WHALING VOYAGE. 
213 
for some object of attack. So that wheresoever our 
observance fell we could enjoy rare and beautiful scenes, 
and as we still continued to steer pretty close to the 
shore, we had an opportunity of witnessing a greater 
variety of views than if we had been farther out at sea. 
Five or six days after we had left Coquimbo, and not 
being more than forty or fifty miles from the main land 
of Peru, at about six a.m., sailing with a pleasant 
breeze, we found ourselves close abreast of a mass 
of rugged-looking rocks, which rise suddenly out of 
the sea; they are near the small island which is 
called “ Isla de la Plata” by the Spaniards; and we 
soon discovered from the roaring noise we heard, that 
great numbers of the common hair seals were upon them, 
the male of which is as large as an African lion, with 
much of the same form of head, mane, and body as that 
noble animal possesses ; only having in the place of legs 
a kind of fins, with which they swim with great power 
and velocity. Their roaring, joined with a kind of 
yelping or barking from a great number of cubs which 
attended their dams, was heard far above the roaring of 
the surf, which in itself was remarkably loud. We soon 
got very near to them ; and our captain immediately 
determined to send off three boats with their full comple- 
ment of crews, for the purpose of killing as many of 
them as possible for the sake of their skins, which were 
known to be exceedingly useful on ship-board for various 
purposes. To send three boats with their crews was but 
the work of a few minutes ; but for the boats to approach 
the rugged rocks in a prodigious surf, and land their 
