THE WALRUSES DISAPPEAR. > 173 



CHAPTER XII. 



Walruses leave the Banks and go upon Land. — Vast Herds 

 ashore. — Frightful Massacre. — Just Retribution. — Cargo of 

 Bones. — Beautiful Day and sudden Change. — Early north- 

 ern Voyagers. — Scoresby's Opinion. — Open Polar Basin a 

 mere Chimera. — Dr. Kane. — North Pole. — Scheme for reach- 

 ing the Pole. — Parry's Sledge Expedition, and why it failed. 

 — Alexei Markhoflfs Expedition, and his difficult Return. 



The 14th was Sunday, and continued foggy, but 

 looked a little more promising; and accordingly, 

 on the 15th, it had cleared away, and we had a fine 

 day, with northwesterly wind. We were both out 

 in the boats all day, and brought in one walrus and 

 seventeen seals. 



During the fog of last week we had been appre- 

 hensive that there were few or no walruses remain- 

 ing in this neighborhood, as we had heard no bel- 

 lowing ; and if there had been any walruses around 

 we could not have failed to hear them, as the weath- 

 er was mild, and there was plenty of good ice. This 

 day's proceedings completely proved that our ap- 

 prehensions were well founded ; for, except the one 

 we killed (and who had been badly wounded b} 7 

 some one else), we did not see a walrus either on 

 ice or in the water. 



Several other small vessels which were in sight 

 bore up for the south in the evening, as if they had 



