CATCHING A TARTAR. 



55 



the dwarf is in considerable danger. When attacked, and 

 especially at such a distance from the water as renders his 

 escape doubtful, the seal will turn with amazing ferocity 

 on the assailant. If it be an old one, in case his first essay 

 is unsuccessful, the dwarf declines the combat and flies from 

 his irritated enemy ; but the cubs are taken without much 

 difficulty. 



"Last summer I was witness to a curious scene. Run- 

 ning through the Sound of Achil in my hooker, at a short 

 distance to leeward I observed several men, who appeared 

 to be practising a quadrille over the thafts and gunnels of 

 a row-boat, as they never rested for a moment, but continued 

 jumping from stern to stern, and springing from bench to 

 bench. Struck by the oddity of their proceedings, I eased 

 away the sheets and ran down upon them and I was a 



welcome ally, as the result proved. It turned out, that 

 having espied a seal arid her cub sleeping on the sand, they 

 had procured an old musket and rowed over to attack them. 

 They were partially successful, and seized the cub before it 



