AMPHIBIOUS CARNIVORA. ^3 



Which, having served us, perish, we are held 

 Accountable ; and God some future day 

 Will reckon with us roundly for the abuse 

 Of what He deems no mean or trivial trust. 



Some instances will be recorded in the following 

 pages of the awkwardness and difficulty which was 

 often experienced in putting a speedy end to the 

 sufferings of these poor animals. We 

 shall here quote but one example : " We 

 had many battles/* says Byron, " with 

 these Amphibious creatures, the killing of 

 one of which was frequently an hour's work 

 for six men." It is of this same animal 

 that Weddell says, it is now to one man, 

 acquainted with the practice, the work of 

 three minutes ; but without stabbing it to 

 the heart, or fracturing its skull, the feat is 

 truly difficult. By the regular fishers a 

 lance of 12 or 15 feet is used for the 

 larger species, the blade of which is about 

 two feet long. With great address they 

 seize the moment when the animal raises 

 his left fore-paw to advance, and plunge 

 their weapon to the heart. And so Scores- 

 by, " The capturing of a Seal is but the 

 work of a moment. A blow with a Seal- 

 club (a representation of which we here 

 supply) on the nose immediately stuns it, 

 and affords opportunity of arresting the 

 flight, and making prize of many at a 



