This animal is a native of the polar regions, and in many of its habits
resembles the seal. It lives in troops, which visit the shore, or
extensive fields of ice, as a sort of home. Its food consists of a kind
of seaweed, which it tears up by means of its tusks. It is very much
hunted for its skin and its oil.
_Anecdote._--In the year 1766, a vessel which had gone to the north
seas, to trade with the Esquimaux, had a boat out with a party of the
crew. A number of walruses attacked them, and, notwithstanding every
effort to keep them at bay, a small one contrived to get over the stern
of the boat, looked at the men for some time, and then plunged into the
water to rejoin his companions. Immediately after, another one, of
enormous bulk, made the same attempt to get over the bow, which, had he
succeeded, would have upset the boat; but, after trying every method in
vain to keep him off, the boatswain discharged the contents of a gun
loaded with goose-shot into the animal's mouth, which killed him; he
immediately disappeared, and was followed by the whole herd. Seeing
what had happened to their companion, the enraged animals soon followed
the boat; but it luckily reached the ship, and all hands had got on
board before they came up; otherwise, some serious mischief would,
doubtless, have befallen the boat's crew.