Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-07-24
HUNTING THE SEA HORSE.
Interestff>g Account of the Exciting
Sport In HudsOn's hay.


dozen, although six to ten is fair sam
pie. They take their large sealskin
scows, or oomiens. holding a score of
these people, should the party be large,
or a white mans whaleboat if handy, and
with three or four small skin canoes
kiaks-weighing about forty or fifty
pounds apiece, they repair to the northern
half Of the island, their weapons being
guns, lances, harpoons, lines and floats.
They always try to select a fine, clear
day, with but little sea at the time; in
fact, if very rough they never attempt
one of these hunts, and their greatest
fear is that storm may arise while they
are engaged in it, for to reach the island,
make a successful catch, cut it up and
return requires the greater part of day,
and the summer day of North Hudson's
bay is generous allopathic one OF many
hours, followed by very homeopathic
night. Unless very quiet they never
essay the passage in their oomiens, but
will risk much more in the whaleboats,
a number of which they possess and
manage as we'll as the white men. The
hunting party nearing the island, all
conversation is stopped or dropped to
necessary whispers, the oars are piled as
if they were muffied, and all movements
are done as silently as possible, for the
walrus has an acute ear, although it is
very small. Having completed the land
ing noiselessly their weapons are made
ready.
The first weapon used on the animal
is the harpoon. 1t is similar to the har-
pooh of the whalers, which has been
probably borrowed from it and adapted
to civilized uses. 1t is about six feet
long, with barbed spear point or head
which, driven beneath the tough skin
of the walrus, the barb turns and in do
ing so, becomes detached from the
handle, which is thrown or floats away,
as it may happen to be on land or water,
where it is struck. Attached to this
barb or head is strong, supple line of
tanned sealskin about twenty or thirty
feet long, about the size of rope called
''clothes' line" and three or four times
as strong. This is wound around the
natives neck when he has the
walrus spear in his hand. At the other
end is large, inflated sealskin float
about the size of a ten gallon keg, or
probably little larger. This is some
times allowed to hang over the hunters
back, for it weighs little or nothing-or
companion, generally boy, may hold
it for him, walking behind him as he
steals on the animal with careful steps.
Every projecting stone or hillock of sand
is taken advantage of in getting as near
as possible to the clumsy monsters, and
when the line of hunters, six or seven in
number, are as close as they can crawl
without showing themselves or attract
ing attention, signal is given by one,
loud shout of "I-yi-yi" and with three
or four nimble bounds forward the hun
tiers are each within striking distance of
the selected walrus, and, burying the
spear head in the animals thick
hide, they commence paying out
the line from around their head
with lightning like rapidity as the
huge brute descends the steep
slope, and when its end is reached they
throw the light float high in the air with
merry "Ah-nyahw equivalent to our
slang go It'll" and possibly it may not
strike the ground at all, so swift is the
walrus escaping, or if he does it is with
bound that sends it clear into the sea
just as the object at the other end of the
line goes into it too with a splash that
can only be made by ton of tough meat
striking an incoming breaker.
A rush of the herd into the sea is some
thing very exciting, as they rolling and
jumping, snorting and blowing to the
water. Their gait is series of spasmodic
jumps. Some of the hunters, if there be
many, may have taken shot or two or
jab with a sharp lance at those unfortu-
nate ones so near that they were selected
to be harpooned. There is but little use
in shooting at any of the others, for un-
less a shot be Immediately fatal, as
through the head or neck, the animals
escape and die in the water, while every
shot or wound that materially disables
one that is attached to float increases
the chances of securing it after it has got
ten in the water. Sometimes the method
of giving the signal where there are
many hunters is volley from the guns,
and should any drop with a fatal shot
they are passed by the harpoon men and
another selected to spear; but if only
wounded the spear is thrust into it. AS
soon as the herd has gained the water
the hunters rush for their kiaks and
boats in which to pursue the
walrus, especially those that are swim
ming away with the floats, their arms
being their guns and lances. When a
speared walrus gains the water he at
once dives. carrying the float down with
him out of sight, but after two or three
minutes the float hobs up about hundred
yards away, and second or two after
is followed by the animal coming to the
surface to breathe, which he does with
loud puffs and snorts, "blowing" water
into the air like small whale. If again
frightened by the near approach of his
enemies he takes two or three gasps of
breath and goes down again, to reappear
a trife sooner than before, for it Is her.
culcan work to KEEP the float down with
him under water. If severely pressed,
that is fired at every time his head APP.
pears, or thrust at with lance, he gets
but little breathing time above, and after
the float has been down dozen or a
score of times, each interval less, the
nearly exhausted walrus ceases to drag
it under with him, and when he dives
to escape his tormentors, he simply
draws it along the surface like small
fish with large cork. AS soon as the
hunters have gained their canoes and
boats away they scurry after the speared
WalrlS and as the second one hobs hic
head above water a shot from gun. or a
lance thrust if he be near, greets his ap-
pearance. Occasionally one Of these
shots, if we'll aimed, may settle the
tragedy at once and the hunter pad
dies to the float and seizes it to avoid
| losing his prov They nanerallu sncura