THE WALRUS. 261 



Attachment of the dam and her young. 



more so in appearance than in reality. Vast 

 numbers of them would follow and come close 

 up to the boats; but the flash of a musket in the 

 pan, or even the pointing one at them, would 

 send them down in an instant. The female will 

 defend the young to the very last, and at the ex- 

 pense of her own life, whether in the water, or 

 upon the ice. Nor will the young one quit the 

 dam, though she be dead ; so that if one be kil- 

 led, the other is certain prey. The dam, when 

 in the water, holds the young one between her 

 fore-fins." 



The tusks of the walrus are used as an inferior 

 sort of ivory; but the animals are principally es- 

 teemed for the sake of their oil ; of which they 

 produce from one to two barrels each. A very 

 strong and elastic leather, may be also prepared 

 from the skin; and in America it is commonly 

 manufactured into carriage-traces. 



These animals are only found in the northern 

 seas ; and particularly on the coasts of the Mag- 

 dalene islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

 They subsist entirely upon marine plants and 

 shell-fish; though, when playing about in the 

 water, they have been frequently observed to 

 draw sea-fowl beneath the surface with their long 

 tusks, and to throw them up into the air, by way 

 of amusement. 



