THE COMMON SEAL. 243 



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Instance of attachment Seal hunting. 



half long, which he carried home. The animal 

 greedily devoured some pottage and milk which 

 was offered to it, and continued to he fed in this 

 manner for three days ; when the man's wife, con- 

 sidering it as a needless expense to her family, 

 would not suffer it to be kept any longer. Tak- 

 ing some men of the town along with him for 

 the purpose, the farmer threw it into the sea; 

 but notwithstanding all their endeavours, it per- 

 sisted in returning to them. It was then agreed 

 that the tallest of the men should walk into the 

 water as far as he could, and having thrown the 

 animal in, they should conceal themselves behind 

 a rock at some distance. This was accordingly- 

 done; but the affectionate creature returned 

 from the water, and soon discovered them in 

 their hiding-place. This induced the farmer to 

 grant it his protection, and he again took it home, 

 where he kept it for some time; but at length 

 growing tired of it, he had it killed for the sake 

 of its skin. . 



The time for taking seals is generally in Octo- 

 ber, or the beginning of November. The hun- 

 ters, furnished with torches and bludgeons, enter 

 the mouths of the caverns about midnight, and 

 row in as far as they can. They then land ; 

 and, being properly stationed, begin making a 

 great noise; which alarms the seals, and brings 

 them down from ^all parts in a confused hurry, 

 uttering frightful cries. On this occasion, much 

 care is necessary on the part of the hunters, to 

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