ARCTIC WALRUS. 
173 
adapted to their wants,, abounding in large shell- 
$ sh, and affording them a convenient landing. 
Immediately on their arrival,, they crawl up the 
sloping rocks of the coast in great numbers,, and 
frequently remain for many days,, when the wea- 
ther is fair, without food ; but on the first ap- 
pearance of rain they immediately retreat to the 
water with great precipitation. Very soon after 
their arrival they bring forth their young. The 
inhabitanfs suffer them to come on shore, and 
amuse themselves for a considerable time, till they 
acquire some degree of boldness ; for, at first 
landing, they are so exceedingly timid as to suffer 
no one to approach them. In a few weeks they 
assemble in great numbers ; formerly, when un- 
disturbed by the Americans, to the amount of 
seven or eight thousand. At a proper time the 
fishermen, taking advantage of a sea-wind to pre- 
vent the animals from 'Smelling them, and w ith the 
assistance of dogs, endeavour in the night to se- 
parate those that are farthest advanced from those 
next the water, driving them different ways-. This 
they call making a cut, and it is generally esteemed 
a very dangerous process, since it is impossible to 
drive them in any particular direction, and often 
difficult to avoid them. The darkness of the night, 
however, deprives them of every direction to the 
water, so that they stray about, and are killed by 
the men at leisure, those nearest the shore becom- 
ing tbe first victims. In this manner fifteen or .six- 
teen hundred have been killed at one cut. They 
are then skinned, and the coat of fat that always 
surrounds them is taken off, and dissolved into oil. 
The skin is cut into slices of two or three inches 
wide, and exported to America for carriage traces, 
and to England for glue. 
They sometimes attack small boats, merely 
through wantonness, and not only put the people 
