Observations on the Seal Fishery of the Colony, $c. 287 



turalist has been long demanding, but simply refer to some of 

 the peculiar habits of the seals, as observed by the writer, in 

 one of their locations off L'Agullas. 



A visit to this extreme point of the continent of Southern 

 Africa, at no distant period, brought me in contact with a 

 party of sealers at the mouth of the Uile Kraal river, then on 

 the point of visiting Dyer's islands, on a sealing speculation. 

 The desire to be better acquainted with the nature of their 

 occupations, led me to witness the scene of their labours, and 

 to take a share in their pursuits. Several hours hard pull 

 brought us, late in the evening, on Dyer's first island. This 

 is the abode of the sealers during the seasons of their periodi- 

 cal visits. The landing place is carved out of the broken 

 rock, and is so intricate, that Suspicion herself would seem 

 to have designed the plan. The island is elevated about 10 

 feet above the level of the sea, forms in extent, half a mile of 

 level ground without vegetative life, and in shape resembles 

 that of a coffin.* The Avest end of the island is left as a reserve 

 for such seals as escape during the killing of the species on 

 Dyer's second, or, as the sailors term it, Dyer's little island. 

 The latter is the grand rendezvous of the seals, and is very 

 nearly composed of broken columns of quartz, rising from 10 

 to 15 feet above the level of the sea, and may be about two 

 acres in extent. These particulars are introduced before the 

 Institution, because neither of the islands is laid down in 

 any of the existing charts. It is -impossible to account for the 

 omission, considering the dangerous nature of the coast, and 

 the frequent wrecks, the relics of which are strewed in every 

 direction. 



On the morning following our arrival, we mustered twelve 

 in number, and by sun-rise proceeded in two boats, to com- 

 mence operations on the little island. Our course was through 

 immense forests of sea-bamboo (Fucus bucinalis), which hav- 

 ing terminated at the expiration of half an hour, Ave came to 



* In 1806, guns of distress were heard by Sampson Dyer, then residing in 

 hia hut ou the shore directly opposite the islands, which bear his name. 

 The signals were repeated during the whole of the night. The weather was 

 calm, but the night intensely dark, and the breakers unusually terrific. 

 In the morning, a large Indiaman was discovered, which had missed her 

 course, and had got entangled among the bidden rocks between the islands 

 and the main land. M a great personal risk, Dyer pushed off in his small 

 boat, and boarded the stranger. The captain was bewildered, and his men 

 in dreadful anxiety. Ai/er some considerable suspense, Dyer said to the 

 Captain, "Have you faith to put the ship exclusively under my care?" 

 " I have," said the commander. " Well then," replied the black man, 

 Dyer, " with God's Messing, all will be well." — Dyer succeeded in deliver. 

 hi<j the ship, richly la !' a from the east. He was rewarded, by the presen- 

 tation of one guinea'. Those who know the dangers of this part of the 

 t, and are acquainted with the fact as many are,— always speak of the 

 ■hip's deliverance as a mod-ru miracle. 



