392 
A JOURNEY TO THE 
larger than an old Seal but there are thofe among’ 
them that are not lefs than two ton weight. 
; The fkin and teeth are the moft valuable parts 
to the natives; for the fat is hard and grifly, and’ 
the flefh coarfe, black, and cough. | 
~-'Thofe animals are feldom found on the conti, 
nent which borders on Hudfon's Bay, or far up,’ 
in bays, rivers, or inlets, but ufually frequent 
fmall iflands, and fea-girt fhoals, at fome diftance _ 
from the main land; but as thofe places are fro- 
zen over for many miles during Winter, it is 
natural to think they keep at the edge of the wa- 
ter among the driving ice during that feafon. 
They are fuppofed ‘to feed chiefly on marine: 
plants, and perhaps on fhell-fith, for oe excre-— 
ment is exceedingly offenfive. 
Sraxs of various fizes and colours are com-- 
mon in moft parts of Hudfon’s Bay, but moft nu- 
merous tothe North. Some of thofe animals are 
beautifully fpeckled, black and white; others are 
of a dirty grey. The former are generally {mall, 
but fome of the latter arrive at an amazing fize, 
and their fkins are of great ufe to the Ef{quimaux ;_ 
as it is of them they cover their canoes, make all 
their boot-legs and fhoes, befides many other parts 
of their clothing. The Seal-fkins are alfo of 
great ufeto thole people asa fubftitute for cafks, 
to preferve oil, &'c. for Winter ufe; they are 
alfo blown full of win d and dried, and ne ufed 
as buoys on the whale-fifhery. The flefh and fat 
of the Seal is alfo more efteemed by the Efqui-- 
| maux 
