456 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



the islands in November to produce their young, and re- 

 main there, as a rule, until the following May. When the 

 pups are born they are blind, and remain so for some time; 

 but when they are a month old they are taken into the wa- 

 ter by their mothers and taught to swim, and after that 

 they spend most of their time in it. If caught when young 

 they are easily tamed, and soon learn to know a person's 

 voice and to expect his caresses. They are very active in 

 the water ; and as they move through it with great veloci- 

 ty, it is a most interesting sight to watch them. Their 

 gambols are very pleasing, especially when they are leap- 

 ing, as they can bound seven or eight feet into the air with 

 apparent ease. 



They sleep on their sides while in the sea, and when they 

 go ashore they scramble and tumble over the rocks, until 

 sometimes an island is fairly black with them ; while their 

 gruff barking is heard above the roar of the tempest and 

 the screaming of the surging waves, especially if the males 

 are fighting, as the females of their harems seem to encour- 

 age them to the combat by persistent cries. 



When the Indians intend to attack these they drive them 

 inland slowly, allowing them to rest at intervals ; and when 



TilK bEAL. 



they have reached a good position some of the herd are 

 separated from the others, and the red men commence ply- 

 ing their sharp-edged clubs. One blow on the back of the 

 head is generally sufficient to produce death, owing to the 

 thinness of the skull. 



When the hunters have killed all they want, or oppor- 

 tunity permits, the carcasses are skinned, the hides are 



