DODGES TO GET WITHIN RANGE. 
110 
advances, they return to their northern homes, and 
escape further pursuit for that year. 
Speculating upon the migratory habits of the seal, 
we come suddenly upon a small family, probably, from 
their extreme wariness, a batch we had been in pursuit 
of the previous day ; their heads are continually raised, 
and as the day is damp, and has the same effect upon 
seals as damp weather always has upon wild game of 
every kind, we find it almost impossible to get within 
range; we endeavour to stalk them, a matter of 
exceeding difficulty, owing to the inveterate habit of 
sailors to chatter and fidget whenever occasion de¬ 
mands perfect silence being preserved. We notice that 
the least rustle in the boat disturbs the game, we take 
off our boots, the oars are taken in, and one man, 
having an eye upon the herd, sculls the boat, always 
taking care to stop the same instant he notices that he 
is being observed. We try Hawker’s dodge of burning 
a turf in the bows, and advance under cover of the 
smoke; in spite of every precaution we are forced to 
return on board, with only two seals accounted for. 
The look-out man now declares he has seen clear 
water in the far distance, and the man on deck, guided 
by his directions, struggles through the streams run¬ 
ning south, the good little vessel behaving admirably 
as we make our way towards the east. Our object is to 
