The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-30
NARROWING THE WALRUS.
NOW mo CINE Is HUNTED IN TIM
SPITzBERGENs SEAS

IRON the 81 Louis Globe. Dsmocy

| F1elus OF tue NOrthern seas OF NORWAY.
IRON the 81 Louis Globe Democrat
HAMMERFEsT, Norway, June 3O-Ham.
merfest about this sesson begins TO look hey
| very busiest, and the port Is daily 1lling up and
| emptying itself OF vessels bound for the Arctic
| fisheries. The overlooking and clumslly built
little Dutch sloops, with their greasy decks and
black hulIs and small square topsail the CONT
| cal Russian luggers, like 40 many ab0rtve Chit
nese junks, and the ill-rigged and Sun ooth sided
Jd0t are somewhat less numerous now than they
were some years "a decade or sol ago. Still.
there are many Of each starting away for the
seas around SpitzoerRen and Bear Island, In the
iui hope OF returning home with a hold" fun
| The crew OF vessel QUILTED for the season
| III the Spitzberpen seas must consist at least OF
hpppdr, or captain, couple OF men to act a.
harp9oners or mates, and six OF eight expert
enced seamen and the vessel must be equipped
bluober knives, oars. shafts (for lsnces and har-
poons), casks for blubber, salt for skins, and
ample an provisions for the crew. A couple Of
:. well constructed walrus boat, for Ave men,
beam, having the main breadth one third from
the bow. IL must be bow-shaped at both ends,
harpooner sits in the bow. A deep notch 4. out
10 the sternpiece OF the boat, and three Others
| In piece OF bard wood on each side Of It; tbess
are for the lines, which must be prevented from
Slipping further aft on the Runwale than the
notohes. as, IL they do. the boat may upset. The
bvats are painted white, to resemble the Ice.
Each boat Is usually provided with six harpoons,
used for both seal aud walrus. A line OF twelve
or niteen fatnoms Is Rrummeted to the harpoon
head, and when the harpoon Is thrust into an
animal the struggles draw the line tight; the
largo outer barb taxes up loon In the hide or
flesh, and the smaller inner barb, like that OF Q
| nshhook, prevents IL from becoming diseDgaged.
| The harpoons are thrown from shafts Of twelve
or thirteen feet In length, and an inch and half
| 10 thickness, the ends being pointed to NJ into
| the sockets OF the heads The harpoons are
| placed and fixed on these shafts, aud are used
~ tbis manner for either thrustinR or darting.
skilfuI hatpooner, they say, will throw one
with sufficient force and precision to secure a
seal or walrus thirty feet distant.
-Four or five heavy lances, with large shafts,
hA h..saa -
case OF seals lance Is not used, as 1t spoils the
skin, and mere the hddk pick, or seal hook,
which Is driven or stuck into the brain, is had
recourse to.
Two axes are necessary, one largo one for de-
CAPTIVATING dead walruses, aud another small.
handy axe, for cutting tho line should the
manmuyres OF the walrus threaten to capsizs
are needed for fiensing, that Is. stripping the
skin and blubber from the auim ais when caught.
An Ice anchor, purchase blocks, &C., are aso en-
ployed.
A good quantity OF food shou also DO slowed
In the boat before leaving the ship for a chase,
weather, NAV intervene to prevent approach fos
ten, VI even twenty or more days.
ACROSS THR SEA IN RowBoAT.
Many poor people have been left to perish mis-
erably on the bleak and desert islands OF Spltx-
bergen by accident, arising from fog. ice, and
Who 10 1885, iO tSDk i VIZ. h sSn s's ann
chored their soop to an Iceberg, landed to at
ta "a s herd Of bears ieay,ns tne vessel in e9sre:
brandy and got drunk, like the real Jolly tars
they were. IN the mean time dense fog arose,
the iceberg hoated and was soon out Of sight OF
the island. The fog lasted Several DAYS and
when 1t lifted the sltBppdr and bis com anions
saw no signs Of their own or any other sloop
upon the sea, and there stared them In the face
the dread alternative OF passing winter OF
severe cold and starvation. probably death upon
the island, or Of attempting to cross the stormy
$50 miles OF seq, which divided them from Nor
way. in an open boat. The Litter chance was
chosen like bold fellows. One Of the boats was
abandoned, and the egnt men got into the
other, with as much bear-meat as they could
stow, and rowed for dear life to the south hum
cry, thirsty, and fatigusd, they reached the
coast OF F1nmarken In eight DAYS.
