OLD WHALING DAYS. 171 



was accomplished, we sighted Lamhaness or Unst, the most 

 northerly part of Shetland. The whole time of sealing, the 

 cold was most intense with showers of very light, drifting 

 snow, which froze on us as it fell. Our beards were hung 

 with icicles of blood, our clothes were bespattered with the 

 same, and we scarcely knew each other when we -passed. 

 Seals are so full-blooded that when an artery is cut it spouts 

 a long distance, and very often in the face. 



Those which we caught were called " white coats," or the 

 young " saddle back " or " harps." They are covered with 

 a beautiful white fur about an inch long. When their 

 mothers leave them, the fur gradually comes off, and the hair 

 shows itself on the body. I must confess that sealing is 

 very cruel work, but the fiat of a remorseless and callous 

 fashion demands the sacrifice, and the demand must be met 

 by the supply. The poor animals have a most beautiful 

 large, round eye, especially the young. 



When a sailor is killing one, it looks up pitifully and cries 

 "mamma" quite plainly, but the club or knife descends, 

 and in five minutes its skin is off. Many times they 

 recover consciousness after being flayed, and will crawl away 

 a couple of yards until the body is frozen stiff. They are very 

 tenacious of life, and, unless the brain is crushed, they will 

 live a long time after the knife has been plunged into the 

 body. Perhaps a more humane method might be adopted 

 in killing them, but at the time of which I am writing we 

 used the best means furnished for the purpose. 



The bladder-nose or hooded seal, and the larger species, 

 are not so easily despatched, as they will show fight to a 

 boat's crew when attacked, so guns are generally used. We 

 were eight days from the sealing grounds to Shetland, 

 having steamed the whole way with a head wind, but not 

 much sea. On reaching Lerwick we discharged the men 

 without coming to anchor ; then steamed away for Dundee, 

 and brought up off the town. The s.s. Narwhal soon 



