AMONG THE WALRUS HERDS 411 



the very few aquatic animals that I observed the Es- 

 kimos do not care to attack alone, and is the fast- 

 est animal inhabiting these waters. The Eskimos 

 watched them longingly for a little while, but the con- 

 ditions were not favorable for attacking, and we did 

 not molest them. 



For several days the sky had been partially over- 

 cast, threatening unsettled weather. A few hours 

 after reaching Etah heavy clouds gathered, a hard 

 rain set in, and for several hours it poured steadily 

 down. When the sky cleared the sun came out bright 

 and warm, and for the first time in a long while we 

 enjoyed a clear day, warm, delightful and beautiful. 



I took advantage of the sunshine to spread my 

 musk-ox skins out, with the assistance of the Eski- 

 mos. Several of the skins were very wet, and all of 

 the hair was falling from around the hoofs. This was 

 very discouraging, but there was nothing that could 

 be done, save sprinkle a little arsenic where sloughing 

 of the hair occurred, and this I did. 



The Eskimos were waiting and anxious for me to 

 go on a walrus hunt, and as soon as I had done the 

 little I could I left the skins in care of Pierwater's 

 kooner, and joined the hunters. 



We started for the little island in almost a dead 

 calm, and upon reaching it, hauled the boat to a safe 

 position on the rocks and climbed to the highest pin- 

 nacle to scan the sea for walrus. Nothing was in 

 sight save a large school of narwhals traveling north- 

 ward and a few white whales blowing in the distance 

 quite beyond reach. Here we remained for a con- 



