TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 173 



as much as two men could lift and carry to the boats, 

 and finally we returned triumphant to the ship. Nor 

 were the ladies behindhand with their congratulations 

 upon our success, in spite of their previous bad luck, 

 and displayed the truest camaraderie and sportsman- 

 like sentiments. Indeed, Agnes had ordered a ban- 

 quet of banquets, and a raid was made upon the case 

 of champagne which we reserved for emergencies and 

 festivals. 



Our natives were busily occupied for many hours 

 in cleaning an'd whittling down the immense thick- 

 ness of the walrus scalps, which before being pared 

 down were almost three inches tfiick. It seemed 

 almost incredible to us that any men could ever 

 penetrate these tough hides and actually kill a walrus 

 with* spears or harpoons, as the natives still do along 

 the Arctic coasts. 



On the next day no walruses returned to the sand- 

 bank, although through our telescopes a number 

 of them could be seen swimming far out in the open 

 sea. Macdonald assured us that these animals could 

 sleep upon the waters, and that on occasions natives 

 thus approached them noiselessly in canoes and 

 harpooned them before the animals observed their 

 presence. Whetfier or no this is a sailor's yarn I 

 cannot say, but it strikes me from observation of the 

 animals that the performance would not be an easy 

 one to accomplish successfully. 



Whilst we were in the act of discussing this 

 problem Macdonald, happening to glance over the 

 vessel's bows, suddenly said, " Well, darn me, gents, 



