TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 175 



board the schooner. We found the most efficacious 

 method to be that of pulling the head and shoulders 

 out of the water by roping them up to the mast, and 

 the natives getting to work on the skin by standing 

 in two boats alongside the Lily. Fortunately a walrus 

 has no hair to slip, and this huge brute's tough hide 

 was none the worse. 



As the evening tide rolled in we heard the distant 

 bellowing of walruses. A welcome sound, foretelling 

 the return of that absent herd once more to our 

 lagoon. For such a prospect we were all duly thank- 

 ful, as each day wasted now in waiting meant a prob- 

 ability of arriving late upon the grounds where we 

 hoped to find some wild sheep, and thus far none of 

 us could tell how long the proposed trip up the Kus- 

 kokwim might take us ere we reached the mountainous 

 sheep country. 



Early next morning I saw the walruses occupying 

 the old haunt upon the sandbank, and soon after- 

 wards the boat carried the ladies as before across to 

 the desolate island. I had advised them to adopt the 

 same tactics as used by Ralph and myself on the last 

 occasion, and, of course, it was the intention to shoot 

 but one walrus, as one head apiece was sufficient to 

 take away as trophies of these harmless beasts. 



A friendly squabble arose between Agnes and 

 Cecily as to whom the first walrus belonged. We 

 suggested tossing up for it, on the understanding 

 that the loser took the first shot on the chance occur- 

 ring. Agnes, sticking to her usual assumption of 

 bad luck, declared that she would never win anything 



