188 THE COMMON SEAL. 



on a little floating island, they quitted their boat^ 

 and mounted the ice, moving on their hands and 

 knees to get near them without being perceived. 

 They had previously fastened their boat to the little 

 island of ice which they disembarked upon: but 

 while they were busily engaged in the pursuit, a gust 

 of wind tore it away ; and meeting with other shoab, 

 it was broken to pieces, and in a few minutes enr- 

 tirely disappeared. The hunters were aware of their 

 danger only when it was too late. They were now 

 left without help, without any resource, and with- 

 out even a ray of hope, on their floating is- 

 land. They remained two weeks on this frail terri- 

 tory. The heat which diminished its bulk^and also 

 its prominent surface, rendered their situation more 

 alarming every moment. In the anguish of hunger 

 they gnawed the flesh off their arms. At last they 

 embraced each other, resolved to plunge together in- 

 to they sea, and thus end their misery, for they had 

 no prospect of escaping. The fatal resolution was 

 just made, when they discovered a sail. One of them 

 stripped ofi'his shirt, and suspended it on the muz- 

 zle of his gun. The signal was observed from the 

 vessel, which was a Whalc-hsher. A boat was put 

 out to assist them, and by this providential circum- 

 stance they were saved from otherwise inevitable 

 destruction *. 



Seals, we are told, delight in thunder-storms; and 

 during these times, sit on the rocks and contem- 

 plate, with seeming delight, the convulsions of the 

 elements : in this respect differing widely from 



"• Ace; hi, i. :.'91. 



