I have never before regarded the walrus as a really formidable animal; but this contest convinces me that I have done their courage great injustice. They are full of fight; and, had we not been very active and self-possessed, our boat would have been torn to pieces, and we either drowned or killed. A more fierce attack than that which they made upon us could hardly be imagined, and a more formidable looking enemy than one of these huge monsters, with his immense tusks and bellowing throat, would be difficult to find. Next time I try them I will arm my boat's crew with lances. The rifle is a poor reliance, and, but for the oars, the herd would have been on top of us at any time. July 4th. [Sidenote: THE "GLORIOUS FOURTH."] The "glorious Fourth" gives us a sorry greeting--rain and hail and snow are unusual accompaniments to this national holiday. The thermometer has gone down almost to the freezing point; but, nevertheless, we have fired our salute, and have displayed our bunting, as in duty bound. Thanks to the hunters, we have had a good dinner of venison and birds, winding up with a cochlearia salad; and if we lacked the oration, we did not the less turn our thoughts to the ever dear land, where all are gay,--all alike forgetting for the time their differences of party creeds and party interests, unite together under the nation's broad banner, to hail the returning dawn of its wonderful career, and to drink bumpers to fraternal union. God bless the day! July 7th. I have been up to Littleton Island for three days, watching the ice, hunting, etc. We caught another walrus and had another fight, but this time we had fewer enemies, and drove them off very quickly. Littleton and McGary Islands are literally swarming with birds, chiefly eider-ducks and burgomasters. There was no end to the number that could have been shot. The eggs have nearly all chicks in them, but fortunately we have already collected from the islands of the harbor a good supply. I found a flock of brant-geese, but could not discover their nests. The burgomaster-gulls are very numerous, but there were no ivory or other gulls, as I had hoped to find. They do not appear to come so far north. [Sidenote: PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE.] The open water has made still further inroads upon the ice. The islands are all now in the open sea, and it is but a few rods from the ship to its margin. The ice still clings tightly to the schooner, notwithstanding all our efforts to free her. In anticipation of a southerly swell setting into the harbor and breaking the ice, I have had the men at work for several days sawing a crack across the harbor from the vessel's fore-foot in the one direction, and from the stern-post in the other. The ice is now only 4½ feet thick.