128 NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



eC water. To get into thefe caves the peafants have a particular 

 a fort of narrow boat&s As they know the time when the young 

 " ones are fat and full grown, they then fet out, and always have 

 " two boats ill company : one goes into the cavern, while the 

 cc other is left at the outfide of the entrance. They have a rope 

 u of 80 fathoms or more faftened to thefe boats at each end, that 

 iC if the boat which is gone in fhould be filled with water, which 

 <c o&en happens, the other, upon a fignal given, may draw it 

 a out, and fave the men. As the entrance is narrow, they have 

 €C ' boat-hooks to each boat, which they make ufe of to pufh 

 " themfelves in and out. They carry a light, which is a torch 

 <c as thick as a man's arm, along with them, that they may fee 

 " how to ftrike the Sea Calves : this light they hide in the 

 " boat, that the Sea Calves may not fee the men till they get 

 a upon the dry rock. When they have got in fo far that they 

 u feel the ground with their boat-hook, then one of the men 

 cc jumps out of the boat into the water up to the neck, and he 

 cc carries a club to ftrike the animal with, which is called Kobbe- 

 " Gaffe. Another man follows the former with a light in each 

 cC hand, which he is obliged to hold higher than his head, to 

 a keep it above the water : then a third man follows with a Koll, 

 6i or, Kobbe-GaiTe alfo, in his hand, to ftrike them with* When 

 cc the young ones, which lie on the ground, fee the light and 

 ci the men, they ftrive to get into the water; as for the old 

 u ones, they get upon their paws, and ftand upon their defence 

 u with open mouths, efpecially the male, who will often make 

 " the man give way ; for when he ftrikes at him he will lay 

 il hold of the ftick with his teeth, and wrench it from him, 

 " and throw it afide out of the man's reach. In this cafe the 

 " third man comes forward with his club, and ftrikes him on the 

 <c back part of his neck, and fo knocks him down. The females 

 a are not fo bold, but always ftrive to get away if they can. 

 tc If they happen to hit the creatures right upon the head, they 

 u are ftunn'd with the blow, and then they immediately cut 

 cc their throats. When they have deftroyed all the old ones, 

 " then they fall upon the young, which ufually lie quiet a good 

 u way from the water, and neither mind the men nor the lights. 

 " They lie quite ftill, and fuffer themfelves to be killed without 

 " refiftance. When the execution is over, they drag the dead 

 " carcalfes to the water, and fallen them to the rope, by which 

 " the boat without the entrance hawls them out ; then they 

 " row out with their boat; but if the water be fhallow, the 

 " outer boat drags out the other, with the men, 8cc. By this 



iC method 



