WHALING VOYAGE, 
219 
cavern, which embraced a large portion of the centre of 
the island ; the waves every half minute rushed through 
this opening with exceeding force and quantity, filling 
the cave with foam, and causing a considerable vibration 
of the whole island. As I stood observing the broken 
seas which every now and then rushed into the cavern, 
I saw the sea lion, which had been struck with the har- 
poon, forced by the waves through the opening I have 
mentioned in company with another of the same size. 
Near the centre of the cavern they came in close contact, 
and then commenced between them one of the most 
savage encounters that it was ever my fortune to wit- 
ness : whether the wounded one took the other for his 
destroyer, or from what cause it arose it is impossible 
for me to conjecture, but the harpooned one immediately 
seized the other by the throat with the most savage 
fierceness, while the victim of his ferocity returned the 
act by seizing his antagonist by the side of the head. 
In this struggle they were joined by the broken and 
roaring billows, that dashed them to and fro with great 
velocity. In their vehement struggles for the mastery, 
sometimes they could be seen on the top of the snow- 
white surf, which became tinged with their blood ; they 
would then totally disappear, and in a few minutes they 
would again be seen close to the craggy sharp pointed 
rocks, and apparently escape being dashed to pieces 
against them by mere miracle. But after I had wit- 
nessed this wild conflict for about four or five minutes, 
a vast wave came rushing foaming through the archway 
from the sea ; an extraordinary agitation was caused in 
