THE WORLD OF ICE. 151

time to come up to take a culp of fresh air and lave
his shaggy front in the brine, before going down
again to the depths of his ocean home. Mectuck,
therefore, allowed the seal to glide quietly into the
sea, and advanced towards this new object of attack.
At length he took a steady aim through the hole
in the canvas sereen, and fired. Instantly the
seals dived, and at the same time the water round
the walrus was lashed into foam and tinged with
red. It was evidently badly wounded, for had it
been only slightly hurt it would probably have
dived.

Meetuck immediately seized his harpoon, and rushed
towards the struggling monster; while Fred grasped
a gun and O’Riley a harpoon, and ran to his assist-
ance. West remained to keep back the dogs. As
Meetuck gained the edge of the ice the walrus reeoy-
ered partially, and tried, with savage fury, to reach
his assailant, who planted the harpoon deep in its
breast, and held on to the rope while the animal
dived,

“Whereabouts is he?” ecricd O’Riley, as he came
panting to the scene of action.

As he spoke the walrus ascended almost under his
nose, with a loud bellow, and the Irishman started
back in terror, as he surveyed at close quarters, for
the first time, the colossal and horrible countenance
of this elephant of the Northern Seas. O’Riley was
no coward, but the suddenness of the apparition was
too much for him, and we need not wonder that in