Museum of Wonders, or Curiosities of the World

A cabinet of curiosities in book form, 1890: monsters of the ancient world, wild animals, queer wanderers in the vasty deep, famous inventions and sublime scenery — assembled to astonish the young and, the preface admits, their elders too.

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A Formidable Foe

R. HAYES, the ruses to get their tushes on the gunwale Arctic explorer, of the boat, and it was evident that in the relates an adven- event if we should have such monster ture he had with tushes upon us, the boat would be torn in Walruses. One pieces, and we would be left floating in day he and his the sea helpless. All this gave motive, party came upon therefore, to be active. One of my men a large herd, and plied his lance from the bows, and gave wounded one old many a serious wound. The men pushed bull with a har- back the nearest with their oars, while poon, when all others loaded and fired as rapidly as we turned at once could. Several times we were in great upon their enemies. danger, but the timely thrust of an oar, That they meditated an or the lance, or a bullet, saved us. Once attack, says Dr. Hayes, I thought we were surely gone. I had there could be no longer fired, and was hastening to load; a wicked doubt. To escape the looking brute was rushing at us, and it onslaught was impossi- seemed probable that he would be upon ble. We had raised a us. I stopped loading, and was preparing hornet's nest about our ears in a most to cram my rifle down his throat, when a astonishingly short space of time, and we sailor, who had got ready his weapon, must do the best we could. Even the sent a fatal shot into his head. wounded animal to which we were fast turned upon us, and we became the focus of at least a thousand gaping, bellowing mouths.

Again an immense animal, the largest I had ever seen, and with tusks apparently three feet long, was observed to be making his way through the herd with mouth It seemed to be the purpose of the Wal-wide open, bellowing dreadfully. I was

ble. We had raised a us. I stopped loading, and was preparing
ble. We had raised a us. I stopped loading, and was preparing
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