PREPARATIONS FOR MULLET-FISHING. 69 



seldom happens, the dwarf is in considerable danger. 

 When attacked, and especially at such a distance from the 

 water as renders his escape doubtful, the seal will turn 

 with amazing ferocity on the assailant. If it be an old 

 one, in case his first essay is unsuccessful, the dwarf 

 declines the combat and flies from his irritated enemy ; 

 but the cubs are taken without much difficulty. 



** Last summer I was witness to a curious scene. 

 Running through the Sound of Achil in my hooker, 

 at a short distance to leeward I observed several men, 

 who appeared to be practising a quadrille over the 

 thafts and gunnels of a row-boat, as they never rested 

 for a moment, but continued jumping from stem to 

 stern, and springing from bench to bench. Struck 

 by the oddity of their proceedings, I eased away the 

 sheets and ran down upon them — and I was a welcome 

 ally, as the result proved. It turned out, that having 

 espied a seal and her cub sleeping on the sand, they had 

 procured an old musket and rowed over to attack them. 

 They were partially successful and seized the cub 

 before it could regain its native element, although the 

 dam rendered all assistance possible to relieve the young 

 one. Having placed their prize in the boat, they wer^ 

 returning, followed by the old seal, who kept rising 

 beside them, attracted by the cries of the cub — till after 

 many bootless attempts, their gun at last exploded, the 

 ball entered the seal's head, and for a moment she 

 appeared dying. The captors, seizing her by the tail 

 and fins, with an united exertion, dragged her into the 

 boat — but this exploit had nearly ended in a tragedy. 

 Stunned only by the wound, the animal instantly 

 recovered, and, irritated by pain and maddened by the 

 cries of her cub, attacked her captors fiercely. Every 