Ola seal AID wslrus hunters are ecstatio in
thelr descriptions OF the summer weather In
the sptzenoergen seas; aud even a" nipplng
and AN eager air" is needed very little when oo-
cason lily felt. as the wild excitement OF CD g.
ing the noble sea quarry renders them quite OBJ
can exceed the sublime grandeur OF really flne
day-the sea calm and bright with thousands of
boating icebergs and Ice foes no sound save
tho cracking Of the glaciers or the hoarse bel
lowing OF the sea horse and sea dog, and tho
Wiz screams OF the gulls and the croaks Of the
| divers. such day Is bn Interestingly beautiful
ana ENJOYABLE one for row and hunt among
the nOating ice.
The Norwegian seaman on the lookout above
announces the glad tidings, "HuddlrIts pdd ysen''
nve pairs OF oars are piled swiftly, hut carefully,
toward the tat icehefgs upon which the walruses
are taking rest. Frequently the animals are on
the alert, and move Of into the water before so
much as shot can be had at them. Often.
however, tho boat approaches near enough TO
allow me throwing OF the harpoon. When tho
walrus is shot upon the leo great care must be
taken, and much haste made ny the rowers, Less
the animal 10 his death struggles, roll from the
Ice into the sea, in which case the skin and
hubber are irrevocably lost This happens NOD
lniTequehtly' Doth In the case Of the walrus and
seal
EXCITING AND DANGEROUS SPORT.
sometimes herd OF, perhaps. hundred
rosring, believing, blowing, snoring, and slas b.
lns wilfusos' accompanied by acres Of foam.
are encountered. The haIpooner stands with
one loot In the thwdrt. the other on the front
locker Of his boat; the line IL coiled In his riQht
hand ana tue long shaft of the harpoon grasped
IN both the weapon bal need ready Tor dart.
crew, as he can frequently, standing upright in
th. DOW OF the boat see the walruses under
water: ne herd keep close together, and dive
simultaneously One moment hundrod grizzly
hesIs and long cleaning white tusks are sosn
above the waves one spout from their blow.
holes, one breath Of fresh air, aud then theV
disappear On goes the boat, up come the 500
horses again. They are pretty close this tiine.
aud before they can draw a breath the boat is 10
the MIDST OF them; the harpoon whixzss
through the air, the line is drawn tight over thS
gunwale, and walrus Is fast" The walrus
struggles nadly to draw the boat under an ice.
borg. but after while the lines are drawn in.
and vigorous application OF the lance sooR
settles the business. The skin aud blubbor are
then hensed from the animal, and the oarolss
flensing the walrus or seal. when killed ON
tho zee, attracts an immediate assembldge OF
those Nultures OF the north, the beautiful Ivory
gulls ana voraclous guiilemots, which seem "a
hs guided to their prey 10y the same wonderful
beaux Of the West indies. They invariably W ia
at a respectful distance while the sailors are
appointed when the carcass Is rolled over into
the sea. once in "A while the sailors will ply :
trlck upon them by attaching four or nye pieces
OF bIubDor To as IN my pieces Of sail Irvine whioh
nave hoe tod together. Several gulls will swaI.
low piece Of bluboer each, and The laugh
comes IN when they thy to hy away Liter.Il5
speaking, the we k-stOmached gulls are com,
PEELED TO diegorge In favor OF the strong In ordsi
10 secure h.lr personal liberty.
THE DISPOSITION OF THE BEAST.
The walrus is Id 10 be all inofensiye beaat.
out hunting him Is far from child 5 play Inl
stances are related where sailors have beeo
Roied ANA torn To pieces upon their tusks Ihe
sues ol boats nave also been considerably and.
IA many cases, irremedl ,oly damaged by them.
some Ilile ago a shDplhlr was seized by an in.
iuIldted cow W"rus anu twice dragged to the
lotion Oi the sea, and very narrowly ESCAPED
browning. Iher 1requenti, lght among them-
selves upon the Ice. and use their tusks with
oohsiue'able eLecutlJn as Ramecocks use tueir
peaks' these tusks are snlaTgements and mo L.
lhVduons oI the eye teeth and are onibcdded
SIX OF seven inches IN the hsrd bone OF the fTout
part ol the head. lhoy are useu for plougulna
Tue shllu AT the bottom ot the in search OF
Ioou Ihe cal walrus has no tusks tho urst
year. mo ga horse has "A trrrinj mOustAche Ut
strong, transparent, brstlN hair, about DIX ncnea
long and timex Is a crow -quil; the ewes re
nerCe looking aud bloudshut; ana inc head, ~
seen above water, pfosrnts somewhat Of doe
HonlaCil appVdiduce,