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THROUGH SWEDEN. 187
The only animals that inhabit thofe deferts, and find them an
agreeable abode, are fea-calves or feals. In the cavities of the ice
‘they depofit the fruits of their love, and teach their young ones
betimes to brave all the rigours of the rudeft feafon. Their mo-
thers lay them down, all naked as they are brought forth, on the
ice; and their fathers take care to have an open hole in the ice
near them, for a fpeedy communication with the water. Into.
thefe they plunge with their young, the moment they fee a hunter
approach ; or at other times they defcend into them fpontaneoufly
in fearch of fifhes, for fuftenance to themfelves and their offspring.
The manner in which the male feals make thofe holes in the ice
is aftonifhing : neither their teeth nor their paws have any fhare
in this operation; but it is performed folely by their breath. They
are often hunted by the peafants of the ifles. When the iflanders
difcover one of thofe animals, they take poft, with guns and ftaves,
at fome diftance from him, behind a mafs of ice; and wait till
the feal comes up from the water for the purpofe of taking in
his quantum of air. It fometimes happens, when the froft is ex-
tremely keen, that the hole 1s frozen up almoft immediately after
the {eal makes his appearance in the atmofphere ; in which cafe
the peafants fall on him with their fticks, before he has time
with his breath to make a new aperture. In fuch extremities the
animal difplays an incredible degree of courage. With his for-
midable teeth he bites the club with which he is affaulted, and
even attempts to attack the perfons who ftrike him; but the
utmoft efforts and refiftance of thefe creatures are not much
| Bb2 dreaded,
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