SEAL BATTUE. 
123 
another tempting shot, and not to weary our reader 
with recitals of scenes which to the seal hunter are 
full of exciting incidents, we record our subsequent 
successes that day with the tale of four other captures, 
and conclude our day's work by a long evening's 
sport amongst a little colony as we go sailing steadily 
along. We saw in the distance one little party far in 
on the ice, a habit the bladder-nose seal indulges in, 
perhaps relying on his greater size and the security 
he feels in being under the protecting influence of some 
patriarchal fellow who shows marks of his prowess in 
former conflicts. So, at least, it might be inferred on 
this occasion, for one of the largest seals we had yet 
seen lay surrounded with a family of five of his fel¬ 
lows. As we can easily sail the schooner within range, 
the steersman is instructed to use all his skill in 
approaching them, while we distribute rifles amongst 
the eager crew. Twelve men crouch down along the gun¬ 
wale of the schooner, breathing quickly with impatient 
expectation; no other sound disturbs the victims as we 
rapidly approach within gunshot range. An occasional 
lifting of the heads and uneasy glance to the right and 
left indicates that the watchful leader is fearful of some 
impending danger, and presently the others participate 
in his apprehensions. We are close enough to risk a 
shot, when one of the seals, more nervous than the rest, 
