Description

The year is 1500; the place, somewhere
along the north shore of
what will later be called Prince Edward
Island.
You hear them first, as you walk over
the towering sand dunes towards the
sea. The sounds from the beach rise
and fall, a cacophony of muffled roars
and growls interspersed with moments
of silence. Then, as you crest the last of
the dunes, you see them. Stretching for
perhaps a quarter of a mile along the
shore, from the water's edge to the base
of the dunes, a herd of enormous creatures
have gathered. Their bulk intimidates:
twice as long as a man, ten
times as heavy. They are packed closely
together, each using the other's bulk
for pillow or back rest. They squabble
and jostle, jabbing with glistening
tusks to claim a comfortable position
on the sand. They are walrus.