When a fish is seen lying on the
water, they cautiously paddle up astern of him, till a single canoe,
preceding the rest, comes close to him on one quarter, so as to enable
the man to drive the _katteelik_ into the animal with all the force of
both arms. This having the _siatko_, a long _allek_, and the inflated
sealskin attached to it, the whale immediately dives, taking the whole
apparatus with him except the katteelik, which, being disengaged in the
manner before described, floats to the surface, and is picked up by its
owner. The animal reappearing after some time, all the canoes again
paddle towards him, some warning being given by the sealskin buoy
floating on the surface. Each man being furnished like the first, they
repeat the blows as often as they find opportunity, till perhaps, every
line has been thus employed. After pursuing him in this manner sometimes
for half a day, he is at length so wearied by the resistance of the
buoys, and exhausted by the loss of blood, as to be obliged to rise more
and more often to the surface, when, by frequent wounds with their
spears, they succeed in killing him, and tow their prize in triumph to
the shore.
In attacking the walrus in the water they use the same gear, but much
more caution than with the whale, always throwing the _katteelik_ from
some distance, lest the animal should attack the canoe and demolish it
with his tusks.
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