COSHOMS TOR: LHF, ESKIMOS. 155 
The remaining portion of the line is neatly coiled, and 
is provided at the end with a small loop. 
The line used is that made from the skin of the square- 
flipper seal, as already described, and may be two or 
three hundred feet in length, though sometimes not so 
long. The line box is simply a small round parchment- 
covered frame, about the size of the lid of a cheese-box, 
and is fastened to the top of the kyack, behind the 
paddler. : 
The seal-skin float is a pecular-looking object, consist- 
ing of the entire skin of a seal, removed from the carcase, 
as before described, without cutting it. The hair is re- 
moved from the pelt, which is then dressed as black 
parchment. The natural opening at the mouth of the 
skin sack is provided with an ivory nozzle and plug. 
By blowing into the nozzle the skin 1s inflated, and may 
be kept in that condition by inserting the plug. At 
the tail-end of the float is an ivory cross-head, to which 
the loop at the end of the harpoon line may be readily 
attached. 
The lance completes the walrus hunter’s equipment. 
This instrument is formed of a long iron or ivory bar 
having a steel blade point. The bar is fitted to a wooden 
handle by a ball-and-socket joint, and stiffly hinged with 
thongs as in the case of the harpoon. The object of the 
joint is to prevent the lance from being broken when 
thrust into a walrus, as otherwise it would be, by the 
animal plunging about. 
Equipped as above, the Eskimo hunters go out during 
the season of open water in pursuit of walruses, which, 
feeding upon clams, are usually found about sandy 
shores or islands. Single animals are sometimes found, 
