84 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



The sloop by this time had got a breeze, and sail- 

 ed up within fifty yards of us, which saved us a long 

 row with our fatigued crews and heavy-laden boats. 

 During this morning's proceedings I realized the 

 immense advantage of striking a junger first, when 

 practicable. This curious clannish practice of com- 

 ing to assist a calf in distress arises from their be- 

 ing in the habit of combining to resist the attacks 

 of the Polar bear, which is said often to succeed in 

 killing the walrus. If, however, Bruin, pressed by 

 hunger and a tempting opportunity, is so ill advised 

 as to snap a calf, the whole herd come upon him, 

 drag him under water, and tear him to pieces with 

 their long sharp tusks. I am told this has been 

 seen to occur, and I quite believe it. 



The walrus is an inoffensive beast if let alone, 

 but hunting them is far from being child's play, as 

 the following sad story will show : 



About ten days after the exciting chasse which I 

 have just described, the skyppar of a small schoon- 

 er which was in sight came on board to ask us for 

 the loan of a gun, as he had broken all his, and he 

 told us that a boat belonging to a sloop from Trom- 

 soe had been upset, two or three days before, in our 

 immediate vicinity, and one of the crew killed by a 

 walrus. It seemed that the walrus, a large old bull, 

 charged the boat, and the harpooner, as usual, re- 

 ceived him with his lance full in the chest ; but the 

 shaft of the lance broke all to shivers, and the wal- 

 rus, getting inside of it, threw himself on the gun- 



