USES OF THE IVORY. 141 



ed, because it is evident that a walrus with his 

 tusks diverging at the points must be much handier 

 in the use of them than if they stick straight down, 

 or curve inward or toward his breast. I remember 

 once going on board another small sloop, and see- 

 ing the skull of an old walrus with remarkably 

 wide-set tusks lying on deck: my harpooner re- 

 marked to the captain of the sloop, "That must 

 have been a troublesome customer. 11 "I believe 

 you," said the skyppar ; "he put his tusks through 

 the boat, and nearly upset us. Look here, " he con- 

 tinued, pointing to the bottom of the boat hanging 

 on the davits, "and see what the scoundrel did." 

 A piece had been torn out of one of the planks, 

 and the hole was patched with sheet lead. 



Walrus-tusks are composed of very hard, dense, 

 and white ivory. Their small size rendering them 

 inapplicable for many ivory manufactures, they do 

 not command nearly the price of elephant ivory, 

 but they are in high repute for the manufacture 

 of false teeth, and are also made into chessmen, 

 umbrella handles, whistles, and other small arti- 

 cles. 



The upper lip of the walrus is thickly set with 

 strong, transparent, bristly hairs, about six inches 

 long, and as thick as a crow-quill ; and this terrific 

 mustache, together with his long white tusks, and 

 fierce-looking, blood-shot eyes, gives Rosmarus tri- 

 checus altogether a most unearthly and demoniacal 

 appearance as he rears his head above the waves. 



