120 ODOB^NUS EOSMAEUS ATLANTIC WALEUS. 



into two halves with his tusks. The rest of the men saved them- 

 selves by clambering on to the ice until the other boat came to 

 their assistance. 



"Upon another occasion I made the acquaintance of the skyp- 

 par of a sloop who had been seized by a bereaved cow Wabus, 

 and by her dragged twice to the bottom of the sea, but without 

 receiving any injury beyond beiug nearly drowned, and having 

 a deep scar plowed in each side of his forehead by the tusks of 

 the animal, which he thought did not wish to hurt him, but mis- 

 took him for her calf as he floundered in the water. 



"Owing to the great coolness and expertness of the men fol- 

 lowing this pursuit, such mishaps are not of very frequent oc- 

 currence, but still a season seldom passes without two or three 

 lives being lost in one way or another."* 



Among the numerous writers who have described a " Walrus 

 hunt," no accounts that I have seen more vividly j)ortray the 

 scene, or give more information respecting the nature and 

 habits of the Atlantic species, than Dr. 1. 1. Hayes, for which 

 reason I deem no apology is necessary for transcribing his 

 lengthy .account in fidl. Under date of July 3, 1861 (the scene 

 being in Frobisher's Bay), he says: 



"I have had a Wakus hunt and a most exciting day's sport. 

 Much ice has broken adrift and come down the Sound, during 

 the past few days ; and, when the sun is out bright and hot, 

 the Walrus come up out of the water to sleep and bask in the 

 warmth on the pack. Being upon the hilltop this morning to 

 select a place for building a cairn, my ear caught the hoarse bel- 

 lowing of numerous Walrus ; and, upon looking over the sea, I 

 observed that the tide was carrying the pack across the outer 

 limit of the bay, and that it was alive with the beasts, which 

 were filling the air with such uncouth noises. Their numbers 

 appeared to be even beyond conjecture, for they extended as far 

 as the eye could reach, almost every piece of ice being covered. 

 There must have been, indeed, many hundreds or even thou- 

 sands. 



"Hurrjing from the hill, I called for volunteers, and quickly 

 had a boat's crew ready for some sport. Putting their rifles, a 

 harpoon, and a line into one of the whale boats, we dragged it 

 over the ice to the open water, into which it was speedily 

 launched. 



"We had two miles to pull before the margin of the pack 



* Seasons with tlie Sea-horses, pp. 84, 85. 



