136 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



their black muzzles. Perceiving our boat, they 

 swam straight for us. All this, of course, only 

 occupied a few seconds, during which I had 

 seized my rifle, while one of the sailors sought to 

 bring the harpoon aboard. It had sunk and 

 become fastened to the sea bottom, thus 

 forming a grapnel which prevented us moving. 

 I aimed for the neck of the larger walrus, 

 and fired. A flood of blood dyed the water ; 

 the two animals dived with a great splash. 

 Shortly afterwards they reappeared quite close 

 to the boat ; but now the wounded one supported 

 itself on the shoulder of its companion. The 

 two animals were furious. Ottersen, standing in 

 the stern, contrived always to keep the boat's 

 bows towards them. Now commenced the 

 real battle between the walruses and ourselves. 

 At four yards I opened fire, aiming at their 

 heads. They dived, reappeared farther off, 

 and again came for us. The blood-stained water 

 was flung high as they furiously beat their way 

 through it. Yet once more they disappeared, 

 this time to reappear astern. I shouted to 

 Recamier to shoot ; we both fired at the same 

 moment. Recamier's bullet found the neck of 

 one ; mine penetrated, via the nostrils, the 

 brain of the other. Agonised convulsions seized 

 them both. My cartridges being exhausted, 



