454 ttOW HARPOONED. 



the latter ; but when the speed of the animal slackened 

 he hauled it in again — all in accordance with the creature's 

 movements under Avater, and its greater or less resistance. 

 After some minutes it came to the surface in front of the 

 boat, when the harpooner instantly plunged his spear 

 into its breast. A reeking stream of blood spouted from 

 the wound, and with a convulsive muvement the walrus 

 again dived downwards. Once more it came up, snorted 

 wildly, and frantically assailed with its tusks the edge of 

 a piece of floating ice ; whereupon one of tbe rowers, 

 armed with a spear, leaped on to the floe, when the battle 

 was soon finished. 



" The last hunt was the most striking of all. Two 

 gigantic walruses were observed reposing on a piece of 

 ice. When the boat was laid alongside the ' floe,' the 

 animals raised themselves up on their short, half-reflected 

 forefeet; and whilst the harpooner was making towards 

 them they presented, from the elevation of their curved 

 necks, and the full exposure of their free and arched 

 chests, a venerable and very imposing apjiearance. Not- 

 withstanding the recumbent position of the hinder parts 

 of their bodies, their heads were at least as high as that 

 of the man, wlio boldly advanced and drove a spear into 

 each of them. With the iron in their bosoms, they 

 remained for a second or two immoveable, and looked 

 down upon their fearless assailant, who rapidly retreated. 

 The people now ruslied forward and stabbed them with 

 their lances, on which both threw themselves into the 

 water. One of them received a thrust in the gullet, its 

 mouth being open at the time, but at the same instant 

 the weapon of one of the men damaged the harpoon-line, 

 which broke, and the animal escaped us. The sight was 

 now fearful, for when at some little distance, the wounded 

 walrus that we still had fast again came to the surface, 

 a stream of blood gushed forth into the air from its 



