A LAND OF ETERNAL WARRING 



677 



SMALI. SCHOONER PUSHING "dOWN NORTh" 



The iceberg and the floe-ice show the dangers and the fearlessness of the men. These 

 vessels are only 2^-inch planking, and every year some are sunk by the ice going through 

 their sides. It is remarkable how few lives are lost, however. The pieces free are used as 

 rafts till another vessel comes to the rescue. 



around, passing between some islands 

 and the southern cape. 



So regularly is this the case that every 

 northeast wind in the fall, without ex- 

 ception, a crowd of gunners line this 

 tickle or strip of water between island 

 and mainland, fire at random into the 

 passing birds, and share equally the vic- 

 tims that fall. It is worth any one's 

 while to join this company once, if only 

 to see the arquebusses and almost *'cul- 

 verins" that some of these men produce 

 and fire out of. 



Their dogs, too, are a wonderful sight 

 retrieving in these breaking seas, and 

 climbing back against the back wash up 

 these smooth-worn cliff sides. Only na- 

 tive dogs can stand it. My English re- 

 triever and spaniels are forced to con- 

 fine their attention to the little piles of 



birds that soon grow up behind each 

 sportsman, which with skill worthy of a 

 better cause they steal and bring to mine. 



For home consumption, however, the 

 seals are most valuable, their skins and 

 fat forming a marketable commodity of 

 no mean value. When seals "strike in" 

 plentifully it is the easiest way in the 

 world to get rich, for it means that this 

 source of wealth just comes to your door 

 and drown themselves in your nets ready 

 for your use. 



Certain headlands are far better than 

 others for this purpose. These are sit- 

 uated generally close to great turns in 

 the land, as if the seals under water 

 steered by the coast exactly as the birds 

 do above. The analogy is made closer 

 by the stupid way so many trim into one 

 or two wide blind bights near the corner. 



