow recovered, however, but only after months of sore 

 suffering. 



For a short time during the autumn season the sea-horse 

 is hunted without the assistance of the kyack. The new ice 



149 



