394 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



sharp-edged clubs. One blow on the back of the head is 

 generally sufficient to produce death, owing- to the thinness of 

 the skull. 



When the hunters have killed all they want, or opportunity 

 permits, the carcasses are skinned, the hides arc dried, and the 

 remains are made into oil, or boiled and eaten, so that no por- 

 tion is wasted. 



This valuable creature, whose hearing- is very sharp, is readily 

 distinguished from the hair-seal by having flippers destitute 

 of hair, external ears, and only three nails, whereas the other 

 has five nails on the hind flippers. 



It is, in fact, more closely allied to the sea-lion than to the 

 hair-seal, hence is classed with it in the genus Otariidcc, instead 

 of being placed in the Phocidcc. The allied kindred do not 

 seem to care much for each other's society, however, for the 

 sea-lion scrupulously avoids places occupied by the other, and 

 very properly, if it has a sense of smell, for the rookeries of the 

 fur-seal have anything but a pleasant odour. 



I had an adventure once while out on a short cruise after 

 this animal that I shall not readily forget, as it came near 

 sending me over to join the great majority. 



I was in a large canoe in Fuca Straits with a party of 

 Indians, who were out on a "sealing" expedition, and our 

 course led us to one of the small islands which dot that splen- 

 did body of water in many places. When we started from the 

 reservation the day was fine, but after being out a short time 

 the wind freshened into a stiff breeze, and the billows reared 

 up into foam-crested hills that presented anything but a 

 pleasant sight to us, and before we reached our destination 

 they were so huge that our frail craft threatened to be engulfed 

 every moment in the vale of waters. 



By pushing the paddles deep into the sea on the starboard 

 side, and running across the waves to avoid their following us 

 and coming aboard, we managed to make slow headway, very 

 slow indeed, as we had to watch the seas carefully and to steer 

 right into the teeth of a land breeze, while another coining 

 from the ocean quartered us. 



After a most tedious voyage of four or five hours we were 



