CUSTOMS OF THE ESKIMOS: 159 
The method adopted in hunting a polar is as follows: 
Two men, armed only with lances, approach it 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 
be able to cope successfully with a polar in this way, 
but both of these characteristics the Eskimos possess in 
a marked degree, and it is comparatively seldom that 
accidents happen while thus engaged. 
These bears, which jive almost entirely upon seals, are 
usually found near the sea-shore, and often out some 
distance, swimming in the water, where they can live 
for a considerable length of time. The Eskimos attack 
them here as well as upon the land, but in the water 
they are treacherous enemies to deal with, as they 
are expert Swimmers and divers. They are very liable 
to surprise one by suddenly disappearing and reappear- 
ing at embarrassingly close quarters. 
The Eskimo custom in bear-hunting is, that whoever 
first sees a bear is the owner of the carease, no matter 
who kills it, but the skin is divided up among the 
several hunters. 
A bear-skin is so heavy that the Eskimo has no 
special object in preserving it whole, but he finds the 
greatest use for it when it is cut up into small pieces. 
In this condition it is commonly used by hunters as 
mats, which they tie under them when crawling over 
the ice after seals, or across the wet plains after deer. 
The pieces of bear-skin act as skates, upon which they 
can easily drag themselves along. 
The Eskimo method of hunting birds is chiefly with a 
