90 GAMBOLS OF THE WALRUS. 



joy themselves, rolling and sporting about, and 

 frequently making the air resound with their 

 bellowing, which bears some resemblance to that 

 of a bull. These diversions generally end in 

 sleep, during which these w T ary animals appear 

 always to take the precaution of having a sen- 

 tinel to warn them of any danger to which 

 they may be liable. So universal seems the ob- 

 servance of this precaution amongst their species 

 that I scarcely ever saw a herd, however small, in 

 which I did not notice one of the party on the 

 watch, stretching his long neck in the air every 

 half minute, to the utmost extent of its muscles, 

 to survey the ground about him. In the event 

 of any alarming appearances, the sentinel be- 

 gins by seeking his own safety, and, as these ani- 

 mals always lie huddled upon one another, the 

 motion of one is immediately communicated to 

 the whole group, which is instantly in motion 

 towards the water. When the herd is large, 

 and an alarm is given, a most ludicrous scene 

 occurs. From the unwieldy nature of the ani- 

 mals, the state of fear into which they are thrown, 

 and their being so closely packed together at 

 first, they tumble over one another, get angry, 

 and in their endeavour to regain their feet 

 flounder about in each other's way, till having at 

 last scrambled to the edge of the ice, they plunge 



