506 ACCOUNT OF THE AllCTIC llEGIONS. 



the ice; but seldom permits itself to be carried far 

 from land. 



Prior to the institution of the Spitzbcrgen whale- 

 fishery, the capture of this animal was an object of 

 some commercial importance. It was at first attack- 

 ed by the English, on Cherie Island ; but being 

 driven from thence, if not extirpated in that quar- 

 ter, by the great slaughter that was carried on, it 

 was then pursued to Spitzbergen. 



Stephen Bennet, who, on the part of the English, 

 discovered Cherie Island in 1603, commenced the 

 attack on the sea-horses, in this region, the year fol- 

 lowing. His first attempt, however, to capture this 

 formidable animal, was not very successful. Of 

 above a thousand that were seen on the beach, and 

 attacked, only fifteen were killed : and the slaughter 

 out of at least a thousand more which were met 

 with on another part of the island, only increased 

 the capture to about 50. The teeth of these ani- 

 mals only were taken, which, with a hogshead of 

 loose teeth found scattered about the island, form- 

 ed the principal part of the first cargo. In their 

 attacks on the Walrus, they found muskets with 

 ball of little service * ; but, charged with pease-shot, 



• My Father once killed a Walrus with a lance, after ha- 

 ving fired at it in vain with a rifle ; and, on examining the head 

 which one of the balls had struck, he found it had only pene- 

 trated as far as the skull, where it was flattened and spread 

 out like a plate of sheet lead upon the surface of the bone. 



