264 CAMPBELL ISLAND 



cimens suitable for a museum group. But under the guidance of Dr. 

 Falla, Director of the Welhngton Museum, who had accompanied us as 

 the special representative of the New Zealand Government, and who 

 possessed local knowledge, we were able to find what we wanted. We 

 were permitted to select two adult males, an old female, and a couple of 

 young animals. 



To shoot them presents no difficulties. In the manner of hunters, 

 shouting and waving our arms and with occasional gentle kicks, we drove 

 them, down to the shore, where they could be easily flayed. So as not to 

 damage the skull and skin, our experienced big-game hunter. Dr. Boje 

 Benzon, shot them through the open mouth at a metre's range, hitting 

 the cervical vertebra and killing them instantly. 



Elephant seals which have only recently come ashore will sometimes 

 be active enough when disturbed to try to return to the sea. Being true 

 seals, they are unable to draw their rear limbs up under the body like 

 sea-lions, but have to drag them, like dead and flabby members, behind 

 them. Nothing will drive such an animal from its chosen course — a dead 

 straight line to the sea. It tumbles forward over sleeping elephant seals, 

 over shrubs and large stones on the shore; undulating like a giant cater- 

 pillar and with heavy flops, it gets along faster than a man can move over 

 this difficult ground. It is incredible that after such a journey the animal 

 should have a whole bone or organ left in its body. But once it is in the 

 water the clumsy creature is transformed; the large back feet fan out, 

 the water froths around them as though they were a ship's propellers, and 

 soon the animal is gHding about with the suppleness of an eel. 



These are the creatures which adopt the menacing attitude to which 

 I have referred, roaring with wide-open jaws. When they are excited 

 many of the delicate blood \essels of the roof of the mouth will burst, 

 and the blood will trickle out, as the tears roll from their large eyes to form 

 a moist and glistening strip down the neck. It is indeed a strange blend 

 of impressive energy and wretched helplessness. 



I must confess that I was rather anxious about the possibility of getting 

 these giants well enough skinned to display in a museum. But again the 

 Galathea was well equipped. A flying squad headed by the "butcher" 

 was ready to take action as soon as a suitable animal was found; experts 

 who could flay and roughly skeletonize a full-grown elephant seal in a 

 couple of hours, in rain, wind, fog, or half-light. It was a great relief 

 that, along with small animals, the skins could be put straight into the 

 deepfreezer, so saving the troublesome work of curing. 



When they have finished moulting, adult elephant seals return to the 



