WHALE-TAILED MANATI. 
They were taken on Bering’s ifle by a great hook faftened to a 
long rope. Four or five people took it with them in a boat, and 
rowed amidft a herd. . The ftrongeft man took the inftrument, ftruck 
it into the neareft animal; which done, thirty people on fhore feized 
the rope, and with great difficulty drew it on fhore. The poor crea- 
ture makes the ftrongeft refiftance, affifted by its faithful companions. 
Tt will cling with its feet to the rocks till it leaves the fkin behind ; 
and often great fragments of the crufty integument fly off before it 
can be landed. It is an animal full of blood; fo that it fpouts in 
amazing quantities from the orifice of the wound. 
They have no voice ; only, when wounded, emit a deep figh. 
They have the fenfes of fight and hearing very imperfe or at 
left neglect the ufe of them. 
They are not migratory ; for they were feen about Bering’s ifland 
the whole of the fad ten months which Mr. Sved/er paffed there after 
his fhipwreck. 
In the fummer they were very fat; in the winter fo lean that the 
ribs might be counted. 
The fkin is ufed, by the inhabitants about the promontory Tchuki- 
chi, to cover their boats. The fat, which covers the whole body like 
a thick blubber, was thought to be as good and {weet as May-but- 
ter: that of the young, like hogs-lard. The flefh of the old, when 
well boiled, refembled beef: that of the young, veal. The flefh will 
not refufe falt. The crew preferved feveral cafks full, which was 
found of excellent fervice in their efcape from their horrible con- 
finement *. 
To this article muft be added an imperfect defcription of a marine 
animal feen by Mr. Steller on the coaft of America, which he calls a 
Sea Ape. The head appeared like that of a Dog, with fharp and 
upright ears, large eyes, and with both lips bearded: the body 
round and conoid; the thickeft part near the head: the tail forked ; 
* Mualler’s voy, 62. Now. Com, Petrop. ii, 329» 
the: 
181 
Caprure. 
Uses. 
Tre Fat. 
LEAN. 
Sea APE. 
