LIFE AT STELLINGEN 249 
sists mainly of minute marine animals, which swim or float 
near the surface of the ocean, and in particular they consume 
a large number of tiny crustaceans. In addition to these they 
devour a large number of sand-worms, which are found in 
great quantities in the stomachs of the captured animals. On 
one occasion Hansen sawa walrus attacking a dead seal. He 
had already made large holes with his tusks in the carcase 
and was sucking away at the blubber. Unfortunately Han- 
sen was unable to ascertain whether the walrus had killed the 
seal, or merely found it dead. 
The tusks of the females are about one-third shorter than 
those of the males, and are also thinner and not so heavy. 
Walruses roar with such a terrific sound that it can be 
heard for two and a half miles down wind; indeed so pene- 
trating is it, that, when there are fogs, the hunters often lay 
their ship’s course by the sound of the roaring. 
The danger of hunting these animals may be illustrated 
by the following incident. In the year 1897, near King 
Charles Land, in the course of a walrus hunt, a careless 
harpooner omitted to place the line in its notch, foolishly 
leaving it loose on the side of the boat, after he had speared 
a walrus. His carelessness resulted in the boat being cap- 
sized, and all its four occupants killed. It happened that 
the animal which they had attacked was a powerful male 
who immediately made for his antagonists. The first one he 
came to he instantly pierced through the back with both 
tusks. Four times did he come to the surface of the water, 
and each time he picked off one of the four men until they 
had all been annihilated. Two of them endeavoured to 
escape by swimming away, but the infuriated animal speedily 
overtook them. The fourth clambered on to the top of the 
overturned boat, but that availed him nothing. The walrus 
attacked the boat with such violence that the man was un- 
able to keep his hold, and shortly fell a victim to the animal's 
flerce vengeance. 
I was extremely interested to watch the behaviour of my 
