e of his office and presumption, spoke in a low
voice--

"Let us pull softly, and speak not at all. There are plenty of beasts.
Wonders shall be done to-day if you attend to what I say."

They all acted on his advice, whether they heard it or not, for Eskimos
need no caution to be wary and silent when approaching a herd of
walruses.

There appeared to be at least a hundred animals lying sunning themselves
on the various ice-lumps into which the floes were broken up. On one
mass about half a mile off there were some twenty rolling about and
grunting comfortably to each other. Towards these the flotilla slowly
drifted, for the dipping of the paddles could scarcely be seen, and was
quite noiseless. By slow degrees they drew near, and then the oomiaks
hung back, with the exception of that steered by Nazinred, who had got
his fire-spouter ready, while Oolalik stood in the bow, harpoon in hand,
and lance ready by his side. The women were not expected to take part
in the action--only to look on,--but all the men in kayaks advanced.
While these last went on towards the main herd, our Indian steered
straight for the ice-cake on which the largest number lay, and as they
drew near, the extreme ugliness of the creatures' faces and black heads
became very apparent.

There was an old bull with tusks not far short of three feet long among
the herd. Beside him was a young bull, which seemed from his wicked
expression to be screwing up his courage to assault the old one. The
rest were females and young ones of various ages, down to what seemed
the very last walrus baby. Those that were grown up had bristling
moustaches like porcupine-quills on their flat lips, and the young ones
had tusks in different degrees of development--except the baby, whose
head resembled an ill-shaped football.

They did not seem in the least afraid of the approaching oomiak.
Perhaps they thought it a very dirty piece of ice covered with rather
grotesque seals. At all events, although they looked at it, they went
on with their mooing and rolling about, quite regardless of it, until
Oolalik sent his harpoon deep into the side of one of the cows. Then
indeed there was tremendous roaring and confusion, as the whole herd
tumbled off the ice raft into the sea. The splash sent a cataract of
spray over the Eskimos; and no wonder, for the old bull was full sixteen
feet long, with barrel-bulk equal to a hogshead. Some of the others
were not much smaller