174 THE ARCTIC WALRUS. 



them, as the animals always distend their skins, to 

 roll with greater ease and lightness, and, therefore, 

 are easier to hit than when they are at rest on the 

 shore, and the skin is flaccid *. 



When playing about in the water, they have 

 been frequently observed to draw Sea- fowl beneath 

 the surface, with their long tusks, and after a while 

 to throw them up in the air ; but they live entirely 

 upon marine plants and Shell-fish, and never eat 

 these -j-. 



This animal appears to have been known to king 

 Alfred so early as the year 8gO, from the informa- 

 tion of Octher, the Norwegian, who made a voyage 

 beyond the North Cape of Norway, "for the more 

 commoditie, (says Hakluyt) of hshing of Horse- 

 iz'alcs, which have in tlieir teeth bones of great price 

 and excellence ; whereof he brought some on his 

 returne unto the king." Hakluyt further informs 

 us, that at that period the natives of the northern 

 coasts made cables, some of them sixty ells in length, 

 of the Horse- Wales and Seals-skins %, 



The tusks of the Walrus, which weigh from ten 

 to thirty pounds each, are used as an inferior sort of 

 ivory ; but the animals are principally for the sake 

 of their oil. A very strong and elastic leather, it is 

 said, may be prepared from the skin. The animals 

 frequently weigh from 1500 to 2000 pounds, and 

 produce from one to two barrels of oU each §. 



* ^lartcu's Spitsbergen, iii Harris. t Crantz, i. ]'37. % iluk- 

 iuyt, i. 5. § Phil. 'iVun.--,-oi GS. p. '•24!?.- ■ - 



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