Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-10

upon the ice great care must be trken,
and much haste made by the rowers.
lest the animal, in his death struggles,
roll from the ice into the sea, in which
case the skin and blubber are irrevoca-
bly, lost. This happens not unfre-
quently, both in the case of the walrus
and seal.
Sometimes herd of, perhaps, hun
dred, roaring, believing, blowing,
snorting and slashing walruses, ac-
companied by acres Of foam, are en-
countered. The harpooner stands with
one foot in the thWart, the other on
the front locker Of his boat: the line
is coiled in his right hand, and
the long shaft of the harpOon graSped
in both, the weapon balanced ready for
dart. In this position he directs the
course Of the crew, as he can frequent
ly, standing upright in the bow Of the
boat, see the walruSes under water.
The herd keep closely together, and
dive simultaneously. One moment a
hundred grizzly heads and long gleam-
ing white tuskS are seen above the
waves; one spout from their blow
holes, one breath of fresh air, and then
they disappear. On goes the boat, up
come the sea-horses again. They are
pretty close this time, and before they
can draw a breath the boat is in the
midst Of them; the harpoon WhiZZes
through the air, the line is drawn tight
over the gunwale, and a Walrus is
fast" The walrus struggles madly
to draw the boat under an iceberg, but
after while the lines are drawn in,
and vigorous application of the lance
soon settles the bushes. The skin
and blubber are then t5e11sed from the
animal, and the carcass sinks.
The walrus is said to be an inoffen-
sive beast, but hunting him is far from
child's play. Instances are related
where sailors have been gored and torn
to pieces upon their tusks. The sides
of boats have also been considerably
and in many cases, irremediably dam
aged by them. Some time ago a Skyp-
par was seized by an Infatuated cow
WalruS and twice dragged to the bot
tom of the sea, and very narrowly es-
capped drowning. They frequently
fight among themselves upon the ice,
and use their tusks with considerable
execution, as game-cOckS use their
beakS. These tusks are engagements
and notifications of the eye-teeth, and
are imbedded six or seven inches in
the hard bone of the front part of the
head. They are used for blowing the
sand at the bottom of the sea, in search
of food. The calf walrus has no tusks
the first year. The sea-horse has a
terrific mustache of strong, transpar-
ent, bristly hair, about six inches long
and thick as crOW-Quill; the eyes are
fierce-lOOking and blood-shot; and the
head, as seen above water, presents
somewhat of a demoniacal appearance.
The most successful way of taking
the seal on ice is to shoot him through
the head. He, too, resembles the wal
rus, and the Irishman's flea, in your
not having him just when you think
you've got him, for unless you kill him
stone dead he'll "take tumble" as
the boys say, and drop into the sea.
The seal, not infrequently, however,
in his inquisitive way, approaches the
boat. He is then harpOoned and dis
patched with haak-picks. A full-sized
Spitzbergen seal, in good condition, is
from nine and a half to ten feet in
length, about six and half feet in cir
conference, and weighs 600 pounds, Of
which the skin and blubber form half.
The walrus has not near as much fat,
or blubber, in proportion to his size, as
the seal, walrus of 1000 pounds rare
ly producing over $50 pounds of fat.
1t is terribly hard and dangerous
life the Spitzbergen walrus-hunters
live, and their eyes have weary, rest
less look, as if continually in the pres
ence of danger. They are, like tars
the seas over, wild, rough, restless
lot of fellows, bold and hardy and in
.ured to all sorts of sufferings and dan
gers. They are, indeed, true descend
ants of the gallant Morse Vikings and
Berserkars, who, Of old, ravaged and
conquered the coasts of Europe from
Jutland to Otranto. Their pay is
scanty and, in some respects, cOntin-
gent upon the success of the voyage;
still they enjoy their wild and reckless
life, and never seem so happy as when
going on cruise into the Northern
Seas for hunt upon the Arctic ice
fields.-Hamme'Jest Cor. St. Louis
Gl0be-DenaOcrGt
RATS greatly infest ships, and are
by them conveyed to every part Of the
world. So industriously do they make