The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-20
VOL. VH.---NO. 9.


aud quail. But the reindeer, the wal
rus, the seal, and the bear are Of the
greatest value TO the Esquimaux, both
for food and raimcnt. What the cocoa
nut palm, that tree Of a hundred uses,
is to the people Of the Indies, aud the
olive tree is to the Inhabitants Of Paies-
tine, the reindeer is to the people cf
Greenland The flesh, the tongue the
marrow in the bones are delicacies, the
blood is nourishing beverage the
skin not only furnishes clothing inpef.
vions to the cold, but also tents AID
bedding; and out Of the horns aud
bones are made all necessary household
utensils. When an Esquimarx catches
reindeer, be has on four legs, a larder
well filed, wardrobe well supplied, .
house well furnished. a ioaN
Next to the deer, the walrus is OF
most value TO Greenlahders. 1t was on
bright August day, when for the FIRST
time | saw herd Of these immense
beasts. The largest was not less than
twenty feet long, and weighed two
thousand pounds. The neck was short
and thick, the head small, the tusks
long, and the feet resembled broad en-
like paddles. When on land their
movements are slow and awkward, but
iu the water they move with great
rapidity aud power. When pursued BY
the hunter they display almost human
intelligence When 10 winter the wal
rus comes out Of the water, be breaks
up the ice with an explosive puff which
may be heard for miles. In the mean
time the hunter is lying on the ice
awaiting the favored moment. His in-
strnment Of attack is large harpoon,
to which is fastened strong line, Of
many fathoms length, made Of walrus
hide. The other end Of the line Is
attached to a rod of bone pointed with
iron, to be driven into the ice The
moment comes. The walrus rises breast
high above the ice, and looks around
US if halfsuspicious that some foe is
nigh. 10 an instant the hunter is on his
feet, aud the harpoon is buried under
the fipper Of the breast. With des-
peration the walrus plunges beneath
the water, and the hunter drives the
iron pointed rod into the solid ice, which
holds the line securely. Finding him
self fast the wounded beast comes to
the surface again, looks around, observes
where the stick is that holds tight the
line, again descends, comes up and
breaks the ice just where the staff had
been planted; but knowing the cunning
of the walrus, the hunter has hauled
10 his line aud planted his stick in
another place. And thus the struggle
goes on between skill aud force till the
beast is exhausted and the game secur-
ed. But with all his skill aud cunning,
the walrus is no match for the polar
bear. In August the walrus makes bis
way to the shore, draws his huge body
upon the rocks aud there basks 10 the
Sunshine. Ever watching for bis prey,
the bear mounts the overhapgiug cliffs,
and lifting large rock with bis fore
paws, and calculating the distance aud
curvature with the accuracy Of inath-
ematician, he hurls the. rock on the
animals head, crushing in the pouder-
Gus skull; then, like an arrow, the bear
rushes down the cliff, aud if the walrus
still lives, he hammers away with the
same rock till the beast is dead. D
Bear bunting is one Of the most ex-
citing scenes Of the polar regions. A
large she bear, with four months old
cub, was attacked first by the dogs,
which she caught up aud flung 10 a
great distance. Daring the struggle
the cub was wounded by pistol ball.
AT once the mother placed the cub
between her hind legs, and showing is
along sosght flight; but wounded her
self, she faced about, rose upon her
hind quarters, placed the cub between
her hind legs, and babe defiance to her
pursuers. Wounded again, she fell
dead, and the cub mounted tho dead
body of its mother, and continued the
fight till captured,
Since the days Of job, there has been
no such patience as is now displayed
by the Esquimaux, when in winter he
is hunting the seal. Having ascertain
ed where the seal is gnswing beneath
the ice for breathing hole, the hunter
perforates the spot with slender bone
rod, with point at one end aud knob
at the other, which is moved by the
seal in coming to the surface. This
may occupy twenty;four hours. Tbs
hunter then builds wall Of snow, four
feet high, to shelter him from the wind
Seating himself behind it, he places BY
his side spear and lines. He must
preserve the utmost silence, that be may
hear the seal at work aud not cause
fright to the animal. Ho even binds
his knees together with thong 10 pre-.
vent the rustling Of his clothes. And
there he sits for tweutyrfour hours,
waiting the coming Of the seal to the
surface, when he cautiously rises with
spear in hand, aud the long sought fol
seal is his. VI zssshnsS
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