TAMENESSOF ANIMALS 349 



and to call, "Here, Ben!" repeating the call several 

 times; whereupon out from among the anchored boats 

 appeared not only Ben, but two large bull sea-lions, 

 which must have weighed half a ton each, followed by 

 two or three smaller females. The boatman tossed 

 some pieces of albacore into the water, which the sea- 

 lions dashed for, and down upon their heads plunged 

 several score of gulls, paying not the slightest atten- 

 tion to the huge animals cavorting about. The sea- 

 lions seized the dead fish under water, brought it to 

 the surface, and with a violent swing back and forth 

 tore the fish in pieces, the birds taking the rejectamenta, 

 while several large pelicans floated in the immediate 

 vicinity ready to pounce upon any fragment that came 

 their way. Not ten feet from this interesting scene 

 floated several boats containing spectators, yet the 

 wfld animals paid no attention to them, affording a 

 remarkable illustration of the tameness of animals 

 when protected. 



When this fish was disposed of, the boatman took 

 a large albacore by the tail and walked down the 

 beach, calling the sea-lion, Ben, by name. The animal 

 responded at once, coming inshore with a rush, fol- 

 lowed by two others. The boatman gradually retreated 

 up the beach, the huge animals following him, in 

 their clumsy waddle, resembling gigantic slugs more 

 than anything else; finally they took the fish from 

 the man's hands. The scene was remarkable, the 

 confidence manifested in the man complete. This 

 is a dramatic situation that occurs often at Avalon 

 Bay on the main beach of the little town, afford- 

 ing a free show to visitors and sojourners on the 



