A SINGULAR PHENOMENON. 



281 



sailors and others. Mr. Collins called it an electric gaseous 

 formation.' A similar phenomenon was afterward seen by 

 Seaman Dressier, who said this one exploded. He went 

 out where he thought it had fallen, but failed to find any 

 pieces." 



During this time numbers of seal and walrus were seen. 

 One of the Indians and myself got two walrus ; both had 

 fine tusks. These creatures were dozing on the edge of 

 the ice and partly in the water close beside each other. 

 They were both mortally hurt with the first bullets. The 



WALRUS. 



blood spurted out some two feet into the air from each bul- 

 let-hole. After the first fire we sprang forward within three 

 feet and fired five more bullets, finishing them. Their com- 

 bined weight was some 3,600 pounds. The Indian bared 

 one arm, pushed it down the throat of the one he shot, and, 

 pulling it out, wiped the fresh blood on his forehead, after 

 this applying some snow on the place. This, he said, was 

 for " good luck," and " because his father taught it him." 

 Thirty dogs, with a number of the men, dragged my walrus 

 over the ice, some three miles, to the ship. 



