WALRUS. 
201 
along her course against a north-east gale, and with all 
our efforts our progress is but slow. Moffen Island 
slowly passes out of view, and our shiphead points 
towards Yertigen Hook. We are every moment 
arrested on our way by some great block in the ice, and 
though we make some progress, our position is unfortu¬ 
nate. All this time we are contending with the ice that 
we see between the land and the much desired clear 
water we would fain approach. 
In the clear water we sight a small Norwegian fish¬ 
ing smack making easy way, and from the sounds that 
come booming over the hollow sea from time to time 
we conclude that their sport is excellent. The mast¬ 
head look-out now sights the walrus in the distant 
waves ; while a boat is being prepared we satisfy our¬ 
selves with a hurried view of the gambols of these 
strange beasts. There they are, tumbling over and 
over in the water, enjoying the calm, or basking in the 
warm rays of the sun, lying listlessly on the ice. The 
water is dotted with their great black grizzly-bearded 
heads, with trenchant tusks 18 inches long, as they 
rise and sink on the little waves. To reach them it 
will be necessary to haul our boat and all the need¬ 
ful appliances for the chase a good mile and more over 
the intervening ice ; and as we settle down to our work 
we think of the journey the Swedish Arctic men pro- 
