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the ])]eatin[:^ of a shepp. They are common 

 upon all the coast of Chili, and in the islands; 

 %v}icre, every year, the inliabitauts kill a vast 

 immber of them with clubs, a slight blow across 

 tlie nose, which is their most tender part, being- 

 siiflkient to dispatch them. The skin is em- 

 ployed for varioiis purposes, particularly for 

 making a kind of flout, which is used in fishinf?; 

 and in passing rivers. This consists of two large 

 ball ons, from eight to nine feci in length, formed 

 of these skins, carefully joined and sewed, and 

 inflated with air; u{)on these are placed several 

 pieces of wood laid transversely, which will con- 

 tain one or more persons. When the skin is well 

 dressed it resembles coarse-grained morocco 

 leather, but is superior to it in point of con- 

 sistency and durability; shoes and boots are also 

 made of it that are impenetrable to water. The 

 oil which is obtained from the fat forms a con- 

 siderable article of connnerce with the inhabit- 

 anti of Cliiloe. It is used in dressing leather^ 

 and, when clarified, for burning, and is preferred 

 to that of the whale, as it kec[)s better, and re- 

 tains its clearness for a longer time. The sailors 

 make use of it for frying their fish, and the taste 

 is nt)t unpleasJ3nt when it is fresh. In the s(o- 

 marh of this animal are frequently found stones 

 of several pounds weight, which it probably 

 swallows to triturate its food, and accelerate the 

 process of digestion. 



