40 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



ed it), which they had on board as a pet. This in- 

 teresting little animal was about the size of a sheep, 

 and was the most comical fac-simile imaginable of 

 an old walrus. He had been taken alive after the 

 harpooning of his mother a few weeks ago, and 

 now seemed perfectly healthy, and tame and play- 

 ful as a kitten. It was, of course, a great pet with 

 all on board, and seemed much more intelligent 

 than I could have believed ; the only thing which 

 seemed to destroy its equanimity was pulling its 

 whiskers, or pretending to use a "rope's end 1 '' to it, 

 when it would sneak off, looking over its shoulder, 

 just like a dog when chastised. They said it would 

 eat salt fish, salt beef, blubber, or any thing offered 

 it ; but I strongly advised Ericson to give it, if pos- 

 sible, a mixture of vegetables or sea-weed along 

 with such strong diet. I assured him that, if he 

 succeeded in taking it alive to the Regent's Park 

 or the Jardin des Plantes, he could get a long price 

 for it ; but before I left Spitzbergen, in September, 

 I heard with regret that the curious little beast had 

 died. 



Ericson told me he did not think my yacht could 

 penetrate to "Thymen's Straits 11 at present, as a 

 great deal of ice intervened, and more continued 

 drifting through the straits from the eastward ; 

 but as it looked tolerably open, I resolved to try. 

 Upon penetrating a few miles in, however, we found 

 it was impossible, and we therefore had to make 

 up our minds to a continuance of the bull for the 

 present. 



