Travels in North America. 8i 



The Seals couple upon the Rocks, and fometimes upon the 

 o . J Ice, where alfo the Females bring forth their 



borne 1 articula' YoUng. They have commonly two, and 

 rtttes ofthefe Am- ^^^^ f^^^^^ ^^^^^ p^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ 



^' but oftener upon the Land. When they would 



accuftom them to fwim, they carry them, as they fay, on their 

 Backs in the Water, and let them off from Time to Time into the 

 Water, then take them again, and continue this Pra6lice till 

 the young ones can fwim alone. If this Fa6l is true, this is^ 

 a ftrange Fifh, which Nature has not taught what the greateft 

 part of Land Animals are capable of almoft as foon as they come 

 into the World. The Seal has its Serifes very quick, and this is 

 its fole Defence ; but this does not hinder them from being often 

 furprized, as I have before remarked ; but the moft com- 

 mon Method of filhing for them is this : The Cuftom of this 

 Animal, when it is in the Water, is to come with the Tide into 

 the Creeks. When they have difcovered the Creeks, where a 

 great Number come, they fhut them up with Stakes and Nets ; 

 they only leave a fmall Space open by which the Seals enter. 

 When the Tide is up, they flop this Opening, fo that after the 

 Tide is out, thefe Fifh remain on the Shore, and they have only 

 the Trouble to knock them on the Head. They follow them 

 alfo in a Canoe, in Places where there is Plenty of them, and 

 when they put their Heads out of the Water to breathe, they 

 flioot them. If they are only wounded, they eaiily take them ; 

 but if they are ftiot dead, they fink direélly to the Bottom, like 

 as the Beavers do. But they have great Dogs, which are train'd 

 to fetch them up at the Depth of feven or eight Fathom. 

 Our Fifhermen take but few Sea-Cows on the Coafts of the 

 Gulph of St, Laurence ; I know not whether they have taken any 

 in other Places. The EngUjh formerly eftablifhed a Filhery for 

 them at the Ifle of Sabk ; but they made no great Advantage 

 of it. The Shape of this Animal is not very different from the 

 Seals. What is peculiar toit, are two Teeth, of the Bignefs 

 and Length of a Man's Arm, a little bent back at Top, and 

 which appear at a Diftance like Horns^ this is probably the Rea- 

 fon they are called Sea-Cows. Our Sailors Call them more plainly 

 la beet a la grande dent y (the great toothed Beaft) thefe Teeth are 

 of very line Ivory, as well as all thofe which are in the Jaw of 

 this Fifh, and which are four Inches long. 



There are in the River ^t, Laurence Porpoifes of two Colours : 

 Portoifes of t^jo the Salt Water ; that is to fay y till a little 

 Colours ^"^^ below the IHe of Orleans, they do not differ 



from thofe found in the Sea : In the frefh. 

 Water they are all white, and as big as a Cow. The firft go 

 generally in Companies, I have have not obferved the fame of the 



M others. 



