WHALE -TAILED MANATL i8i 



They were taken on Bering's ifle by a great hook faftened to a Capture. 

 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. 

 It will cling with its feet to the rocks till it leaves the Ikin 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 j only, when wounded, emit a deep figh. 



They have the fenfes of fight and hearing very imperfefl ; or at 

 left negleft the ufe of them. 



They are not migratory ; for they were feen about Bering's ifiand 

 the whole of the fad ten months which Mr. Steller pafi"ed there after 

 his fhipwreck. 



In the fummer they were very fat; in the winter fo lean that the 

 ribs might be counted. 



The (kin is ufed, by the inhabitants about the promontory Tchukl- Uses. 



chi, to cover their boats. The fat, which covers the whole body like The Fat. 

 a thick blubber, was thought to be as good and fweet as Af^_>'-but- 

 ter : that of the young, like hogs-lard. The flefti of the old, when Lean. 



well boiled, refembled beef: that of the young, veal. The flefti will 

 not refufe fait. 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 Sea Avt. 



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 j the thickeft part near the head : the tail forked j 



* Mul/cr^t'voy, 6z. Nov, Com, Petrcp. ii. 329, 



the. 



