The sun., 1919-04-13

They were, however, more than usual
ly wary that day for some reason, and
I secured only two. Late in the eve
ming the sealers came home success
full. Natkusiak had shot two bearded
seals, although one Of them had been
on such thin ice that they had been
compelled 10 appoach it slowly and
carefully after it was shot, with the
result that the warm blood from the
wound made the place in which the
body lay so slippery that tho carcass
slid OF its own weight into the water
and was lost.
Getting Your Seal.
When one shoots seal on solid ice,
the ordinary procedure is to drop ones
gun Immediately after it is fred and
TO run at top speed TO the seal. 1t has
happened to me many time that
after a fifty yard sprint l have barely
caught the animal by his hind f1pper.
as he was beginning to slide, and it
has happened oftener yet that I have
been too late and have merely seen
the splash as the animal disappeared
In the water. Running Of course was
not to be thought OF on the thin ice
upon which Natkusiak hunted that
day. The other seal had not slid from
where he lay when shot, and had ac-
cordingly been saved and cut in six
segments for the six native families
represented. for Natkusiak had told
them that as we were the guests of
the village at the time and were not
doing our own housekeeping he did
not consider we were entitled to a
share.
Although it was blowing a stiff
breeze the next day we started off
north, for I was beginning to fear that
the spring currents might break up
the ice between Victoria and Banks
Islands and make our proposed cross
ing to Banks Island impossible. I was
anxious, nevertheless, to sec as many
as possible of the natives through
whose country We were passing, SO
that we camped that evening earlier
| than usual because of coming to a
crossroads where one new trail led
northward to VICTORIA Island and an
other on eastward. both having been
made within day or two. We en-
pected in the morning to be able to see
one or more camps If the weather was
clear.
Each Eskimo n Sovereign state.
The next morning the weather had
| changed but SO, unfortunately, had
Kirkpuk's mind. During the night he
and his wife had had time 10 think Of
, many things; how badly they would
miss their baby if they did not see
him for a year, and of how they might
never see him again for all they knew,
going as they were with us into a
dangerous and mysterious country;
and anyway kirltpuk now recollected
| he had promised So-and-so that he
would meet him that summer at Bear
Lake. After breakfast he presented
! to me these and other reasons OF the
! same sort without end which made it
| imperative that he should break his
agreement with MS and return.
! vas a little unreasonably annoyed
AT this change uf mind. There was
nothing wong about IT from the Es-
kimo point Of view. These people
know nothing among tn msclvcs OK
cept absolute social equality. The re-
lation of master and man IS an un-
known thing among them and there
| fore inconceivable. 4 promise &C
cording to their way of thinking means
merely that a man tells YOU what he
feels like doing at that particular
moment, and so long as his mind does
not change he will be willing to carry
out that intention: but whenever he
does change his mind there is nothing
TO he done but TO inform You that his
mind has been changed. and tho en-
PLANTATION Is considered satisfactory
and tho agreement dissolved. Ycster-
| day Kirkpuk had intended TO go with
me to Banks Island and he had told
me SO; this morning he intended to go
TO Bear Lake and accordingly Informed
| me of that fact. The Eskimo individ
ually behaves like a sovereign State.
Tho laws Of others do not bind him.
and he makes new laws for himself
whenever he likes.
J There was nothing for il but TO bid
farewell TO Kirkpuk and to continue
on the journey north. Before we
parted that morning two families OF
| tho PuiplirGmiut came up to our camp,
, travelling eastward along one of the
trails at the intersection of which our
camp was pitched. and they visited
with us few hours--long enough to
tell MS the names OF several conspicu-
Gus landmarks visible from where we
were, which indicated how We might
find tho next village north without
| following tho trail. which would be
circuitous. They also had their pho