62 WINDFALL. 



sticking in lier back : it had not been long in 

 the walrus, and appeared to have been lost 

 by the slipping of the knot at the inner end 

 of the line. According to the laws of the 

 ice, both walrus and tackle — even if the 

 former had been dead — were a fair prize 

 of the captors, although Christian said he 

 knew very well to whom the harpoon had 

 belonged. 



I never in my life witnessed anything more 

 interesting and more affecting than the 

 wonderful maternal affection displayed by 

 this poor walrus. After she was fast to the 

 harpoon and was dragging the boat furiously 

 amongst the icebergs, I was going to shoot 

 her through the head that we might have 

 time to follow the others ; but Christian called 

 to me not to shoot, as she had a "junger" 

 with her. Although I did not understand 

 his object, I reserved my fire, and upon look- 

 ing closely at the walrus when she came up 

 to breathe, I then perceived that she held 

 a very young calf under her right arm, and 

 I saw that he wanted to harpoon it; but 

 whenever he poised the weapon to throw, the 

 old cow seemed to watch the direction of it 

 and interposed her own body, and she seemed 



