Page:The white czar; a story of a polar bear (IA whiteczarstoryof00hawk).pdf/119

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in order, the Eskimos turned their attention to fishing.

Each day both the men and the women would go forth in the large square-ended boats to fish. These boats are very steady and so are especially good for fishing. The Eskimo name means women's boat and it is used derisively. But they are much better for fishing than is the unstable kayak, which carries only one person.

The fishing is done in rather shallow water corresponding to the Newfoundland Banks, only it is several hundred miles further north. The best fish that they take is the cod. They use two brightly painted hooks which are kept rapidly moving up and down just above the floor of the ocean. This kind of fishing is called jigging.

If the cod fishing is good, it will not be many days before all through Eskimo Village the fish will be seen drying on poles which keep them well up out of the way of the ravenous dogs.

Little Oumauk and Whitie were left very much to themselves during these long, warm days and they had the finest kind of a sum-