48 MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 



are used for clothing ; a good one is equal in value 

 to the skin of a sheep, or the hide of a cow ; and 

 the fat supplies the lamps in the long nights with 

 oil. The Icelanders have two species of native 

 seals, the common called hy them land-soelur^ be- 

 cause it keeps near the coast ; the other the great 

 seal, or ut-scelur. They are taken in nets placed 

 in the creeks and narrow bays, which they pass 

 through to get on shore. When it begins to grow 

 dark, the hunters make a fire, and fling into it the 

 shavings of horns, or any thing that smells strong. 

 This allures the seals, who strike into the nets and 

 are taken. At other times a Koder or lure is tied 

 to a rope, and placed before the nets ; to which the 

 seals, supposing it to be some strange animal, will 

 eagerly swim, and strike into the nets ; paying with 

 their lives for their curiosity. This carries them 

 sometimes so far, that they will stray to a consider- 

 able distance inland, attracted by a candle or the 

 fire in a smith's forge. If they are young, they are 

 capable of being tamed; they will follow their 

 master, and come to him like a dog, when called by 

 the name which is given them. The Icelanders 

 have a strange superstition about these animals ; 

 they believe they resemble the human species more 

 than any other ; and that they are the offspring of 

 Pharaoh and his host, who were converted into 

 seals when they were overwhelmed in the Red 

 Sea. 



a Other species of seals are migratory ; among 



