may add, for the sake of the excitement which
the combats with the seals afforded me.

I have not narrated any of these conflicts, as I thought that they might
weary the reader; I must, however, state what occurred on one occasion,
as although ludicrous, it nearly cost me my life. I had attacked a
large male seal, with a splendid fur, for I always looked out for the
best-skinned animals. He was lying on a rock close to the water, and I
had gone into the water to cut him off and prevent his escape by
plunging in as he would otherwise have done; but as I aimed the usual
blow at his nose, my foot slipped on the wet rock, and I missed the
animal, and at the same time fell down on the rock with the axe in my
hand. The animal, which was a male of the largest size, seized hold of
my shirt (which I then wore) with his teeth, and plunging with me into
the sea, dived down into the deep water. It was fortunate that he had
seized my shirt instead of my body, and also that I could swim well. He
carried me along with him--the shirt, for a few seconds, drawn over my
head, when, disembarrassing myself of the garment, by slipping my head
and arms out, I left it in his possession, and regained the surface of
the water, almost suffocated. It was fortunate that I did not wear
sleeve-buttons; had I had them, I could not have disengaged myself, and
must have perished. I climbed the rock again, and turning round, I
perceived the seal on the surface, shaking the shirt in great wrath.
This was a sad discomfiture, as I lost not only my shirt but my axe,
which I dropped when I was dragged into the water; nothing was saved
except my knife, which I carried by a lanyard round my neck. Why I
mention this circumstance particularly, is, that having felt great
inconvenience for want of sleeve-buttons to hold the wristbands of my
shirt together, I had thought of making use of those of the mate, which
the reader may recollect had been given with his watch into Jackson's
care, to take home to his wife; but on second consideration I thought it
very possible I might lose them, and decided that the property was in
trust, and that I had no right to risk it. This correct feeling on my
part, therefore, was probably the saving of my life.

I have only now to mention my birds, and of them I can merely say that
they went on as before; they bathed constantly, at the right season they
laid eggs, the male birds caught fish and brought them to the cabin, and