A WALRUS HUNT. 409 



possible. We had raised a hornet's nest about our 

 ears in a most astonishingly short space of time, and 

 we must do the best we could. Even the wounded 

 animal to which we were fast turned upon us, and we 

 became the focus of at least a thousand gaping, bel- 

 lowing mouths. 



It seemed to be the purpose of the walrus to get 

 their tusks over the gunwale of the boat, and it was 

 evident that, in the event of one such monster hook- 

 ing on to us, the boat would be torn in pieces and we 

 would be left floating in the sea helpless. We had 

 good motive therefore to be active. . Miller plied his 

 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 load- 

 ing, 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, bellowing 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 dis- 



