234 THE OCEAN. 



which, falling down on the neck, assumes the ap- 

 pearance of a inane, and hence they are frequently 

 called Sea-lions. Of some of these animals which 

 Captain Cook met with, he says : " It is not at all 

 dangerous to go among them, for they either fled 

 or lay still. The only danger was in going between 

 them and the sea; 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 sluggish, 

 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." 

 Like the Sea-Elephant, however, they are quarrel- 

 some among themselves. They often seize each 

 other with a degree of rage which is not to be de- 

 scribed ; and many of them are seen with deep gashes 

 on their backs, which they had received in these 

 wars. Others of the eared Seals are fierce and fear- 

 less towards man himself. Woodes Rogers describes 

 one which he met with at the Galapagos, which he 

 calls a Sea-bear, probably of a species [Olaria ur- 

 sina) common in the seas of which I am speaking. 

 He says, " A very large one made at me three 

 several times; and if I had not happened to have 

 a pikestaff headed with, iron, he might have killed 

 me. I was on the level sand when he came 

 open-mouthed at me fron the water, as fierce and 

 quick as an angry dog let loose. All the three times 

 he made at me, I struck the pike into his breast, 



