140. ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTIES OF CANADA 
outer black skin becomes decomposed. This, together 
with the hair, is readily peeled off, and a clean white 
pelt remains. 
Two men then take the pelt in hand, and with a 
sharp knife cut it into one long even white line, 
by commencing at one end and cutting around and 
around until at length the other end is reached. One 
skin in this way will make three hundred feet of line. 
In this condition it is allowed to partially dry, after 
which it is tightly stretched and dried thoroughly in 
the sun. The result obtained is a hard even white line 
three-eighths of an inch in diameter, but equal in 
strength to a three-inch manilla rope. 
I have seen such a line, when imbedded in the flesh 
of a walrus at one end, and spiked to the hard ice at 
the other by a stout iron pin, as well as being held by 
six men, plough a furrow six inches deep through the 
ice, bend the spike and drag the six men to the edge of 
the ice, where the tug of war ended, the walrus, victori- 
ous, taking the unbreakable line with him into the deep. 
Smaller seal thongs, such as are extensively used ° 
as lashings for komiticks, kyacks, handles, ete. are 
made in much the same way as I have described, except 
that the hide of smaller seals is used, and often the pro- 
cess of removing the outer black skin is omitted, the hair 
being simply scraped off with a sharp knife or scraper. 
Finer lines, such as those used for fishing or for wind- 
ing whip-stocks, and thread for sewing purposes, are 
manufactured from reindeer sinew. The best is that 
obtained from along the spine, which is always saved 
from the carcase. It is prepared for use by first drying 
and then rubbing till it becomes quite soft, when it is 
