A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 | Page 7

the females bleat exactly like calves, and the
young cubs like lambs. Of the young we saw great numbers on the
beaches; and one of the females being knocked down with a club,
littered in the same instant. The sea-lions live together in numerous
herds. The oldest and fattest males lie apart, each having chosen a large
stone, which none of the rest dares approach without engaging in a
furious battle. We have often seen them seize each other with a degree
of rage which is not to be described; and many of them had deep gashes
on their backs, which they had received in the wars. The younger active
sea-lions, with all the females and the cubs, lie together. They
commonly waited the approach of our people, but as soon as some of
the herd were killed, the rest took flight with great precipitation, some
females carrying off a cub in their mouths, whilst many were so
terrified as to leave them behind. When left to themselves, they were
often seen caressing each other in the most tender manner, and their
snouts often met together, as if they were kissing. They come ashore on
these uninhabited spots to breed; they do not, however, breed during
their stay on shore, which sometimes lasts several weeks, but grow lean,
and swallow a considerable quantity of stones to keep their stomach

distended. We were surprised to find the stomachs of many of these
animals entirely empty, and of others filled with ten or a dozen round
heavy stones, each of the size of two fists."--Professor Steller's
description of these animals, which he found at Bering's Isle, near
Kamtchatka, corresponds perfectly with that now given, and is referred
to by Mr G.F. Pernetty, Bougainville, and others also speak of them as
met with in their voyages.--E.]
They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to come
near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we
shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island
abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost
fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many;
birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on
board, our boats well laden with one thing or other.[4]
[Footnote 4: "Having made some havock among the sea-lions, we
walked upon the summit of the island, which was nearly level, but
covered with innumerable little mounds of earth, on each of which
grew a large tuft of grass (_dactylis glomerata_). The intervals between
these tufts were very muddy and dirty, which obliged us to leap from
one tuft to another. We soon discovered that another kind of seals
occupied this part of the island, and caused the mud by coming out of
the sea. These were no other than the sea-bears which we had already
seen at Dusky Bay, but which were here infinitely more numerous, and
grown to a much larger size, equalling that assigned to them by Steller.
They are, however, far inferior to the sea-lions, the males being never
above eight or nine feet long, and thick in proportion. Their hair is
dark-brown, minutely sprinkled with grey, and much longer on the
whole body than that of the sea-lion, but does not form a mane. The
general outline of the body, and the shape of the fins, are exactly the
same. They were more fierce towards us, and their females commonly
died in defence of their young. We observed on another occasion, that
these two species, though sometimes encamped on the same beach,
always kept at a great distance asunder, and had no communication. A
strong rank stench is common to them, as well as to all other seals; a
circumstance as well known to the ancients, as their inactivity and
drowsiness whilst they lie on shore--
Web-footed seals forsake the whitening waves, And sleep in herds,

exhaling nauseous stench. HOMER.
Great numbers of a species of vultures, commonly called carrion crows
by the sailors (_vultur aura_), were seen upon this island, and probably
feed on young seal-cubs, which either die in the birth, or which they
take an opportunity to seize upon. Besides them we also found a new
species of hawks, and several geese of the sort which had so well
furnished out our Christmas entertainment. Here we likewise saw a few
penguins, of a species which we had not met with before, some large
petrels of the size of albatrosses, being the same species which the
Spaniards name _que-branta-huessos_, or the bone-breakers, and some
shags."--G.F.]
Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was
wanting but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to