5 io AFFECTIONATE NATURE OF THE SEAL. 



sink out of reach unless struck by a barbed fish-spear, which should always be kept 

 in readines for that purpose. 



Much sea-craft is required for the chase of the Seal, as well as considerable knowledge 

 of the animal and its habits. It is a remarkable fact that if the Seal be disturbed while 

 the tide is ebbing, it will always make its way seawards ; but that if it be alarmed while 

 the tide is flowing, it will direct its course towards the land. 



The Seal is also a good natural barometer, and by its movements indicates to a 

 practised eye the forthcoming changes in the weather. Whenever an old Seal is seen 

 rolling and tumbling along a bank, a storm of wind and rain is sure to ensue before 

 many hours have passed. 



This species of Seal in common with several others, is mightily fond of musical sounds, 

 and has often been known to follow a boat while some one was playing on a musical 

 instrument. Some persons say that the Seal-shooters ought always to be accompanied 

 by a piper in order to induce the Seals to approach, and assert that the animals pre- 

 fer the sound of the bagipes to that of any other instrument, an assertion which, if true, 

 only shows that the Seal must be in the very earliest stage of musical feeling. 



The Common Seal is very easily tamed, and speedily becomes one of the most docile 

 of animals, attaching itself with strong affection to its human friends, and developing 

 a beautiful gentle and loving nature, hardly to be expected in such an animal. Many 

 of these creatures have been taken when young, and have been strongly domesticated 

 with their captors, considering themselves to belong of right to the household, and tak- 

 ing their share of the fireside with the other members of the family. An interest- 

 ing account of a tame Seal was lately sent to the Field newspaper, and runs as 

 follows : 



" If taken young and treated kindly, the Seal will rival the dog in sagacity and 

 affection for its master. 



When a boy, I was presented by some fishermen with one apparently not more than 

 a fortnight old, which in a few weeks became perfectly tame and domesticated, would 

 follow me about, eat from my hand, and showed unmistakable signs of recognition 

 and attachment whenever I approached. It was fond of heat, and would lie for hours 

 at the kitchen fire, raising its head to look at every new-comer, but never attempting 

 to bite, and would nestle close to the dogs, who soon became quite reconciled to their 

 new friend. 



Unfortunately the winter after I obtained it was unusually rough and stormy. Upon 

 that wild coast boats could seldom put to sea, and the supply of fish became scanty 

 and precarious. We were obliged to substitute milk in its place, of which the Seal 

 consumed large quantities, and as the scarcity of other food still continued, it was de- 

 termined, in a family council, that it should be consigned to its own element, to shift 

 for itself. 



Accompanied by a clergyman who took a great interest in my pet, I rowed out for 

 a couple of miles, to sea, and dropped it quietly overboard. Very much to our astonish- 

 ment, however, we found that it was not so easy to shake it off. Fast as we pulled 

 away it swam still faster after the boat, crying all the time so loudly that it might easily 

 have been heard a mile away, and so pitifully that we were obliged to take it in again 

 and bring it home, where, after this new proof of attachment, it lived in clover for several 

 months, and I believe might still be in existence, but for the untimely fate which most 

 pets are doomed sooner or later to experience and to which this one was no exception." 



A somewhat similar story is told in Maxwell's " Wild Sports of the West," where 

 may be found a very interesting and touching narrative of a tamed Seal, which lived 

 for several years with a family, and which, although it was repeatedly taken out to sea 

 in a boat and thrown, overboard, always found its way back again to the house which 

 it loved, even contriving to creep through an open window and to gain access to the 

 warm fireside. The end of this poor creature was a sadly tragic one, and need not 

 be narrated here. 



In the same work is a very spirited account of another Seal adventure, in which 

 the ludicrous element prevails, although it might have furnished material for 

 tragedy. 



