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1861 Feb 21 Thursday

down our faces, letting that friendship [[underlined]] wherever [[/underlined]] found was a virtue worth living for & protecting.  We were under way at VI 1/2 o'clock Ugarny & Kunnia preceeding me & Ebierbing who accompanied the dogs & sledge.

The prospect of a Fine day was before us.  As we moved out into the Bay, the Eastern horizon resting on the bosom of the great deep, a glow of red enlightened & entwined that part of the heavens.  Anon, I would cast my eyes back to the little village of Igloos where I had spent so many days of comfort & happiness among my Innuit friends.  In truth I felt I was leaving my Northern Home.  We had a team of 8 dogs, the leader the intelligent, serviceable dog, "Smile".  From the poor hungry state of 4 of the dogs, our progress was moderate to what it would have been had they been in good condition.  We had upon the sledge an amount of seal-met & Ook-sook that was equivilent to a whole Seal of good size.  Of this, was a liberal piece of Seal beef for a present to Capt. Budington by Ebierbing & Tuk-oo-li-too.

On proceeding about 4 miles South, the Sun began to lift its glorious face, its rays kissing the white peaks of the mountains around.  At IX Oclock we reached new ice which started the Sealers with Oo-nars (spears) & seal-lines ([[space]]) to try their hand at Sealing.  Kunnia went with them seeking Seal holes.  In 10 minutes Ebierbing had found a hole & made fast to a seal!   I was left in care of the dog-team.  Ebierbing's cry was for me to come on & load up with Seal.  I answered to it by driving at Rail Road speed to him.  The dogs seemed to go as if a "feast"awaited [[underlined]] them! [[/underlined]]  Ebierbing knowing my solicitude of learning all about Sealing operations as performed by the Innuits, had left the hole & Seal just as when he struck the successful blow.  He simply held fast to his line, allowing poor seal to play around

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1861 Feb 21st Thursday

in its element till I should arrive & receive instruction.  When there, I took the line in hand, pulling it in till "pussy's" innocent looking face was in full view.  As its eyes met mine, I felt a shudder come over me, for it seemed to say plaintively but silently:  'O, why disturb me here - I fear you intend me harm - I pray thee do not kill me I will do no evil.  O, let me go'!  By the time I read these words in the half human face pleading for Mercy, the great Sealer had Oo-nar in onehand & the line in the other.  A few smart strokes of the spear enlarged the ice hole sufficient for drawing forth the "daily bread" creature of the Esquimaux when the Sealer hauled it up just sufficient that he could thrust the round, sharp, spear shank midway between the Seal's fore flippers.  The Seal's breast was pierced.  A score of drill strokes through the [[underlined]] single [[/underlined]] hole (through the skin) sufficed to make sure that the heart of poor seal was reached & its life function destroyed.  Not a struggle did the victim make.  When its end came, it was as peaceful as that of a lamb.  I see that by the operation of killing the Seal, great care is exercised to make but one hole (beside the wound given in the head by the harpoon when fastening to Seal) so as not to lose a particle of the blood.


A few moments found Seal on its back being drawn along on the ice at the stern of our sledge.

Ugarny had found a Seal hole over wh. he stood an hour.  Kunnia continued finding Seal holes which were numerous wherever new ice was formed.  Ebierbing continued for a while trying at this & that hole, but no more seals were caught on our way down.  A full hour was spent sealing.  Our reward was ample.  One Seal which we brought down - Ebierbing intending to present it to his aunt "Suzhy",