130 ODOB^NUS ROSMARUS ATLANTIC WALRUS. 



"In attacking the Walrus in the water they [the Esquimaux] 

 use the same gear [as in attacking Whales], but much more 

 caution than with the Whale, always throwing the MtteeliJc from 

 some distance, lest the animal should attack the canoe and 

 demolish it with his tusks. The Walrus is in fact the only 

 animal with which they use any caution of this kind."* This 

 "gear," or JcatteeliJc, is said to be the largestof their weapons, 

 and to be used only in attacking Whales and Walruses. It 

 has a shaft of light wood, about four feet in length, like those 

 of their weapons used in killing Seals, but the shaft is much 

 thicker than in the others, especially near the middle, where is 

 lashed a small shoulder of ivory for the thumb to rest against, 

 in order to give additional force in throwing or thrusting the 

 spear. The spear-point is of ivory, fitted into the socket at the 

 end of the shaft, where it is secured by double thongs, in such 

 a way as to give it steadiness when a strain is put ui)on it in the 

 direction of its axis, but provided with a spring that disengages 

 it when a lateral strain endangers its breaking. To the line 

 attached to theltatteelilc a whole Seal-skin, inflated like a bladder, 

 is fastened, for the purpose of impeding the i^rogress of the 

 animal in the water when struck, t 



Dr. Kane gives a graphic account of a WaMis hunt by a party 

 of Innuits. They set off with three sledges drawn by dogs, for 

 the open water, ten miles distant. As they neared the new ice, 

 they would from time to time remove their hoods and listen in- 

 tently for the animal's voice. Myouk, one of the party, becom- 

 ing convinced, by signs or sounds, or both, that the Walruses 

 were waiting for hjm, moved gently on and soon heard the cha- 

 racteristic beUow of a bull. The party now forming in single 

 file followed in each other's steps, winding among hummocks 

 and approaching in a serpentine course the recently frozen ice- 

 spots surrounded by firmer ice. " When within half a mile of 

 these, the line broke, and each man crawled toward a separate 

 pool ; Morton on his hands and knees following Myouk. In a 

 few minutes the Walrus were in sight. They were five in num- 

 ber, rising at intervals through the ice in a body, and breaking- 

 it up with an explosive puff that might have been heard for 

 miles. Two large grim-looking males were conspicuous as the 

 leaders of the group. 



" Now for the marvel of the craft. When the Walrus is above 



* Narrative of Parry's Second Voyage, p. 510. 



t See Parry's Second Voyage, pp. 507, 508, and pi. facing p. 550, figs. 20, 21 



