124 ODOB^NUS EOSMAEUS ATLANTIC WALEUS. 



plied bis lance from the bows, and gave many a serious wound. 

 The men pushed back the onset with their oars, while Knorr, 

 Jensen, and myself loaded and fired our rifles as rapidly as we 

 could. Several times we were in great jeopardy, but the timely 

 thrust of an oar, or the lance, or a bullet saved us. Once I 

 thought we were surely gone. I had fired and was hastening 

 to load ; a wicked-looking brute was making at us, and it seemed 

 probable that he would be upon us. I stopped loading, and was 

 preparing to cram my rifle down his throat, when Knorr, who 

 had got ready his weapon, sent a fatal shot into his head. 

 Again, an immense animal, the largest that I had ever seen, 

 and with tusks apparently three feet long, was observed to be 

 making his way through the herd, with mouth wide open, bel- 

 lowing dreadfully. I was now as before busy loading ; Knorr 

 and Jensen had just discharged their pieces, and the men were 

 well engaged with their oars. It was a critical moment, but, 

 happily, I was in time. The monster, his head high above the 

 boat, was within two feet of the gunwale, when I raised my 

 piece and fired into his mouth. The discharge killed him in- 

 stantlv and he went down like a stone. 



*/ 



u This ended the fray. I know not why, but the whole herd 

 seemed suddenly to take alarm, and all dove down with a tre- 

 mendous splash almost at the same instant. When they came 

 up again, still shrieking as before, they were some distance from 

 us, their heads all now pointed seaward, making from us as fast 

 as they could go, their cries growing more and more faint as 

 they retreated in the distance. 



" We must have killed at least a dozen, and mortally wounded 

 as many more. The water was in places red with blood, and 

 several half-dead and dying animals lay floating about us. The 

 bull to which we were made fast pulled away with all his might 

 after the retreating herd, but his strength soon became ex- 

 hausted ; and, as his speed slackened, we managed to haul in 

 the line, and finally approached him so nearly that our rifle-balls 

 took effect and Miller at length gave him the coup de grace with 

 his lance. We then drew him to the nearest piece of ice, and I 

 had soon a fine specimen to add to my Natural History collec- 

 tions. Of the others we secured only one ; the rest had died 

 and sunk before we could reach them. 



" I have never before regarded the Walrus as a formidable 

 animal ; but this contest convinces me that I have done their 

 courage great injustice. They are full of fight j and, had we not 



