HABITS AND THE CHASE. 123 



good opportunity to get in his harpoon, which he did in capital 

 style. 



" The alarmed herd seemed to make straight for the bottom, 

 and the line spun out over the gunwale at a fearful pace; but, 

 having several coils in the boat, the end was not reached before 

 the animals began to rise, and we took in the slack and got 

 ready for what was to follow. The strain of the line whipped 

 the boat around among some loose fragments of ice, and the 

 line having fouled among it, we should have been in great jeo- 

 pardy had not one of the sailors promptly sprung out, cleared 

 the line, and defended the boat. 



" In a few minutes the whole herd appeared at the surface, 

 about fifty yards away from us, the harpooned animal being 

 among them. Miller held fast to his line, and the boat was 

 started with a rush. The coming up of the herd was the signal 

 for a scene which baffles description. They uttered one wild 

 concerted shriek, as if an agonized call for help; and then the 

 air was filled with answering shrieks. The i liukl Jiuk! huh!' of 

 the wounded bulls seemed to find an echo everywhere, as the 

 cry was taken up and passed along from floe to floe, like the 

 bugle-blast passed from squadron to squadron along a line of 

 battle ; and down from every piece of ice plunged the startled 

 beasts, as quickly as the sailor drops from his hammock when 

 the long-roll beats to quarters. With their ugly heads just 

 above the water, and with mouths wide open, belching forth 

 the dismal i huk! huk! huk! ' they came tearing toward the boat. 



u In a few moments we were completely surrounded, and the 

 numbers kept multiplying with astonishing rapid ity . The water 

 soon became alive and black with them. 



" They seemed at first to be frightened and irresolute, and for 

 a time it did not seem that they meditated mischief; but this 

 pleasing prospect was soon dissipated, and we were forced to 

 look well to our safety. 



" That they meditated an attack there could be no longer a 

 doubt. To escape the onslaught was impossible. We had raised 

 a hornets' nest about our ears in a most astonishingly short space 

 of time, and we must do the best we could. 



" It seemed to be the purpose of the Walrus to get their tusks 

 over the gunwale of the boat, and it was evident that, in the 

 event of one such monster hooking on us, that the boat would 

 be torn in pieces, and we would be left floating in the sea help- 

 less. We had good motive therefore to be active. Miller 



