122 ODOB^ENUS ROSMARUS ATLANTIC WALRUS. 



asleep. This was exhibiting a degree of coolness rather alarming. 

 If they had showed the least timidity, we should have found some 

 excitement in extra caution ; but they seemed to make so light 

 , of our approach that it was not easy to keep up the bold front 

 with which we had commenced the adventure. But we had 

 come quite too far to think of backing out ; so we pulled in and 

 made ready for the fray. 



" Beside the old bulls, the group contained several cows and 

 a few calves of various sizes, some evidently yearlings, others 

 but recently born, and others half or three quarters grown. 

 Some were without tusks, while on others they were just sprout- 

 ing j and above this they were of all sizes up to those of big bulls, 

 which had great curved cones of iv ory , nearly three feet Ion g. At 

 length we were within a few boat's lengths of the ice raft, and 

 the game had not taken alarm. They had probably never seen 

 a boat before. Our preparations were made as we approached. 

 The Walrus will always sink when dead, unless held by a harpoon- 

 line ; and there were therefore but two chances for us to secure 

 our game either to shoot the beast dead on the raft, or to get 

 a harpoon well into him after he was wounded, and hold on to 

 him until he was killed. As to killing the animal where he lay, 

 that was not likely to happen, for the thick skin destroys the 

 force of the ball before it can reach a vital part, and indeed, at 

 a distance, actually flattens it; and the skull is so heavy that 

 it is hard to penetrate with an ordinary bullet, unless the ball 

 happens to strike through the eye. 



" To Miller, a cool and spirited fellow, who had been after 

 whales on the l nor- west coast', was given the harpoon, and lie 

 took his station at the bows; while Knorr, Jensen, and myself 

 kept our places in the stern-sheets, and held our rifles in readi- 

 ness. Each selected his animal, and we fired in concert over 

 the heads of the oarsmen. As soon as the rifles were discharged, 

 I ordered my men to 'give way 7 , and the boat shot right among 

 the startled animals as they rolled off pell-mell into the sea. 

 Jensen had fired at the head of one of the bulls, and hit him in 

 the neck ; Knorr killed a young one, which was pushed off hi 

 the hasty scramble and sank; while I planted a minie-ball 

 somewhere in the head of the other bull and drew from him a 

 most frightful bellow, louder, I venture to say, than ever came 

 from wild bull of Bashan. When he rolled over into the water, 

 which he did with a splash that sent the spray flying all over 

 us, he almost touched the bows of the boat and gave Miller a* 



