VALUE OF THE \FALKUS. ' 457 



of doors. Even in November the sea was already frozen 

 over, and when shortly afterwards a tempest .broke up the 

 fixed ice, there came an immense quantity of drift ice 

 from the north, which in the course of a couple of days 

 froze together with the broken fragments of ice previously 

 existing. The polar bears clambered on to the roof of 

 their hut, and seven were shot close to the door. In 

 other respects the booty was moderate, for during 

 northerly winds, which were the prevailing ones, the 

 walruses were lying under Spitzbergen, where they 

 found better shelter. 



The walrus has many enemies besides man. On land, 

 the polar bear, with which at times it is said to have 

 dreadful conflicts, as depicted in the accompanying 

 drawing by Mr. Wolf; and at sea, the swordfish, and the 

 more formidable species of whales, make bloody and often 

 successful war against it. 



It is valuable to its captor. By the natives of the 

 Arctic regions its flesh and blubber is much esteemed ; 

 and even our own mariners, as Ave learn from Captain 

 Cook and other celebrated navigators, do not altogether 

 despise it. Its hide, which is from one to two inches in 

 thickness, is used for a variety of purposes. Its oil, 

 estimated by Zordrager at half a ton, is considered more 

 valuable than that of the whale; and its ivory, owing 

 to greater whiteness and density, is looked on as superior 

 to that of the elephant. The Greenlanders, and others, 

 convert it into their most important hunting weapons, 

 as also into tools and implements for domestic uses ; ai\d 

 in almost all civilized nations it is extensively applied for 

 the invaluable object of giving teeth to the toothless. 



