108 FOUR YEAES IN THE WHITE NORTH [June 



But get into a twenty-inch skin boat, only nine inches 

 in depth, and dash at a bull walrus weighing a ton. 

 With no help from dogs or man, put your skill, your 

 strength, your nerve against those long ivory tusks 

 and the remarkable quickness of that ponderous body. 

 An accurate knowledge of the temperament and the 

 characteristics of a wild animal has saved many a 

 hunter. Uncertainty as to action, however, is written 

 all over a walrus, as shown by the large number of 

 casualties incurred in the chase. 



In Spitzbergen, some years ago, a herd assumed the 

 offensive, upon being attacked, capsized the boat, and 

 killed every man. In 1908 a bull walrus attacked 

 Sipsoo, an Etah native, capsized his kayak, cut his 

 throat, and left him for dead. In 1910, Arklio, one of 

 the best and most skilful hunters in the tribe, was at- 

 tacked and nearly lost his life. The walrus whipped 

 around when harpooned, rushed at Arklio, and drove 

 his tusk completely through his arm. In 1908 some 

 fifty walrus attacked our whale-boat, undeterred by the 

 frightful yells of the thoroughly terrified natives, who 

 were beating the rails and water with oars, and the 

 crash of a stream of bullets from my W^inchester auto- 

 matic and Borup's powerful Mauser. Two of the ani- 

 mals succeeded in hooking their tusks over the rail. 

 The following year in a similar attack one broke through 

 the bottom of the boat. No, the fighting qualities of 

 a walrus are truly to be respected, and dealt with ac- 

 cordingly. Each year our natives secured between 

 fifty and one hundred of these great brutes, the very 

 best of rich red meat for themselves and dogs, a guar- 

 antee of strength for the long white trail leading to un- 

 explored lands, the main object of our expedition. All 



