A SEALSKIN JACKET AT HOME 107 



in water or on land. Four kinds of these fin-footed 

 ones I know, for two of my three cold northern years 

 I lived where they are killed. Pah ! it was a cruel 

 country, reeking with smells, and mine was a loathsome 

 living. 



"These four watermen are named the Walrus, the 

 Sea Lion, the Sea Bear or Fur Seal, and the Harbor 

 Seal. Of these the Walrus is king, if size and ancient 

 name make royalty. Back in the legends of my coun- 

 try this 'Whale Horse,' as he was called, of the Atlantic 

 coast is pictured, and one was taken to good King 

 Alfred's court by Othere, the Viking. What they 

 thought of it I do not know, but those were the days 

 when men believed the sea peopled with monsters and 

 saw mermaids riding on the waves, and fashioned the 

 Unicorn upon their shields from memory of that spike- 

 nosed Whale, the Narwhal, that they had doubtless 

 seen stranded upon some northern beach. But no 

 dream beast could match the Walrus in homeliness. 



" Look at the picture of this lump of fat, flesh, and 

 bones it is the giant of the coast, those on the Pacific 

 shore growing larger than their Atlantic brothers. Is 

 he not monstrously ugly ? Twelve feet and more from 

 nose to rump, twelve feet and more in girth. The huge 

 wrinkled neck supporting a small head with small eyes 

 and two long tusk teeth, while the rough whiskers 

 on the snout look like seaweeds clinging to a water- 

 mossed rock. What has the beast to help him either 

 swim or walk ? Four limbs so deeply sunk in flesh and 

 skin that you see only five-fingered hands, wearing skin 

 mittens. These serve well for paddles, and their owner 

 can rest almost upright in the water, floating easily, for 



