SPITZBERGEN AND GREENLAND. 83 



4. Of the Sea- Dogs, called Rubbs and Scales.^ 



I have still two more beasts to describe, that live as well 

 in the water as on the land and ice, and they have also on 

 their feet five claws like fingers, that are joyned together 

 with a thick skin, like unto the feet of a goose. The most 

 known of these is the scale, which they also call salldogg and 

 rubhe in the German language ; the head thereof is like unto 

 a dog's head, \vith crept ears. Their heads are not all alike, 

 for some are rounder, and others longer or leaner : he hath 

 a beard about his mouth, and hair on the nose and the eye- 

 lids, yet seldom above four ; the eyes are very large, hollow, 

 and very clear : their skin is grown over with short hair. 

 They are of several colours, spotted like tygers, some are 

 black with white sjDots, some yellow, some grey, and others 

 red : their teeth are sharp like a dogs, wherewith he can 

 bite off a stick as thick as ones arm. On their toes they have 

 black, long, and sharp nails or claws ; their tail is short ; 

 they bark like hoarse dogs ; their little or young ones mew 

 like cats ; they go lame behind ; they can climb upon the 

 high ice, whereon I saw them sleep, chiefly when the sun 

 shiued, wherein they take great pleasure, but when it is 

 stormy weather they must march off and leave it, for the 

 waves of the sea beat with great violence against it, as if it 

 were against rocks, as I have mentioned already in the chap- 

 ter of ice. 



We saw most of them upon the ice about the west side 

 near to the shear, where there was an incredible number of 

 them, that if the master of the ship should not catch whales 

 enough, they might lade their ships with scales only; and 

 we have examples that little ships have taken their lading 

 only of them, but it is very troublesome to flea them : nor 

 are they all alike fat at the time when we arrive there. 



^ Phoca (jrijenlmulica •A.w^i Ph. foetida. 



