120 A Death- Struggle. [Dccrmbrr, is64. 



only one Iiiiiiiit remaining, while the reddened ice and the hole 

 showed a severe conflict. Shoo-she-ark-nook had harpooned a very 

 large walrus, and he and Ebierbing had lanced it until it was almost 

 dead. The har})oon, however, slipped out and the animal esca})ed, 

 Ebierbing losing his lance-head. 



An extensive floe of the " walrusing-ice" was now seen shooting 

 over the ice on which they stood, and advancing from the north at the 

 s])eed of a moderate walk ; its thickness was two inches, the same as 

 tliat on which they stood. They were two miles from the land-floe, 

 upon ice which bent like leather at every step, often yielding two or 

 three inches without a fracture, and it would not do to remain at rest 

 on such ice. They were compelled to be constantly in motion, as the 

 situation demanded. 



Hall hastened to a second group of Innuits who were as busily 

 occupied as the first, and in a few moments found himself pulling 

 away witli others on a line which was fast to a large walrus. After a 

 few ])ulls, the half-killed animal came up in a flouncing, tumbling way. 

 lie was furiousl}' mad. He had not only been harpooned, but lanced 

 and lanced again and again, so that at every blow, quarts of thick, 

 dark blood were thrown up, scattering itself about, painting the ice, 

 the dogs, and tlio party with a crimson hue. 



Wliat a lioirilic lookinj;- creature a walrus is, especially in the face! 

 It looks \vick('<l, <letestal)ly bad. Indeed, a devil incarnate could not have a 

 more rei)ulsive look to Turk or Christian. A hard death did this one die. He 

 l<»u;;ht de.si)erately, but steel and sinewy arms, under the control of cool, couraf-e- 

 oiis liearts, finally conquered. As often as he came up to blow, he was met by the 

 hmee of the harpooner, who thrust it quick and deep into the heart and churned 

 away until the walins withdrew by diving under the ice and ili)»peiiiii;- away to 

 the Itii^tli of the line, 'i'licii. at each new ap])earaiiee, he woidd lasleii his lonj;' 

 i\»»r\ liisk (one liad liccii Itiokcn olV, jjiobably in some lij^lil) ujiuii Ijic ednc of 



