ALASKA. 135 



COWS to one biiU on the rookery, but I think it will be nearly 

 correct to assign to each male from twelve to fifteen females, 

 occupying the stations nearest the water, and those back in the 

 rear from five to nine. I have counted forty-five cows all under 

 the charge of one bull, which had them penned up on a flat table- 

 rock, near Keetavie Point; the bull was enabled to do this quite 

 easily, as there was but one way to go to or come from this 

 seraglio, and on this path the old Turk took his stand and 

 guarded it well. 



At the rear of all these rookeries there is always a largo num- 

 ber of able-bodied bulls, who wait patiently, but in vain, for 

 families, most of them having had to fight as desperately for 

 the privilege of being there as any of their more fortunately- 

 located neighbors, who are nearer the water than themselves ; 

 but the cows do not like to be in any outside position, where 

 they are not in close company, lying most qniet and content in 

 the largest harems, and these large iamilies pack the surface of 

 the ground so thickly, that there is hardly moving or turning- 

 room until the females cease to come up from the sea; but the 

 inaction on the i)art of the bulls in the rear during the rutting- 

 season only serves to qualify them to move into the places 

 vacated by those males who are obliged to leave from exhaus- 

 tion, and to take the positions of jealous and fearless protectors 

 for the young pups in the fall. 



The courage with which the fur-seal holds his position, as 

 the head and guardian of a family, is of the very highest order, 

 compared with that of other animals. I have repeatedly tried 

 to drive them when they have fairly established themselves, 

 and have almost always failed, using every stone at my com- 

 mand, making all the noise I could, and, finally, to put their 

 courage to the full test, I walked up to within 20 feet of a bull 

 at the rear and extreme end of Tolstoi Kookery, who had four 

 cows in charge, and commenced with my double-barreled 

 breech-loading shot-gun to pepper him all over with mustard- 

 seed or dust shot. His bearing, in spite of the noise, smell of 

 powder, and x>ain, did not change in the least from the usual 

 attitude of determined defense which nearly all the bulls as- 

 sume when attacked with showers of stones and noise; he 

 would dart out right and left and catch the cows, which tim- 

 idly attempted to run after each report, and fling and drag 

 them back to their places ; then, stretching up to his full height, 

 look me directly and defiantly in the face, roaring and spitting 



