160 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



stretched to its full length, its hind fins doubled 

 beneath its body, its head supported by its long 

 tusks, the ends of which were buried in the snow. 

 We were within thirty yards of it before we 

 perceived there was too much ice to permit 

 of a closer approach. This compelled us to 

 back-water and pass directly in front of the 

 animal at a distance of twenty yards. My 

 camera being injured, I found time to repair the 

 damage while we were skirting a band of ice to 

 enable us to bear down on our prey from the 

 right. The wind and currents had accumulated 

 a quantity of ice splinters between us and the 

 floe. Swensen gave the order to enter this 

 drift. We contrived to make our way through 

 it by thrusting it aside or using it to haul 

 ourselves forward. To me it seemed inex- 

 plicable that the walrus should not take alarm 

 at the noise we made, and attempt to escape ; 

 a seal would most certainly have dived long 

 before ; but the animal, watching us through 

 its small eyes, only raised its head for a moment, 

 and then lowered it again until the tusks once 

 more supported it. We approached slowly; 

 smashing through the ice, hauling ourselves 

 from floe to floe, and making a terrible noise. 

 Our boat seemed to be crashing its way through 

 a glass house, yet even when we were twenty 



