MOFIEN ISLAND. 
205 
after some successful raid of a former limiting party, 
whose gain must have been enormous, judging from 
the number of the slain whose bones lie bleaching in 
all directions. 
The ice has drifted round Moffen Island from the 
westward, and we are still within its influence ; and 
seeing no prospect of any immediate release, we go 
away on a walrus expedition. We find the pursuit of 
this game entirely different from that of the seal, and 
having no previous experience lose many an obvious 
chance. In this way we approach a large bull walrus 
resting on the ice, but he catches the sound of the 
boat as she grinds against some floating ice, and before 
we are prepared he slides gently back into the sea ; 
as our bullet strikes full on the back of his head, 
making his death a certainty, he sinks into the water 
