Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-05

drop with fatal shot they are passed
by The harpoon-men aud another select
ed TO spear but If only wounded, the
smear Is thrust into il. AS soon rs the
herd has gained the water the hunters
rush for their Aiaks and boats in which
to pursue the walrus, especially those
that are swimming away with the floats,
their arms being the guns and lances.
When a speared walrus gains the water
he ut once dives, carrying the float
down with him out Of sight, but after
two or three minutes the float hobs up
about 100 yards away, and a second or
two after is followed by the animal
coming to the surface to breathe, which
he does with loud puifs and
snorts, "blowing" water into the
air like small whale. IL again
frightened by the near approach Of
his enemies he takes two or three
gasps Of breath and goes down again,
to reappear trifle sooner than before,
for it is herculean work to keep the
float down with him under the water.
If severely pressed, that is fired at
every time his head appears, or thrust
at with lance, he gets but little
breathing time above, and after the
float has been down dozen or q score
of times, each interval less, the nearly
exhausted walrus ceases to drag it I'M
der with him, and when he
DIVES TO ESCAPE HIS ToRMESToRs
he simply draws it along the surface
like a small fish with large cork. AS
soon as the hunters have gained their
canoes and boats, away they scurry
after the speared walrus, and the second
one hobs his head above water shot
from gun, or lance-thrust if he be
near, greets his appearance. Occasion
ally one Of these shots, if well aimed,
may settle the tragedy at once, and
the hunter paddles TO the float and
seizes it to avoid losing his prey.
They generally secure them, however,
when nearly exhausted, the float drag
ging on the surface Of the water and
the animal coming frequently to the
top trying to get breath or two of air.
Sometimes the harpoon-barb is not well
inserted under the skin and pulls out
before the animal is caught, when he
of course escapes. When the walrus
first rushes from the island, with the
line and float flying out behind, and
dives into the water, he at once pro-
ceeds to the bottom and tries to
rub his rough hide, where the barb
is inserted, over the sharp edge of a
stone, thus tearing it out or cutting the
line. This is the Esquimaux belief,
and they drive them from the shore as
soon as possible into deep water, where
to reach the bottom they must submerge
the float but | think their ideas are
based on the fact that most Of the floats
| that pull out do so at once, as one
would expect if not properly speared,
and this being in the shallow water near
shore, they attribute it to the rubbing
against the stones.
THE MINUTE A wALRUs Is SLAIN
he is carefully dragged to the shore and
a few places cut in his hide so as to
secure more lines, and by means OF
working at alternate ends he is placed
above the water, or far enough at least
to allow them to begin cutting him up.
This is done into ten or twelve divi-
sions Of about one hundred and fifty
pounds each, one side of each
huge cube being the skin. These
pieces are folded over so that the edges
Of the skin come together, when they
are sewed with lashing. and each
bundle. therefore, has only the skin
outside, and in this condition can defy
the teeth of anything in the world, so
tough is the hide. The head, one
fore-Aipper and one hind one falls to
the man who struck the walrus. and
the rest is divided among the hunters,
to be again divided and divided and
divided with each new party they may
encounter until it is eaten up.
These bundles Of meat are taken
to the nearest island-for Wal
rus island is submerged at the
highest tides-and each bundle covered
with huge stones, to prevent the depre-
dations ofpolar bears, wolves, and other
Arctic carniyore. In the spring time,
when the ice foe still is along the shore,
and numerous cakes of ice are to be
seen floating everywhere, the walrus
prefers these readily accessible places
to the smooth granite slope Of the
islands, and at this time his pursuit and
capture is nearly the same as before.
In the winter time, however, when tie
intensely cold weather is upon
them, and they would not dare
to launch a kiak, or boat, as the ice
would form around as fast as the water
touched it anywhere, the method ofpur-
suit varies, and on the side of excite
ment, too. Not less than two hunters
are essential for capture, and when
they have succeeded in crawling within
few feet of their victim through the
rough, hummocky ice-for at these
times the walrus keeps very near the
water, so near that the merest motion
is enough to throw him into the water,
for he cannot remain away from it long
in the intense cold
THE HARPooN is BURIED IN THE
HIDE,
and as the animal rolls in the water,
there being no float to throw in after
him, the two hunters must keep firm
hold on the line. As he pulls away
they slowly pay out the line with a con-
stantly-increasing resistance until the
walrus gives way to it little, when
they take in all the slack withlightning-
like rapidity, and this playing
backwards and forwards, like an
angler with huge game fish on his
light line and pole, is kept up until
the animal is so exhausted that he al
lows himself to be pulled up alongside
and killed with thrust from lance
or shot through the head or neck. II
firearms are used, however, he NAV be
shot at any stage of the proceedings
when he is quiet enough for an aim.
The greatest danger in this chase is