14? 



seal: Class I. 



fhore ; and bring forth in thofe vaft caverns that 

 are frequent on our coafts ; they commonly bring 

 two at a time, which in their infant ftate are 

 covered with a whitifii down, or woolly fubdance. 

 The feal- hunters in Cathnefs have affured me that 

 their o-rowth is fo fudden, that in nine tides from 

 their birth (fifty- four hours) they will become 

 as adive 4s their parents. 



On the coaft of that county are immenfe caverns 

 opening into the fea, and running fome hundreds 

 of yards beneath the land. Thefe are the refort of 

 feals in the breeding time, where they continue 

 till their young are old enough to go to Tea, which 

 is in about fix or feven weeks. The firft of thefe 

 caves is near the Ord^ the laft near Thrumfter : 

 their entrance fo narrow, as only to admit a boat ; 

 their infide very fpatious and lofty. In the month 

 of 05foher^ or the beginning of Novemher^ the feal- 

 hunters enter the mouths of the caverns about mid- 

 night, and rowing up as far as they can, they land : 

 each of them being provided with a bludgeon, 

 and properly ftationed, light their torches, and 

 niake a great noife, v/hich brings down the feals 

 from the farther end in a confufed body with fear- 

 full Ihrieks and cries : at iirft the men are obliged 

 to give way for fear of being over- born ; but when 

 the firfl: crowd is pad, they kill as many as ftraggle 

 behind, chiefly the young, by ftriking them on the 

 nofe ; a very flight blow on that part difpatches 

 jthem. When the work is over, they drag the feals 



