RECIPROCAL AFFECTION. 95 



effect ; the attack was continued, and the en- 

 raged little animal, though disfigured with 

 wounds, even crawled upon the ice in pursuit of 

 the seamen, who had relanded there, until one 

 of them, out of compassion, put an end to its 

 sufferings. 



The reciprocal affection of parent and offspring 

 was certainly never more strongly displayed than 

 by these animals. On another occasion, one 

 of our boats attacked a male and a female, and 

 wounded the latter in the head whilst she was 

 suckling her young, which she retained against 

 her breast with her flipper. The male imme- 

 diately plunged into the sea, apparently to re- 

 venge the aggression upon the boat ; while the 

 female deliberately placed her young more care- 

 fully under her left fin, and in that manner made 

 her way to the edge of the ice, in spite of three 

 lances that were planted against her breast, and 

 nearly swamped the boat by her fall into the 

 water. When there, she relinquished her hold 

 of the young one, who rushed toward the boat, 

 snorting with its little nostrils, and so enraged 

 that it seemed as if it would have swallowed 

 her up if it had possessed the power ; but, re- 

 ceiving a blow upon the head, it swam away 

 and rejoined its parent, who, suffering from the 

 wounds she had received, was endeavouring to 



