402 SIRENIA. 



island, especially where streams enter the sea and sea-weeds grow, there 

 is found at all times of the year the animal called by the Russians 

 Morskaja Korowa, or Sea-Cow. As food from other quarters began to 

 be scarce, we resolved to catch some of these animals. I made my first 

 attempt with a great iron hook provided with a strong and long rope. 

 The hook, however, was too blunt, and the creature's hide too tough. 

 I then tried harpooning. We repaired our jolly-boat, and sent it out 

 with a harpooner; the harpoon was connected to a rope which was 

 passed ashore, and held there by forty men of our crew. The boat was 

 rowed quietly up to the animals as they were feeding near the shore. 

 When one of them had been struck, we drew it gradually to land, stab- 

 bing it with bayonets and knives till it lost nearly all its blood, and at 

 high water we made it fast on the strand. When the water had receded 

 we cut off the flesh and preserved it in barrels. The largest of these 

 animals measured four to five fathoms, with a girth of three and a half 

 fathoms. The skull, when stripped of the flesh, was, in its general 

 conformation, not unlike that of a horse ; but when the hide was on it, 

 resembled more that of a buffalo, especially in the lips. In place of teeth 

 there were on each side two broad, long, smooth, spongy bones provided 

 with protuberances and furrows which formed sharp angles. The lips 

 were furnished with strong bristles, nearly as thick as the quills of 

 chickens' feathers ; the eyes were as large as a sheep's ; and had no eye- 

 lids ; the aperture of the ears was very small, and invisible till the skin 

 was removed ; there was no external ear. The head is united to the body 

 by a very short neck ; the fore-limbs consist of two joints, the extremity 

 somewhat resembling the hoof of a horse ; no nails or fingers could be 

 seen. With these fore-limbs it tears up the sea-weed from the rocks. 

 Below them the breasts are situated, the nipples being black, and two 

 inches long, and abundantly supplied with lacteal ducts. When pressed, 

 these teats discharge a great quantity of milk, which surpasses that of 

 terrestrial animals in sweetness and richness. The back is like that of 

 an ox ; the tail is horizontal, as in the whale." 



" These animals live in herds in the sea; usually a male and female go 

 together, with the young one before them. The back and half of the 

 body is frequently seen above water. They eat like cows as they slowiy 

 advance, scratching the weeds up with their fore-feet, and chewing un- 

 ceasingly, but they do not ruminate. They care for nothing but eating. 

 While, eating, they move their heads like oxen, and after every few 



