CHAP. XV.] THE SLAUGHTER OF THE SEA-BEAR. 
287 
other with a frolicsomeness like that of young dogs, by turns 
lie down to sleep at a common signal in all conceivable 
positions. 
It is these unfortunate useless bachelors which at the properly 
managed hunting stations yield the contingent for slaughter. 
For this purpose they are driven by the natives from the shore 
slowly, about a kilometre an hour, and with frequent rests, to 
the place of slaughter, situated a kilometre or two from the 
shore. Then the females and the young ones are driven away, 
as well as the males whose skins are unserviceable. The rest 
are first stunned with a blow on the head, and afterwards 
stabbed with a knife. 
While the Ve,ga steamed down towards Behring Island we 
met, already far from land, herds of sea-bears, which followed 
the vessel from curiosity for long stretches. Being unacquainted 
with the sea-bear s mode of life, I believed from this circum¬ 
stance that they had already left their summer haunts, but on 
our arrival at the colony I was informed that this was not the 
case, but that a very great number of animals still remained at 
the rookery on the north-eastern point of the island. Naturally 
ono of our first excursions was to this place, situated about 
twenty kilometres from the village. Such a journey cannot now 
be undertaken alone and unattended, because even an involuntary 
want of caution might easily cause much economic loss to the 
natives, and to the company that owns the right of hunting. 
During the journey we were accordingly accompanied by the 
chief of the village, a black-haired stammering Aleutian, and 
“ the Cossack,” a young, pleasant, and agreeable fellow, who on 
solemn occasions wore a sabre nearly as long as himself, but 
besides did not in the least correspond to the Cossack type of 
the writers of novels and plays. 
The journey was performed in large sledges drawn by ten 
dogs over snow-free rounded hills and hill-plateaus covered 
with a rather scanty vegetation, and through valleys treeless 
