TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 161 



secrecy was at an end, sprang up and ran quickly 

 forward, thus gaining a few yards more ere the walrus 

 reached deep water. Agnes dropped on one knee 

 she hates to shoot standing and by her side stood 

 Cecily. We could distinctly see their rifles raised, 

 and the echoes of four shots rang out across the water, 

 wakening strange unknown sounds upon this desolate 

 waste. 



In vain we looked to see one animal collapse, and 

 from our distant spot fruitlessly we tried to guess the 

 cause of the disaster, for it was clear that the whole 

 herd had taken to the water without leaving one of 

 their number upon the beach. Still watching closely 

 we saw the walruses swim out towards the open sea, 

 moving very fast through the water, diving and re- 

 appearing again at ever-increasing distances from the 

 shore, all travelling at a great pace. Presently we 

 noticed one animal lagging behind the rest, and then 

 we saw Cecily running frantically along the beach, 

 waving for the boatmen to bring up the boat. It was 

 clear for us to see that the straggling bull was badly 

 wounded, since he moved but slowly, and kept making 

 shorter dives, until at last he seemed to give up swim- 

 ming altogether, or spun round in small circles. 

 Obviously the ladies hoped to get up to him with the 

 boat before he sank, and possibly to tow his carcase 

 ashore. And this indeed was what they had designed, 

 but Fate was otherwise disposed. For, though the 

 men rowed hard and both ladies jumped aboard her 

 as she touched the beach, the boat was still a hundred 

 yards away when the struggling walrus sank from 



M 



