288 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" It seems quite right, too," said Nat, " for in a place 

 liko tliat there can't be many leaves to spring up and 

 fall down again." 



" Summer is the season of cool fogs and mists that 

 shield the Seals from the sun and keep them comfort- 

 able Avhile on land. In fact, the summer weather is like 

 your autumn season." 



" Then it is no wonder, as one story says, that the 

 Seal tribe, ages ago, going from its Antarctic home on a 

 swimming excursion, should have found these islands a 

 pleasant camping spot and passed word of it to all their 

 relations," added Dr. Roy. 



" What do you call the people on these islands. Uncle 

 Roy ? " asked Nat — " Eskimos or Indians ? " 



" They are Aleuts, one of tlie lov\'est northwest tribes 

 of Indians and akin to Eskimos." 



"Now," continued Olaf, "picture to yourself a fine, 

 full-grown male Fur Seal as he comes up on tlie land 

 the last of ^[ay to select the square of shore he wislies 

 for his summer home. He is not more than five or six 

 years old, which is the prime of Seal life. He is more 

 clever than the ^^''alrus, moves more easily, and meas- 

 ures about seven feet from tip of nose to where his tail 

 would be, if it had not forgotten to grow. At tliis time, 

 fresh From the feeding-grounds, he is fat and should 

 weigh five Imndred pounds. His head is small, but the 

 eyes large and speaking. He wears a long mustache, 

 but it is of l)ristles and not like that of the Walrus, 

 and he has a way of closing his nose and ears in swim- 

 ming to keep water out. The neck is long and the 

 shoulders are thick, and he is a better shape, not slop- 

 ing so much aft as the Walrus. His fore limbs are 



