Seals are exceedingly shy animals, and the slightest movement will
frighten them away. Therefore the seal hunter must stand perfectly
still, like a graven image, with harpoon poised, and that is pretty
cold work in zero weather. If luck is with him he will after a time
see a small movement in the water, and a moment later a seal's nose
will appear. Then like a flash of lightning, he casts the harpoon, and
if his aim is good, as it usually is, a seal is fast on the barbs of
the harpoon.
The harpoon point is attached to a long line, while the harpoon shaft,
by an ingenious arrangement, will slip free from the point. Now, while
the shaft remains in the hands of the hunter, the line begins running
rapidly down through the hole, for the seal in a vain endeavor to free
itself dives deeply. The other end of the line also remaining in the
hands of the hunter is fastened to the shaft of the harpoon, and there
is a struggle. In time, the seal, unable to return to its hole for
air, is drowned, and then is hauled out through the hole upon the ice.
These north Atlantic seals, having no fine fur like the Pacific seals,
are chiefly valuable for their fat.
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