172 THE ARCTIC WALRUS. 



They sometimes attack small boats, merely 

 through wantonness, and not only put the people in 

 confusion, but frequently subject them to great 

 danger. In the year 1 760 some of the crew of a 

 sloop which sailed to the north, to trade with the 

 Esquimaux, were attacked in their boat by a great 

 number of these animals ; and, n ot with stand mg 

 their utmost endeavours to keep them off, one more 

 daring than the r '"t, though a small one got in over 

 the stern, and a/ter sitting and looking at the men 

 some aime, he agiin plunged intc; the water to his 

 companions. At that instant, anotiicr of an enor- 

 mous size was getting in over the bow ; and every 

 other means proving inetFcctual to prevent such an 

 unwelcome visit, the bowman took up a gun, load- 

 ed with goose-shot, put the muzzle into the ani- 

 mal's mouth, and shot him dead. He immediately 

 sunk, aad was follov^ed by all his companions. The 

 people then made the best of then- way to the ves- 

 sel, and just arrived before the creatures were ready 

 to make their second attack, which, in all probabi- 

 lity, would have been infinitely worse than the first, 

 as they seemed higlily enraged at the loss of their 

 companion *. 



The following is Captain Cook's description of a 

 herd of Vv'alrusses, that were seen floating on a mass 

 of ice off the northern part of the continent of Ame- 

 rica. — '^ They lie in herds of many hundreds, upon 

 the ice. huddling over one anotiier like swine ; and 

 roar or bray so very loud, that in the night, or in 



"* ilcair.r, '2?o. 



