142 ADVENTURES IN THE NORTHERN SEAS. 



I think it not unlikely that the old fable of the 

 mermaid may have been originated by their grim 

 resemblance to the head of a human being when in 

 this position. 



There is one very striking peculiarity connected 

 with the osteological structure of the walrus, which 

 I do not recollect to have observed a mention of in 

 any of the printed accounts of the animal. I dare 

 not amplify this allusion, but I fancied that I should 

 be the first to direct the attention of scientific men 

 to the circumstance. On mentioning it, however, 



to my friend Professor M , I found that he was 



quite aware of the peculiarity in question, and that 

 it is well known to the students of comparative 

 anatomy. 



27th. The cook went out this morning to officiate 

 as harpooner pro tempore, and while darting the 

 harpoon at a seal which Lord David had wound- 

 ed, he threw his watch into the sea along with the 

 weapon. The "Doctor 11 was so thunderstruck by 

 this overwhelming misfortune that he stood on the 

 ice gazing into the depths of the sea as if he ex- 

 pected the watch to float up again. The seal came 

 up again (although the watch did not), and the 

 cook so far recovered "his presence of mind as to 

 spit him this time, and then, to the great amuse- 

 ment of Lord David and the crew, he began to be- 

 wail the loss of his watch, which had been "such 

 a good one, and had cost him no less than six dol- 

 lars; 11 nor was he to be comforted until Kennedy 



