EXCITING SPORT. 81 



and one troop after another managed to scuffle into 

 the sea always just a second or so in time to avoid 

 the deadly harpoon. When there are so many to- 

 gether there is always a pretty fair chance of secur- 

 ing some by " jaging" them in the water — that is to 

 say, by perseveringly rowing after them as hard as 

 possible, and keeping on in the same direction they 

 appear to take when they dive ; if there are calves 

 in the herd they can not go much faster than the 

 boat, if so fast ; also the calves must come up to 

 breathe much more frequently than the old ones, 

 and the whole herd generally accommodate their 

 pace to that of the old cows with young ones. ■ In 

 all my sporting experience I never saw any thing 

 to equal the wild excitement of these hunts. Five 

 pair of oars, pulled with utmost strength, make the 

 boat seem to fly through the water, while, perhaps, 

 a hundred walruses roaring, bellowing, blowing, 

 snorting, and splashing, make an acre of the sea 

 all in a foam before and around her. The har- 

 pooner stands with one foot on the thwart and the 

 other on the front locker, with the line coiled in 

 his right hand, and the long weapon in both hands 

 ready balanced for a dart, while he shouts to the 

 crew which direction to take, as he frequently, from 

 standing upright in the boat, can see the walruses 

 under water. 



The herd generally keep close together, and the 

 simultaneousness with which they dive and reap- 

 pear again is remarkable : one moment you see a 



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