o
land, so that their father and the others might observe and criticise
their evolutions. As the exercises which they went through are
practised by Eskimos in order to fit them to cope with the accidents and
emergencies of actual life, we will briefly describe them.

First Norrak leaned over on one side, of course carrying the kayak with
him, until his body lay on the water, in which position he maintained
himself and prevented a total overset by manipulating his paddle, and
then, with a downward dash of the blade and a vigorous jerk of his body,
he regained his position, amid expressions of approval from the shore.
Having performed the same feat on the other side, he nodded to Ermigit,
and said--

"Now you go to work."

Ermigit went to work so well, that even a critical judge could not have
pronounced him better or worse than his brother. After that they both
repeated the complete overturn and recovery already described. In this
effort, however, the lads had the free use of their paddles; but as in
actual service the paddle may easily get entangled with straps and
fishing cordage, a special exercise is arranged to prepare the hunter
against such misfortunes.

Accordingly Norrak pushed one blade of his paddle among the straps and
cordage, overset the kayak, and worked himself up again with a quick
motion of the other blade. Of course this was not done either easily or
quickly. Nevertheless, it was accomplished by both lads to the entire
satisfaction of their critics.

Next, they performed the same feat of upsetting and recovering position
with the paddle held fast behind their backs, and then with it held
across the nape of the neck--and in several other positions, all of
which represented cases of possible entanglement.

Sometimes, however, the paddle may be lost in an upset. This is the
most serious misfortune that can befall a hunter. To prepare for it,
therefore, the Eskimo boys and youths have a special drill, which Norrak
now proceeded to go through. Overturning his kayak as before, he
purposely let go the oar in the act, so that it floated on the water,
and then, while thus inverted, he made an upward grasp, caught the
paddle, pulled it down, and with it recovered his position. There would
have been great danger in this if he had been alone, for in the event of
his failing to catch the paddle he would probably have been drowned, but
with Ermigit at hand to help, there was no danger.

Other exerc