92 WALRUSES ATTACKED. 



intent upon its gambols, that, notwithstanding 

 the extreme vigilance I have noticed, several of 

 the crew managed to effect a landing upon the 

 ice without any alarm being given to the ani- 

 mals ; but immediately on the first musket being 

 fired the affrighted group made such a des- 

 perate rush towards the edge of the ice that 

 they nearly overturned the whole of our party, 

 purposely stationed there to intercept them. 

 The seamen finding this charge more formi- 

 dable than they expected, were obliged to sepa- 

 rate, to allow their opponents to pass through 

 their ranks, and being thus, in their turn, 

 taken by surprise, they suffered them, almost 

 unmolested, to perform their summersets towards 

 the sea. What with their uncertain move- 

 ments, the extreme toughness of their skin, and 

 the respectful distance at which the men were 

 obliged to keep, to avoid the lashing of the head 

 and tusks of the animals, it was, indeed, no 

 easy task to inflict any serious injury upon them. 

 One, however, was desperately wounded in the 

 head with a ball, and the mate of the brig, 

 being determined, if possible, to secure his prey, 

 resolutely struck his tomahawk into his skull, 

 but the enraged animal, with a twist of its head, 

 sent the weapon whirling in the air, and then 

 lashing his neck, as though he would destroy 



