112 
A VOYAGE TO SFITZBEBGEN. 
them. On one occasion we were fortunately in time 
to prevent actual mischief being clone. A fellow 
armed with a rifle caught sight of a seal between us 
and another boat, at some little distance from us. 
He was about to fire at the seal, and in the direction 
of the boat, when the bullet might have passed 
between two of the crew on board; we were just in 
time to throw up his arm at the very moment he was 
about to pull the trigger. The man declared his 
object was to avoid injuring his friends, as the bullet 
would have passed between them!! It was impos¬ 
sible to argue with so keen a sportsman. Forcible 
measures were the only means of securing proper 
caution in order to avoid some fatal accident. 
We have witnessed on many previous occasions the 
same reckless disregard to common prudence on the part 
of our sailors; but strange to say we have no recollec¬ 
tion of any disaster happening to themselves or the 
bystanders. 
Looking round we find ourselves in close proximity 
to the other boats, and hasten to inquire what sort of 
sport they have had. For old hands the result was 
poor: one crew had bagged three, the other seven 
seals. 
Leaving the boat and landing on the ice at a point 
close by, we cautiously advance, creeping over the 
