THEY BECOME THE ATTACKING PARTY. 93 



with his immense tusks everything that came 

 in his way, effected his escape to the water. 

 The seamen followed, and pushed off in their 

 boats ; but the walruses finding themselves more 

 at home now than on the ice, in their turn 

 became the assailants, and the affair began to as- 

 sume a serious aspect. They rose in great num- 

 bers about the boats, snorting with rage, and 

 rushing at 'the boats, and it was with the utmost 

 difficulty they were prevented upsetting or stav- 

 ing them by placing their tusks upon the gun- 

 wales, or by striking at them with their heads. 

 It was the opinion of our people, that in this 

 assault the walruses were led on by one ani- 

 mal in particular, a much larger and more for- 

 midable beast than any of the others ; and they 

 directed their efforts more particularly towards 

 him, but he withstood all the blows of their 

 tomahawks without flinching, and his tough hide 

 resisted the entry of the whale lances, which 

 were unfortunately not very sharp, and soon 

 bent double.' The herd was so numerous, and 

 their attacks so incessant, that there was not time 

 to load a musket, which, indeed, was the only 

 effectual mode of seriously injuring them. The 

 purser, fortunately, had his gun loaded, and the 

 whole now being nearly exhausted with chopping 

 and sticking at their assailants, he snatched it 



