CHASE OF THE OTTER. 47 



The young cannot swim till they are some months 

 old ; but the mother, when she goes out to sea 

 in search of food, carries them on her back 

 and brings them back to her hole in the rocks, 

 when she has satisfied her hunger. If seen 

 by the hunter during these excursions, she is a 

 certain prey, for she never forsakes her offspring 

 however they embarrass her swimming, but, in 

 conmion with the male, defends them coura- 

 geously against every attack. 



The lungs of these animals are so constructed 

 that they cannot subsist for more than a few mi- 

 nutes under water, but are necessitated to re- 

 ascend to the surface for breath. These oppor- 

 tunities are seized by the hunters, who would 

 seldom succeed, if the otter could remain long 

 under water, where it swims with great rapidity 

 and skill. Even with the above advantage, the 

 chase is very toilsome, and sometimes dangerous. 

 It is carried on in the following manner. 



The hunters row in the little Aleutian bai- 

 dars round the coast, and for some miles out to 

 sea, provided with bows, arrows, and short jave- 

 lins. As soon as they see an otter they throw 

 their javelins, or shoot their arrows. The ani- 



