ACEOSS THE SUB-AECTICS OF CANADA 



being thin, the walruses break up through it at any place, and 

 sport about in the water-holes thus formed. Then the 

 hunters — for several of them usually go together — march out 

 upon the ice and attack them from the edge of the water- 

 holes. This method of hunting is, however, rather dangerous, 

 as the animals have an ugly habit of noting the position of 

 their assailants, then disappearing below the water, and in a 

 moment presenting themselves below the ice at the spot where 

 the men stand. 



The Eskimos, who are familiar with this manoeuvre, change 

 their position the moment one of the crafty brutes goes down, 

 and stand, harpoons in hand, ready to receive him when he 

 returns crashing through the ice with deadly designs upon his 

 craftier adversaries. 



It is an easier matter to harpoon a walrus thus in the ice 

 than it is to secure him, for here the " oweta," or float, cannot 

 be used to advantage, and it is no easy matter to hold a three 

 thousand pounder of the sea. However, this is attempted, 

 and when one or more harpoons are made fast to the walrus 

 the ends of the lines are spiked down to the ice by stout spikes, 

 and in this way the brute is very powerfully anchored; but, 

 as I have before stated, in spite of all that can be done, he 

 often breaks away and takes the lines with him into the deep. 



PoLAE Beae Hunting. 



Polar bear hunting is an extremely dangerous and exciting 

 sport. An Eskimo rarely ever cares to tackle a bear single- 

 handed, but two men, armed with lances, do not hesitate to 

 attack this monarch of the north. 



The method adopted in Jiunting a polar is as follows : Two 

 men, armed only with lances, approach from opposite sides 

 at the same time. Then, as they close upon it, and the bear 

 charges either man, the other rushes forward with his lance. 

 Thus they let out its life-blood. It requires cool heads and 

 steady nerves to cope successfully with a polar in this 



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