192 
COMMON SEAL* 
sire trained from their childhood. By this they 
support themselves ; by this they render -them- 
selves agreeable to each other, and become bene- 
ficial members of the community. 
The hunting of this animal also evinces the 
courage and enterprise of the Finlander. The 
season for this chace begins when the sea breaks 
up, an’d the ice 'floats in shoals upon the surface. 
Four or five peasants will go out to sea in one 
small open boat, and often continue more than 
a month absent from their families. Thus do they 
expose themselves to all the horrors of the north- 
ern seas, having only a small fire, which they 
kindle on a sort of brick earth, and living on the 
flesh of the seals which they kill. The fat and 
skins are what they bring home. The perils with 
which these voyagers have to struggle are almost 
incredible. They are every instant betwixt masses 
of ice, which threaten to crush their little bark to 
atoms. They get upon the floating shoals ; and 
creeping along them, steal cautiously upon the 
seal, and kill him as he reposes on the ice. The 
following narrative will represent the extreme 
danger of this employment. 
A few years ago, two Finlanders set out in a 
boat together. Having got sight of some seals 
on a little floating island, they quitted their boat, 
and mounted the ice, moving on their bands and 
knees to get near them without being perceived. 
They had previously fastened their boat to the little 
island of ice which they disembarked upon ; but 
while they were busily engaged in the pursuit, 
a gust of wind tore it away ; and, meeting with 
other shoals, it was broken to pieces, and in a few 
minutes entirely disappeared. The hunters were 
aware of their danger only when it was too late. 
They were now left without help, without any 
resource, and without even a ray of hope, on theiff 
