Ror ON URE Se A OG, 
The voyagers made ufe of them to fubfift on, and thought the 
flefh of the young very favoury. The feet turned into jelly on be- 
ing dreffed, and in their fituation were efteemed great delicacies. 
The fat was not oily; that of the young refembled the fuet of mutton, 
and was as delicious as marrow. The fkin was ufeful for ftraps, 
fhoes, and boots. 
The Kamt/chatkans efteem the chafe of thefe animals a generous 
diverfion, and hold the man in higheft honor, in proportion to the 
number he has killed. Even thefe heroes are very cautious when 
they attack one of the animals on fhore: they watch an opportunity 
when they find it afleep, approach it againft the wind, ftrike their 
harpoon, faftened to a long thong, into its breaft, while their 
comrades faften one end to a ftake, and that done, ‘he takes to his. 
heels with the utmoft precipitation. They effect his deftruction at 
a diftance, by fhooting him with arrows, or flinging their lances 
into him; and when exhaufted, they venture to come near enough to 
knock him on the head with clubs. 
When they difcover one on the lonely rocks in the fea, they fhoot 
it with poifoned arrows: unable to endure the pain of the wound, 
heightened by the falt-water, which it plunges into on the firft re- 
ceiving it, it fwims on fhore in the ereateft agony. If they find a 
good opportunity, they transfix it with their weapons; if not, they 
leave it to die of the poifon, which it infallibly does in twenty-four 
hours, and in the moft dreadful agony *. 
They efteem it a great diferace to leave any of their game behind: 
and this point of honor they often obferve, even to their own de- 
ftrution ; for it happens that when they go in fearch of thefe ani- 
mals to the ifle of Mait, which lies fome miles fouth-weft of Lapatka 
promontory, they obferve this principle fo religioufly, as to over- 
load their boats fo much, as to fend them and their booty to the 
bottom; for they fcorn to fave themfelves, at the expence of throw- 
ing overboard any part }. 
* Defer. Kamtfchatha, 37: + Nov. Com, Petrop. ii. 302. 
This 
17§ 
Uses. 
Cuasz. 
