Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/61

42 leader, seal, and bear dog I ever saw, caught him by the tail and flippers. The seal struggled violently, and so did dog Smile, making the sledge to caper about merrily; but in a moment more the other dogs laid hold, and aided in dragging the seal out of his hole on to the ice, when Smile took it wholly in charge. The prize was secured this time wholly by the dogs. DOG "SMILE" CAPTURES A SEAL.

On the 18th we had an excellent supper of fresh fish, caught by the Innuits with spears and hooks among the ice cracks; and almost daily something fresh was added to our food.

At this time most of the ship's crew were again at the whaling dépôt, cruising in every direction for whales. Indeed, Mate Rogers and some of the men had been left there to keep a look-out when the captain came away, to see about getting the vessel round, and frequent communication had, as usual, been maintained. On the 23d it was necessary to send a supply of sundries to the company there, and a boat's crew were despatched, I accompanying them. As the ice still hung together between the ship and open water in the bay, the boat was lashed upon a sledge drawn by dogs, my favourite Barbekark being one, and away we