Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-11-04
Hunting the WalrUs.--A New Field Of
Adventure in the Arctic

THE little schooner San Diego, Capt.
Cathcart, arrived in port on Tuesday,
after a five months cruise in pursuit of
walrus among the islands of Behring's
Sea. The ivory and oil of these huge
hyperboreans are utilized for various
manufacturing purposes, but the market
heretofore has been supplied by whalers,
who, when whales were scarce, eked out
a cargo with the product of the walrus.
To the usual articles of ivory and oil,
the San Diego has added the hides Of
these immense animals. If they can be
extensively used, walrus-hunting must
speedily become a successful enterprise.
The San Diego, being only thirty-two
tons burden, is much too small vessel
for other than private adventure. Her
crew, composed of hardy, resoluts men,
have, however, returned from their
cruise with remunerative cargo, and a
number of white and cinnamon bear
skins attest that their lab@rs have not
been without incident. Irl conversa-
ton with James Morrison, the intelligent
Mate, he informed a Chronicle reporter
that walrus abound in immense numbers
among the islands of the Behring's Sea.
Like the seal, they Chamber up the rocks
and beaches, and, huddling closely,
sleep for days without movement. In
this condition they can be readily APP
preached, and by skillful marksmen
shot at will. The crew of the San Diego
shot 700 in one shoal on the beach at
Hall Island, before the myriads COM
posing it took to the water for safety.
Many of them weighed over 5000
pounds. Owing to violent storm but
200 Of this number were secured. Near
Cape Upright and the southeastern end
of st. Matthew's Island, eighty-one
were shot, and another storm occurring
during which both anchors were lost,
obliged the return of the vessel before
the cruise was half completed. Here
tofore the method of capturing walrus
has been with the harpoon. The alarm
which this method occasioned soon rem
dered it impracticable. The plan
adopted by the crew of the San Diego
was for each man, armed with a Win
chester or Sharps' rifle, to approach
the sleeping animals cautiously, and
shoot at the particular portion Of the
skull covering the brain. Any failure
to penetrate the brain does not kill.
The front of the head is impervious to q
bullet, and the neck is 80 well protected
by the blubber that a ball produces no
other effect than to alarm and excite the
animal, and thus cause the entire shoal
to take to the water. Every shot must
kill instantly, without producing any
commotion, or the game disappears.
The walrus is very stupid unless dis
turbed, when it fights swith great power.
Throwing its immense head back so as
to elevate the tusks to a horizontal po-
sition, it springs forward, and by q
rapid move of the head is enabled to
strike with unerring aim any object
within three or four feet. Woe to the
man or animal within that limit. He is
in a moment. Fights among
The males are frequent and terrific, Of
ten terminating in the death of one or
both. Few females are found in Beh-
cing's Sea during the summer months,
jhe theory among hunters being that
hey pass this season with their young
n the Arctic and appear below the
straits late in the fall and winter. Un-
ike the seal, they have habit of sleep
ng in the water, with the head par
tally exposed. The ivory of the wal
us sells readily for forty-fve and fifty
,ents per pound. Billiard balls, cane
reads, and all ivory articles of
imilar size are made of it here, but
he larger part of it is sent to China and
Ised extensively in the manufacture of
chinese ornaments. The oil is equal in.
Iuality to whale oil, commands the same, Il
rice, and is used for the same pur-N M
roses. The hides are from one and a n
lalf to two inches in thickness. When N
AIMED they furnish a superior article of
elting for heavy machinery, and are
for polishing silver plate.
White bears are numerous in Behring's
lea, and the crew Of the San Diego OBJ
aimed the skins of seven or eight that
hey shot on the islands. They also
illed large number of large cinnamon
ears in Alaska. On one occasion, while
ngaged in the slaughter of walruses on
Lall Island, a hunter, while in the act
reloading his gun, startled by a rustic
n the beach, looked around, and to his
reat dismay beheld an enormous white
ear seated within twenty feet of the
DOT he occupied. Dropping his gun,
e started on run, and was followed
oily by the bear, who gained on him at
very leap. A comrade perceiving his
anger, directed his aim at the ferocious
east, and was fortunate enough to kill
i'm, but not until he was in Ieaping dis
nee of his intended prey. The climate
Behring's Sea is cold and foggy, and
aylight during the months of June and
lily is of about eighteen hours durH.
On. Very little ice is to be seen there
the summer; the islands are barren,
I'd the whole region uppromising for
~ other than fishing and maritime pur-
,ses. Owing to the shallowness of thsA.
ater, storms there, which are frequeub
AXE very turbulent and dangerous
lvigadon. San Francisco Ch'oF'eSe'