410 * A WALRUS HUNT. 



charge killed him instantly, and he went down like a 

 stone. 



This ended the fray. I know not why, but the 

 whole herd seemed suddenly to take alarm, and all 

 dove down with a tremendous splash almost at the 

 same instant. When they came up again, still shriek- 

 ing 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 ani- 

 mals lay floating about us. The bull to which we 

 w^ere 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 eflfect, 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 reached them. 



I have never before regarded the walrus as a really 

 formidable animal; but this contest convinces me that 

 I have done their courage great injustice. They are 

 full of fight ; and, had we not been very active and 

 self-possessed, our boat would have been torn to pieces, 

 and we either drowned or killed. A more fierce at- 

 tack than that which they made upon us could hardly 

 be imagined, and a more formidable looking enemy 

 than one of these huge monsters, with his immense 

 tusks and bellowing throat, would be difficult to find. 



