408 A WALRUS HUNT. 



to follow. The strain of the line whipped the boat 

 around among some loose fragments of ice, and the 

 line having fouled among it, we should have been in 

 great jeopardy had not one of the sailors promptly 

 sprung out, cleared the line, and defended the boat. 



In a few minutes the whole herd appeared at the 

 surface, about fifty yards away from us, the harpooned 

 animal being among them. Miller held fast to his 

 line, and the boat was started with a rush. The 

 coming up of the herd was the signal for a scene 

 which baffles description. They uttered one wild 

 concerted shriek, as if an agonized call for help ; and 

 then the air was filled with answering shrieks. The 

 " huk ! huk ! huk ! " of the wounded bulls seemed to 

 find an echo everywhere, as the cry was taken up and 

 passed along from floe to floe, like the bugle-blast 

 passed from squadron to squadron along a line of bat- 

 tle ; and down from every piece of ice plunged the 

 startled beasts, as quickly as the sailor drops from his 

 hammock when the long-roll beats to quarters. With 

 their ugly heads just above the water, and with 

 mouths wide open, belching forth the dismal a huk ! 

 huk ! huk ! " they came tearing toward the boat. 



In a few moments we were completely surrounded, 

 and the numbers kept multiplying with astonishing 

 rapidity. The water soon became alive and black 

 with them. 



They seemed at first to be frightened and irreso- 

 lute, and for a time it did not seem that they medi- 

 tated mischief; but this pleasing prospect was soon 

 dissipated, and we were forced to look well to our 

 safety. 



That they meditated an attack there could no 

 longer be a doubt. To escape the onslaught was im- 



