THEY ARE RECEDING FURTHER NORTH. 177 



bious monsters still existing in that country ; 

 but it is quite clear that they are undergoing 

 a rapid diminution of numbers, and also that 

 they are gradually receding into more and 

 more inaccessible regions further to the 

 north. 



We learn from the voyage of Ohthere, which 

 was performed about a thousand years ago, that 

 the walrus then abounded on the coast of Pin- 

 marken itself : they have, however, abandoned 

 that coast for some centuries, although in 

 dividual stragglers have been occasionally 

 captured there up to within the last thirty 

 years. After their desertion of the Finmarken 

 coast, Bear Island became the principal scene 

 of their destruction; and next the Thousand 

 Islands, Hope Island, and Hyk-Yse Island, 

 which in their turn are now very inferior 

 hunting-ground to the banks and skerries lying 

 to the north of Spitzbergen. fortunately for 

 the persecuted walruses, however, these latter 

 districts are only accessible in open seasons, or 

 perhaps once in every three or four summers ; 

 so that they get a little breathing time there 

 to breed and replenish their numbers, or un 

 doubtedly the next twenty or thirty years 

 would witness the total extinction of Rosmarus 



N 



