The coast is so rocky, and the surf so dangerous that it is only on rare occasional days that a landing can be safely made, and on this occasion is was quite impossible to do so. On looking with a good binocular, one could soon make out that the greater number of what looked like brown bare, rounded rocks over the surface of the island were really Seals. On the steam whistle being blown they all started up, and, with the precise action of a flock of crowded sheep driven by a dog, they awkwardly galloped in a confused cluster, jumping up on those in front in their hurry to get down to the sea, into which most of them plunged; a few old large males alone standing their ground, well raised up on their bent fin-like legs, as in our plate, with their broad breast to the foe, and head raised, threateningly showing their teeth, and erecting the hair of the neck angrily, like a short mane. After a little while, scores of the females and younger males came swimming out to our little vessel to look at us, raising their kind, intelligent, good-humored, dog-like heads, with beautiful large, brown, soft eyes, looking like large Retriever Dogs with the pleased and friendly expression they wear when approaching their masters.

The young are very easily tamed, and one was going about the kitchen of the hotel at the time of my visit like a rather lame dog, following the housekeeper everywhere with affectionate pertinacity, and playing with a young kangaroo and some other tame animals about the house with all the fun of a kitten or young puppy. It would come when called like a dog, and obviously liked to have its head stroked with the hand.