Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-03-30
THE ARCTIC WALRUS
THE HUGE CREATURES ARE NOT
KILLED WITHOUT DANGER.

An OHiccr Of tho Revenue Marine de-
scribes n Hunt In Which He Took Part.
Peculiar Relationship OF the Wairus and
the Polar Dear.
"On tho Same day that wo killed two
polar bears on st. Matthew's island, In
Bering sea, wo bagged walrns" said
Captain q. A. Abbey Of the revenue ma
rine. 1.-The Corwin lay at anchor above
Cape Upright Tho two big bear carcasses
had been hoisted on board, and the officers
and crow wero examining their points and
comparing their sizo when several walruS
wore seen hauled up ON tho rocks milo
or two away, and 1t was determined to try
for some ivory.
"a surfboat was dispatched toward the
walrus In charge of Pilot Douglass, with
Surgeon Bratton, Chief Engineer Kelley
and six men, armed with remington rifles
of heavy caliber. Upon nearing them II
was found that there were soven In the
group, averaging probably 1900 pounds
in weight. They were basking or resting
upon large fat ledge, round which the
sea surged and boiled, making landing
dangerous.
1.-The walrus, being very shy, Is apt at
tho slightest alarm to flop and roll his
hugo and unwieldy bulk overheard, when
he disappears for long time. The utmost
caution and quiet are necessary, therefore,
in approaching him. Accurate Judgment
and rapidity in firing are required to So
cure "a shot that will strike tho creature
near the head. The enormous thick hide
and heavy blubber of the walrus are al
most impcnctrable to an ordinary rifle
ball, and unless struck in "a very vulner-
ii cbnr Of chr
is sufficient to kill one of these enormous
pigs of the sea.
"Whilo still n considerable distance
away the oars were taken in and the
noiseless paddles substituted. The fire.
men lay in the bow as tho boat was care
fully steered toward the walrus. The surf
of tho ocean washed nearly up to the huge
beasts and tossed the boat In dangerous
proximity to tho rocks. Quick work was
necessary in every respect, and the situa'
tion was full of danger. The only line Of
escape for the walrus was toward and al
most upon the boat One blow of flip-
per or stroke of tusk would crush the
frail craft and drown the crew. Even the
swash of the waves when the big animals
should founder heavily into the sea would
nearly swamp the boat. Orders and in
formation were given in whispers and
signs as the boat stole cautiously on, wind
ing In and out among the rocks and break
ers as close as it was safe to CO. Pilot
Douglass, an old and experienced arctic
hunter, gave the orders:
Now, keep as still as you can. The
minute they SEQ us they'll rush down the
rocks for tho water and your only chance
of getting one is in firing as soon as they
come in sight Aim to hit them in the
back Of the neck. If one Is wounded and
stops ON the rocks, try to spring on shore
and finish him, but mind you keep out
Of range of his tusks and tail He won't
fight, but he'll be likely to blunder on top
of you or founder over you, and If he does
there'll be- nothing left where you stood
but hole in tho ground.
Slowly tho bow of the boat came round
the last intervening rock close upon the
walrus The riHes were instantly raised,
as good aim taken as possible, and vol
ley poured in at such heads as were yisi
bio.
"'Great Scottl What rumpusp cried
Kelley as the huge masses thus sharply
awakened, heaving, Topping and grunt-
ing in their fright, rolled, slid and tum
bled overheard, nearly swamping the boat
as they plunged into the water. One huge
bc;.;, bc;S.-;t fel! sctwecn the rocks and the boat,
Causing such a lurch as nearly to pitch the
crew into tho sea. Another came up just
outside the cutter with the apparent inten'
tion Of trying his enormous tusks upon ie.
Quick as thought Bratton put a ball into
him. when he sank and was seen no moro.
"Six escaped, but one was left on the
rocks. He was hard hit and had founder
ed into cleft, or he, too, would have got
away. Leaping upon the rocks, the hunt
ers gave him two or three more shots, and
he soon lay dead before them. He was SO
large that six of the boats crew stood at
one time upon his body. His tusks were
80 inches long and = inches in diameter.
With an ak the head was severed from the
body, after which, there being no hope of
the temperance Of the other walrus the
boat returned to the ship.
"Old voyagers in Bering sea tell Of
strange association between the walrus
and the polar bear. The walrus furnishes
the principal food Of the great carnivore,
which is his deadliest foe, In fact, yet to
see them together, as they frequently arc
encountered, one might think they were
boon companions. Lying upon the field
of ice will often be seen patches of walrus
containing from 80 to 80, and with each of
these groups will be found the polar bear.
They all are apparently resting together
in the happiest sort Of unity. Occasion
ally q walrus flops into the water and sinks
lelsurely into the depths, while others will
be seen emerging therefrom and climbing
upon the Ice.
"The bear becomes hungry and decides
| he will dino with the walrus that day. He
rises to his launches and sways himself
heavily upon oil fours. After yawn and
q stretch no saunters to the nearest walrus
and swings his powerful paw In crush
ing blow upon its head, instantly killing
the animal He then proceeds leisurely to
make comfortable dinner of the unfor-
tunate object of his selection. This per-
formanoe apparently does not startle the
others. They continue to bask undis-
turbed, seemingly indifferent to the fate
| Of their comrade and awaiting their turn
like stoics The female walrus with young,
however, does not tolerate the presence OF
the bear. She regards him with meritcd
4 .,,,xtotou cu1 vrou, nj % boo to Tho 49,. tov