THE SEAL HUNT.
IT was about this time that Etu's father bored holes in his son's lips.
These holes were made at each end of the mouth. Ivory buttons were
fitted into them, and now Etu felt that he was more of a man than ever
before. It was a proud moment when he looked in the bit of mirror his
father had bought for ten seal hides, and gazed on his queer ornaments.
He thought they were very beautiful, and then they fitted so well! The
pain of having the holes bored, and the unpleasant feeling before the
flesh healed, were of little matter to him. It was not worth thinking
about.
It was a terrible winter, and food was scarce. There was a very small
supply of meat on hand in the village. The first pleasant morning after
Etu's fishing outfit was finished, he started off for a day's hunt on
the ocean. Very early in the morning he and his father went out on the
rocks to look for the weather signs. Yes, it would be a clear day; it
would be safe to venture on the waves. The other men of the village
were already out, and soon all were busy launching their boats. No
breakfast was eaten; they could work better and shoot straighter if
they waited to eat until they came back.
Each one of the party carefully arranged his harpoon, spear, and float
on the deck of his boat; then, shoving it into the icy water, sprang in
after it and quickly fitted himself into the small seat. The sea jacket
must be drawn carefully around the hoop, for, if water should enter,
the boat would soon sink.
As the hunters paddled merrily along, the waves kept dashing over the
decks. But the men sang and shouted gaily to each other as though it
were the finest sport in the world. Yet it was a lonely scene about
them; we should even call it fearful. Cakes of ice jostled against the
boats here and there, and far out in the dim light a floating field of
ice could be seen by the watchful Eskimos. Sometimes they hunted for
the seals on such fields, for these creatures often gather in herds on
the ice to bask in the sun and to sport together. But to-day they would
search for them in the ocean itself.
The boats skimmed onward over the waves till the land lay far behind.
Three hours passed before the seal ground was reached. Etu paddled
steadily and kept up with the men who had so much more experience than
himself.
As his father watched him from time to time, he thought, "My boy will
be a leader for his people when I grow old and weak. I have never
before seen one so young show such strength."
[Illustration: "WHIZZ! SOUNDS THE HARPOON AS IT SPEEDS FROM ETU'S
SHOULDER"]
Etu's father was held to be the best huntsman of the village, and
for this very reason was looked upon as the chief. The Eskimos share
everything in common, but one man in a settlement is chosen as the
leader. He settles the disputes and gives advice when it is needed. He
directs the hunt and judges the wrong-doer. When he fails in strength
it is but right that another should be chosen in his place.
When the seal ground was reached at last, the men moved away from each
other in different directions; the singing and shouting stopped as they
rested on their paddles and watched for seals' heads to appear above
the water. Etu's father kept quite near him; he might be needed to help
his son in case he was successful.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty, thirty, but the boy did not grow
impatient. His bright eyes watched closely, scanning the water in all
directions. At last he was rewarded, for look! there is a brown head
rising into view. The seal is easily frightened, and darts out of sight
when he sees the boy in the boat. But Etu does not move a muscle till
the seal has disappeared. Then he paddles rapidly toward the spot where
the creature sank out of sight and once more quietly waits, but this
time with harpoon in hand.
Seals are able to stay under water for twenty minutes at a time. They
can close their nostrils whenever they choose, and they breathe very
slowly at all times. But they must come to the surface after a time for
fresh air. Etu knows this and watches.
Ah! the water moves again. The prey is to be seen and is but a short
distance away. Whizz! sounds the harpoon as it speeds from Etu's
shoulder and goes straight to the mark. Quick as a flash the float is
thrown from the boat, and the coil of rope fastened to it runs out as
the seal drags it along. He throws himself about in agony, but cannot
free himself from the cruel harpoon lodged in his side. The water is
stained with blood.
Now the float can be seen on the surface of the waves, now it is
dragged below as the seal dives out of sight; but Etu does not worry.
He must paddle far enough away from the seal, however, to keep out of
danger. For although it is usually a timid and gentle creature, yet,
when it is attacked, it grows daring and dangerous.
Etu knows of several hunters whose boats have been ripped open by
seals; they would have been killed by their angry foes if their
comrades had not come to their rescue. The boy has listened to stories
of such narrow escapes ever since he was old enough to understand
these things. So he is very quick and watchful. He does not notice that
his father has drawn quite close, and sits, spear in hand, ready to end
the seal's life if his son should fail.
And now the wounded animal appears again directly in front of the boat.
A good chance must not be lost, and Etu, seizing his spear, drives it
straight through one of the flippers. It pierces the seal's lungs, and
after a few gasps the beautiful soft eyes close in death.
"Well done, my boy," shouted his father. "You have won the first prize
of the day. You shall treat our friends."
Now it is a custom among these people of the cold lands that when a
seal is killed the successful hunter at once cuts away a portion of
blubber, and divides it among the rest of the party. Etu, therefore,
pulled the dead seal close to his boat, drew out the spear and
harpoon, and coiled the cord attached to it. After putting these in
their proper places on the deck of the kayak, he cut away the blubber,
and proudly distributed the treat among the men, who by this time had
drawn near. It was at least noontime, and was the first food tasted
that day. Every one praised the boy's skill, and then all drew off once
more to their different stations.
Before the afternoon was over, Etu's father had secured two seals,
and two more were killed by others of the party. It had been a most
successful hunt, although several accidents had occurred. One of the
seals captured by Etu's father had succeeded in tearing the float
into shreds before he was finally killed. Another of the hunters was
overturned and almost drowned. This was because the cord attached to
the harpoon had caught in a strap on the deck as it was running out.
The wounded seal dragged him along as it plunged, before he had a
chance to free his boat.
Over they went, man and boat, and only the keel of the kayak could
be seen. The seal, too, was out of sight. Did it see the man? was it
attacking him below the surface of the water?
Three of the man's companions paddled rapidly toward the overturned
boat. One of them reached his arm down under the water and, giving a
skilful jerk to the man's arm, brought him up suddenly on even keel.
Another of the party cut the cord with his spear. Still a third found
the paddle, of which he had lost hold, and gave it into his hands. Then
all started off in pursuit of the seal as though nothing had happened.
You must ask Etu to tell you more of the wonderful doings of that first
ocean hunt. He will never forget even the smallest thing which happened
on that day.
It was near night when the party started homeward, and three good hours
of paddling were before them. At length, however, the shore came into
view. Nearer and nearer it looked to the tired workers. And yes! there
were the women waiting and watching, ready for the good news.
Etu was not the first to land, for you remember he had a seal in tow,
and those who are so burdened cannot travel as quickly over the water
as others who have no extra weight. He travelled homeward beside his
father's still more heavily laden boat; while both the man and his son
pictured the mother's delight at Etu's success.
As the boats landed, one by one, the men jumped out, and started for
home with their weapons. The women would draw up the boats into safe
places. They would also dispose of the seals. The men's work was done,
and nothing was left for them now except to sit around the oil lamp,
eat, and tell stories of the day's adventures. This very night there
would be a seal feast at Etu's home, and hours would be given up to
eating and making merry.