184 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [Aug. 



at full speed — so rapidly, in fact, that I overshot my 

 mark and found myself alongside of the walrus before 

 I could properly grasp the harpoon. So near was the 

 round, dark-gray body that I could place my hand 

 upon it. At the moment he was lying in the water, face 

 down. Immediate decision and quick action were abso- 

 lutely necessary. I grabbed the harpoon and jabbed it 

 deep down through the blubber and flesh, into the chest 

 walls. His whole body jumped convulsively. With an 

 angry roar he whipped his head around beneath my arm 

 and stood upright in the water, glaring me in the face. 



For an instant it appeared that that thoroughly in- 

 furiated mass was going to act, and act in my direction. 

 It is needless to say that I lost no time in getting away, 

 feeling every second that I might get a jab in the back. 

 With a mighty splash he disappeared, followed by the 

 rapid uncoiling of the rawhide line on the top of my kayak 

 and the splash of the sealskin float as it struck the 

 water. Hunt, in the twelve-foot flattie, succeeded in 

 overtaking the float and in fastening it to the bow of 

 his boat, and then began blazing away with a Winchester 

 .33 special. Ten shots in all were expended, plowing 

 furrows through the top of its head and along the sides 

 of its body, but leaving the walrus very much alive. 

 With the help of E-say-oo, the animal was finally killed 

 and towed to the beach, to be cut up and cached be- 

 neath the rocks. 



I learned on the 23d that Green and Allen were so 

 anxious to reach the United States that they were willing 

 to risk a trip across Melville Bay in our power-boat. I 

 immediately volunteered to return home, launch the 

 boat, and go with them as far as Umanak, where Freu- 

 chen's lannch could possibly be engaged for the trip 



