272 THE WALRUS. 



snorting, and exhibiting a savage though bewildered look. But 

 before it had made much progress, the guns were reloaded, and 

 another bullet struck it on the head, which sent it down 

 immediately -, however, it quickly appeared again, raising itself 

 high above the water, and looking furiously around for its 

 antagonists. When it perceived our position, it resumed its 

 endeavours to attack us ; but during its approach it stopped 

 short, infirm of purpose, probably exhausted with loss of blood, 

 or growing giddy from the shock of the last ball, and allowed us 

 time to discharge a musket once more and with fatal effect 5 its 

 head dropped suddenly upon the water, and we pulled up, and 

 took the corpse in tow. Having hoisted it on board by means 

 of pretty strong tackle and several hands, it was flayed, yielding 

 a hide of extraordinary thickness, lined with blubber, and 

 scantily covered externally with short reddish brown hair, the 

 greatest part of its skin appearing to have been denuded of 

 its pilosity by eruptive blotches. It was considerably more 

 bulky in proportion to its length, its chest and back more 

 elevated, its fore-flippers thicker and more rounded, and its 

 hind-quarters less tapering to the tail. Altogether, it impressed 

 the mind with a strong idea of a formidable monster, in spite 

 of its relatively diminutive head j for its fearful tusks and 

 thick-set projecting whiskers, gave its visage a most truculent 

 expression ; and with its grotesquely fashioned ponderous 

 carcase, provided with finned feet of strange formation, it 

 seemed to be one of the fabulous conceptions of mythology. 

 The walrus is said to roar or bellow loudly, but our victim 

 made no outcry j for the half sneezing, half snorting sounds 

 it uttered I conceive to have been the consequence of its hasty 

 dive, which had apparently prevented its inhaling sufficient air, 

 and occasioned it to admit some water down its windpipe. 

 Still, the immense size of the larynx of its windpipe, which 

 was dissected and brought to England, seems to indicate vast 

 oral powers j but I am at a loss to conjecture why it should 

 be provided with this unusual capability of 'blaring, 1 or with 

 the exceedingly strong whiskers that arm its muzzle, and must 



