232 SEA-LION. 



for if they took fright at any thing, they would come down 

 in such numbers, that if you could not get out of their way, 

 you would be run over. When we came suddenly upon 

 them, or waked them out of their sleep, (for they are slug- 

 gish, sleepy animals,) they would raise up their heads, snort 

 and snarl, and look fierce, as if they meant to devour us ; but 

 as we advanced -upon them, they always ran away, so that 

 they are downright bullies." 



Forster remarks, that the "rocks along the shore, in New- 

 Year's Harbor, were covered with multitudes of these Seals, 

 which, from their manes, well deserved the name of Sea- 

 Lions. We put into a little cove under the shelter of some 

 rocks, and attacked some of these fierce animals, most of 

 which immediately threw themselves into the sea. Some of 

 the most unwieldy, however, kept their ground, and were 

 killed by our men. The noise which all the animals of this 

 kind made was various, and sometimes stunned our ears. 

 The old males snort and roar like mad bulls or lions ; the 

 females bleat exactly like calves, and the young cubs like 

 lambs. They live together in numerous herds. The oldest 

 and fattest males lie apart, each having chosen a large rock 

 to which none of the rest dare approach without engaging in 

 furious combat. We have often seen them seize each other 

 with a degree of rage which is not to be described ; and many 

 of them had deep gashes on their backs, which they had re- 

 ceived in the wars. The younger active Sea-Lions, with all 

 the females and the cubs, lie together. They commonly 

 waited the approach of our people ; but so soon as some of 

 the herd were killed, the rest took flight with great precipita- 

 tion, some females taking off a cub in their mouths, whilst 

 many were so terrified that they left them behind. When 

 left to themselves, they were often seen caressing each other 

 in the most tender manner, and their snouts often met to- 

 gether as if they were kissing. They come on shore on these 

 uninhabited spots to breed, and do not feed during their stay 

 on land, which sometimes lasts several weeks ; they then 

 grow lean, and swallow a considerable quantity of stones to 



