136 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



bling loud and prolonged thunder, proceeding from 

 these cracks, and from the whole of the rough part 

 of the glacier in general. 



I have questioned men who have frequented the 

 Spitzbergen seas for as many as twenty summers, 

 and they all say that this glacier has always pre- 

 sented the same appearance since they first saw it. 



Of course, this glacier has no visible terminal 

 moraine above water ; but it may possibly have 

 some connection with an extensive submarine bank, 

 which lies opposite the whole length of the front of 

 the glacier, and extends for fifteen or twenty miles 

 to sea. The soundings on this bank may average 

 fifteen fathoms, with a bottom of bluish clay ; it is 

 a very favorite resort of the seal and the walrus, 

 particularly the latter, for which I am led to sup- 

 pose that the bank produces, in unusual numbers, 

 the mollusca on which they feed. 



About eight in the evening we came up within 

 two or three miles of a small schooner, and observ- 

 ing one of her boats to be "fast" to a walrus and 

 her signal flag flying to indicate to their shipmates 

 that more boats were wanted, we took the hint (al- 

 though far from being intended for our benefit), and 

 pushed off immediately in both boats. "When we 

 reached the opposition boat we found them still in 

 tow of their walrus, and many scores of others 

 plunging in the water around. They had kept hold 

 of their victim so long in the hope that he would 

 attract some of his friends to come within reach of 



