ABSTRACT
Of the form of the rein-deer it is unnecessary for me to attempt a particular description. He visits the polar regions at the latter end of Mayor the early part of June, and rernains untillate in September. On his first arrival he is thin, and his flesh is tasteless, but the short summer is sufficient to fatten hirn to two or three inches on the haunches. When feeding on level ground, an Eskimaux makes no attempt to approach hirn, but should a few rocks be near, the wary hunter feels secure ofhis prey. Behind one of these he cautiously creeps, and having laid hirnself very elose, with his bow and arrow before hirn, imitates the bellows of the deer when calling to each other. Sometimes, for more complete deception, the hunter wears his deer-skin coat and hood so drawn over his head, as to resemble, in a great measure, the unsuspecting animals he is enticing. Though the bellow proves a considerable attraction, yet if a man has great patience, he may do without it, and may be equally certain that his prey will ultimately come to examine hirn; the rein-deer being an inquisitive animal, and at the same time so silly, that if he sees any suspicious object which is not actually chasing hirn, he will gradually, and after many caperings and forming repeated cireles, approach nearer and nearer to it. The Eskimaux rarely shoot until the creature is within twelve paces, and I have frequently been told oftheir being killed at a much shorter distance. It is to be observed, that the hunters never appear openly, but ernploy stratagern for their purpose; thus by patience and ingenuity rendering their rudely formed bows, and still worse arrows, as effective as the rifles of Europeans. When two men hunt in company, they sometimes purposely show themselves to the deer, and when his attention is fully engaged, walk slowly away from hirn, one before the other. The deer follows, and when the hunters arrive near a stone, the foremost drops behind it and prepares his bow, while his companion continues walking steadily forward. This latter the deer still follows unsuspectingly, and thus passes near the concealed man, who takes a deli berate aim and kills the animal. When the deer assemble in herds, there are particular passess which they invariably take, and on being driven to thern are killed with arrows by the men, while the wornen, with shouts drive them to the water. Here they swim with the ease and activity of water-dogs; the
people in kayaks chasing and easily spearing them: the carcasses float, and the hunter then presses forward and kills as many as he finds in his track. No springes, or traps, are used in the capture ofthese animals, as is practised to the southward, in consequence of the total absence of standing wood. Musk-oxen are killed in the same manner as deer; and with both it is requisite, on account of their quick scent, to make advances against the wind, or, to use a sea phrase, to have them in the 'wind's eye'. Hares are also killed with arrows, and being quiet animals, are easily caught sitting, by those who know their haunts. Grouse being in large coveys, present an extensive mark for the hunter; and as they are stupid, and not easily persuaded to fly, will see the arrow fall amongst them with the greatest unconcern. The shooter walks to pick it up, and they remove a few paces only before hirn, so that he has repeated shots. Swans, geese, ducks, and other birds, iflying in the hunter's path, are killed by the same weapon; but they are so much more easily obtained by other means, that he never moves out for the express purpose of shooting them. Opinions vary considerably respecting the skill which the Eskimaux display in archery; but I am of that party which condemns them as very indifferent marksmen.
