332 
SEAL. 
manner : In the autumn, when, in stormy weather, 
the seals retire into the creeks or inlets, the Green- 
landers cut off their retreat, and frighten them under 
water by shouting, clapping, and throwing stones ; 
and as often as they rise to the surface to breathe, 
the people frighten them down again with their cla- 
mour ; till at last they are obliged to stay so long 
above water that they fall a prey to the darts of the 
inhabitants. During this hunt the Greenlanders 
show a great deal of agility. When the seal rises 
out of the water, they all fly upon it at the same 
time, making such a terrible noise that the poor af- 
frighted creature is forced to dive again directly; and 
the moment it does they disperse as fast as possible, 
and every one is careful to observe where the seal 
rises, which is an uncertain thing, and is commonly 
three quarters of a mile from the former spot. If 
the animal has a good broad water, three or four 
leagues each way, it can keep the sportsmen in play 
for a couple of hours before it is sufficiently spent 
to permit them to surround and kill it. This is 
a very profitable diversion for the Greenlanders ; 
eight or ten seals sometimes falling to the share of 
one man. 
Another method of killing seals is practised in 
Disko, where the bays are completely frozen over 
in the winter. There is some variation in the man- 
ner which the inhabitants pursue to capture the 
animals. The Greenlander, being well aware that 
the seals must come occasionally to the surface to 
breathe, proceeds upon the ice till he finds a hole, 
