OF WILD ANIMALS 21 



with very few fragments of shells in evidence; the removal of the 

 clam from the shell being as neatly accomplished as though done by 

 an expert oysterman. 



"In most cases these segregated herds of walrus were in charge 

 of a large bull who generally occupied a central position in the mass 

 of animals. Upon approaching such a herd for the first time, and 

 when within about 200 feet, a large bull would lift his head, sniff 

 audibly in our direction and give a loud grunt which apparently 

 struck a responsive chord in the other sleeping animals. They 

 would grunt in unison, in more subdued tones, after which the old 

 walrus would drop his head to resume his interrupted nap. Their 

 contempt for us was somewhat disconcerting. 



"At the first crack of a rifle, however, the animals immediately 

 aroused, and then during the fusillade which followed there occurred 

 what might be called an orderly scramble for the water. In the 

 first place the young ones were hustled to the edge of the ice-pan, 

 and there, apparently under the protection of the mother's flipper, 

 pushed into the water, immediately followed by the mother. The 

 young bulls followed, and I recall no exceptions where the last 

 animal into the water was not the big bull, who before diving would 

 give our boat a wicked look and a roar of rage. 



"The animals would immediately dive, and then we first became 

 aware of a remarkable phenomenon. We found that when excited 

 they would continue their roaring under water, and these strange 

 sounds coming to us from below added considerably to the excite- 

 ment of the chase. Although the cows and young animals would 

 generally swim to places of safety, the other full grown animals 

 would hover beneath our boat and from time to time come to the 

 surface and charge. These charges were in all cases repulsed by the 

 discharge of our rifles in the faces of the animals. The balls, how- 

 ever, from our .45 calibre carbines would flatten out under the skin 

 on the massive bony structure of the animal's skull, and cause only 

 a sort of rage and a sneeze, but it however had the effect of making 

 them dive again. It is my belief that when enraged the walrus if 

 not resisted would attack and attempt to destroy a boat. Icquah, 

 one of our native hunters, showed me in the deck of his kyak two 

 mended punctures which he told me were made by the tusks of a 

 walrus that had made an unprovoked attack upon him. 



"On more than one occasion I have seen two strong uninjured 

 animals come to the assistance of a wounded companion, and swim 

 away with it to a position of safety, the injured animal being sup- 

 ported on both sides, giving the appearance of three animals swim- 

 ming abreast. The first time I witnessed this I did not comprehend 

 its real meaning, but on another occasion in McCormick Bay I saw 

 a wounded animal leaving a trail of blood and oil, supported on 



