164 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
ease. Instructing the other two boats to stand by 
in case of an accident, I went in on the crest of a 
breaker, steering with an oar, and, fortunately, at 
the right moment swept the boat in behind the rocks 
just as the sea broke. We were safe, but my people 
in the other boats thought we had been swamped, 
as the rocks hid us from view. Whilst they were 
pondering how to save us, we were seen running 
towards the pod of seals, armed with the boat’s oars 
for clubs. The seals, nearly all “ bulls,” stampeded, 
rushing into the sea, knocking down and running 
over some of my men, one of whom was bitten in 
the arm; we killed, however, fifty-six. Whilst this 
was going on, the other boats, not liking to follow 
my example, pulled round to the other end of the 
rock, where they landed in a long narrow crevice, 
hauling their boats up on to the rock. 
It was eight o’clock before we skinned and got our 
seals on board. We were now prepared to take any 
amount of risk, with the prospect of a big catch of 
seals before us, so we let go another anchor, and held 
on to our position. Next morning at about five o’clock 
we landed, and remained on the rock until noon, 
securing fifty-eight seals. My second hunter, in 
attempting to club a big bull seal, missed his aim, 
the seal swinging under his club and gripping him 
by the thigh. Fortunately he had on long boots, 
reaching to the top of his legs. The leather was 
bitten through, as were also his trousers and under¬ 
clothing, and a strip, about 6 inches wide, was torn 
away from top to bottom ; but his leg escaped with 
only a small wound. On the 26th we got sixty-three, 
on the 27th sixty-eight, on the 28th seventy-four, and 
on the 29th eighteen. We then ran over to Ushishir. 
