THE NEW BRUNSWICK SEA-LIONS. 229 



its predecessor farther inland, and then the sea-Hons 

 would lie down and sleep in peace, quite unconscious 

 of the danger which threatened them. During this 

 sleep, the fishermen surround the island on all sides, 

 taking the greatest care not to awaken the game. 



These details were very circumstantially described 

 to my friend Tevis and myself by Maroah and his 

 comrade, and we were deeply interested by them. 

 It appeared, moreover, that an Esquimaux, who had 

 been stationed as sentinel to watch the island nearest 

 the coast, had announced that evening, just before 

 sunset, the arrival of the sea-lions, and the chase 

 was arranged for the following day ; so that we were 

 just in time. 



Our preparations were soon made. We had no 

 need of our guns, but of a peculiar weapon, of which 

 both Tevis and myself were to receive a specimen 

 before we started with the Esquimaux. What this 

 weapon was, Maroah refused to gratify our curiosity 

 by explaining beforehand. We were to be up at 

 sunrise, so taking his advice we retired early. I 

 will pass over the inconveniences of our first night 

 among the Esquimaux, and spare the reader a 

 description of the various and innumerable live-stock 

 which banqueted on our unhappy bodies. It is 

 astonishing what we may get accustomed to, and I 

 am almost ashamed to confess that, after the first 

 night, I paid very little attention to these insects of 

 prey. 



