62 MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 



the whole shore, attended with hideous growls, their 

 note of war. They are very tenacious of life, and 

 will live a fortnight after receiving such wounds 

 as would soon destroy any other animal. 



" The particular cause of disputes among these 

 irrascible animals are the following : The first and 

 greatest is when an attempt is made to seduce any 

 of their mistresses, or a young female of the family. 

 A battle is the immediate consequence of the in- 

 sult ; the unhappy vanquished instantly loses his 

 whole seraglio, who desert him for the victorious 

 hero. The invasion of the station of another, gives 

 rise to fresh conflicts; and the third cause is the 

 interfering in the disputes of others. The battles 

 they wage are very tremendous ; the wounds they 

 inflict, very deep, like the cut of a sabre. At the 

 conclusion of an engagement, they fling themselves 

 into the sea to wash off the blood. 



u Besides their notes of war, they have several 

 others ; when they lie on shore, and are diverting 

 themselves, they low like a cow ; after victory, they 

 chirp like a cricket ; on a defeat, or after receiving 

 a wound, mew like a cat. Common seals and sea 

 otters stand in great awe of these animals, and shun 

 their haunts. They, again, are in equal awe of the 

 leonine seals, and do not care to begin a quarrel in 

 their sight, dreading the intervention of such for- 

 midable arbitrators, who likewise possess the first 

 place on the shore. The great old animals are in 

 no fear of mankind, unless they are suddenly sur- 



