Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1892 — CHASE OF THE WALRUS. [ARTICLE]

CHASE OF THE WALRUS.

Hunted for Its Otl, Which Is Inferior to the Whale’s. The oil of the walrus is the principal result of its chase, hut this oil is inferior to that derived from seals, and less in quantity in proportion to the creature’s bulk, the largest felt dom yielding over 500 pounds, writes Ernest Ingersoll, in Frank Leslie’s. It is useful for the same purpose as whale oil, and the most of it goes, presumably, to adulterate the better product. *No statistics are at hand, but the amount taken must still be very considerable, since all whaling vessels go prepared to save such walruses as they come across. They have special boats for the chase of the sea horse.

The hide is little valued at present in Ameriea, almost its only use being as a covering for polishing wheels and as chafing gear on shipboard. Anciently this was the material out of which the English made their ships’ cables, and Othere sailed away to the arctic seas, in the time of King Alfred, for the purpose of bringing back this necessary adjunct to the King’s vessels. In Europe the hide finds a market in Russia, where it is tanned into a spongy leather, principally devoted to harnessmaking. Formerly this supply was largely derived by Russia from Siberia and Alaska. “As long as the weather remained cold and dry the wear of this material was highly satisfactory, but Noe to the ‘ Kibitscha ’ if caught in a rainstorm. The walrus harness then stretches like India rubber, and the SStees fairly leave the vehicle far behind sticking in the mud, though the traces are unbroken. ”