The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-13

No Animal Is More Usefal to HIN Ghan
the Walrus.

the Walrus.
Few animals are more valuable to
man in the Arstlc regions or could be
less easily spared than the walrus.
It's flesh is good and its thick skin fur
nishes the best kind of material for
covering the native houses and boats.
The skin of the iiipper and throat is
made into boots, and the bones and
tusks are fashioned into spears, ar
rows, pipes, ana almost every imple-
ment used by the Eskimo
The walras is enc OF the largest
quadrupeds existing. as il attains a
length Of 20 feet and q weight Of
nearly a ton. 1t has a small head,
with a remarkably thich upper lip,
covered with long. stiff bristles; the
neck is thick and extremely short;
the red-brown skin hangs loosely on
the ponderous trunk, and the short
feet terminate in broad fin-like pad
dies. resembling large flaps Of leather.
Its movements on land are very
slow and awkward, but 10 the water
It has all the activity Of seals, and
even surpasses them 10 speed. 1t
cannot remain under water for any
length Of time. being compelled to
come to the surface for air. At such
times a cloud Of dense Yapor is emit
ted from the nOstrils, and forms an
easy means by which hunters may fol-
low a pursued animal
Like the seals the walrus are ex-
ccedingly gregarious, ana love 10 lie
on the ice or on the beaches closely
huddled together When dosing on
shore the herd is easily approached
from the leeward, but as their scent
is remarkably keen attempts TO get
within close range from a windward
position are almost certain to result
in arOusing them and causing a
stampede 10 be made for the water
The appearance Of the unc0uth ami
mails at such a time is ludicrous IN
the extreme, as ia their anxiety to
reach the water they will roll over
and over each other in the widest
confusion. Native hunters assert
that the Walrus herd Is never left
without a guardian on the outlook.
This member Of the herd holds him
self as nearly ect as possible, with
head up and e;1s, ears, and nostrils
open and alert for danger His posi-
tion is SO taken that should he be
overcome with drOwsinoss and allow
his head 10 drop his tusks win sharply
prick his sleeping neighb0r and cause
that animal TO stir himself and re-
lieye the watch
The tender solicitude Of a mother
for her young is in few cases greater
than that shown by the walrus Ere
quent instances are known where a
female walrus has fearlessly placed
herself between a young calf and dam
ger, even receiving spear wounds or
shots from guns aimed at the calf
This strong trait is so well known
that the natives frequently capture a
young calf and tame il 20 be used as
a means Of attracting older animals
within reach OF their spears When
swimming In company with her calf
the little one is usually from one 20
two feet directly in front OF the
mother, who az the first sign OF dan
ger, places her tusks back OF the calf's
neck and bears 1t down beneath the
surface Of the water The young
walrus is sometimes carried under
the forearm, or flipper Of the mother
while swimming on the surface The
affection Of the mother walrus for its
Young IS however, not reciprocal, as
the calves Of those captured will fol-
low the walrus that escape when an
attack Is made on the herd.