SEAL-CHARMING. 



321 



side of it, we turned toward Chapell Inlet, intending to cross over 

 the isthmus at its head. The channel by which we had first en- 

 tered this inlet in the Rescue (August 21st, 1860) was now full of 

 hummocks; we therefore crossed over a neck of land perhaps 

 half a mile wide, covered with submerged ice. The floating qual- 

 ities of the sledge, as well as of the load, including ourselves, 

 made our passage by water rapid, though not very comfortable. 



We crossed this " pass" — used frequently by the Innuits and 

 the ship's crew in going to and from Cape True — and entered the 

 inlet. , Here I found many portions of the ice covered with the 

 melted snows, and in some places the sledge sank deep in the wa- 

 ter, much to the annoyance of the dogs as well as of ourselves. 



On the way Koojesse again had "talk" with some more seals 

 which we saw, and it was with great interest I watched him. He 

 lay down, on one side, and crawled by hitches or jerks toward his 

 victim ; then, as the seal raised its head, Koojesse would stop, and 

 commence pawing with his right hand and foot while he uttered 

 his " seal- talk." On this the seal would feel a charm, raise and 

 shake its flippers both " fore and aft," and roll over on its side 

 and back, as if perfectly delighted, after which it would drop its 

 head to sleep; then Koojesse would hitch, hitch along, till the 

 seal's head would pop up again, which usually occurred every few 

 moments. But Koojesse approached too near, and this broke the 

 charm, allowing the seal to escape, and leaving the disappointed 

 sealer to cry £< E-e-e-uk /" 



The great trouble with the Innuits in this mode of sealing is 

 that they often endeavor to get too near — say within five or seven 

 fathoms — so as to make sure of their aim with a gun or spear, and 

 this alarms their prey. 



During our progress up the inlet I observed a very small new- 

 ly-made igloo, and asked Koojesse what it meant. u Wich-ou, 

 wich-ou" (waitj wait), said he in reply, and in a few moments we 

 came alongside. The next instant Koojesse had jumped off the 

 sledge, and with a grab through the snow, drew forth by one of 

 its hind flippers a fine seal that he had killed when on his way 

 up to the vessel. 



As we proceeded up the inlet, gradually the low land at its 

 head appeared, and at two in the morning of the 22d we had 

 reached it. From here we turned westward, following the sinuos- 

 ities of the coast for two miles, when we struck across the narrow 

 strip of land dividing Chapell Inlet from Frobisher Bay. A few 



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