prepared, and
to carry them to Canton, but the men were to be left another year.

The captain, not finding the first island, was about giving up the
search, when, as I was aloft, I saw a small blue speck a long way off,
just rising out of the water. I shouted out, "Land ho! Land ho!" The
first mate, who had charge of the deck, was soon up with me. The ship
was steered for it; it was the island we were looking for.

We anchored in a bay on the western side, the only one which afforded
any shelter. The whole island was surrounded by rocks, with here and
there patches of trees and shrubs; but most part of it was barren. It
would have been a sad place to be cast away on. As there was no time to
be lost, we at once went on shore under charge of the second mate, with
the carpenter and his crew, to cut clubs for killing the seals, and
stakes on which to hang up their skins to dry. The second mate, Mr
Hudson, when a lad before the mast, had been here, and knew the best
spot where the seals came on shore. It was a deep sandy bay, with rocks
on either side.

We went the next day to the nearest spot to the bay at which we could
land, and hauled the boats up on the beach. We then hid ourselves among
the rocks, half on one side of the bay and half on the other, with our
clubs in our hands, ready to rush out among the seals at a sign from our
officer. After waiting for an hour or so, the seals began to come on
shore; the old males and females on either side, and the young ones in
the middle, in ranks as regular as soldiers on parade. The first rank
worked their way on nearly forty yards from the water, and the rest
followed as close as possible. The sun was very hot, and they soon fell
asleep, except the old ones, who were stationed on either side to keep
guard. The mate kept us back for half an hour or more, saying that they
were not sound enough asleep. A seal is a curious animal, of nearly a
black colour, with a head something like a dog, with whiskers; a round,
smooth back; flappers, which serve as feet, on either side; and a large
tail, like that of a fish, divided in two. By the help of the tail and
flappers they move quickly over the ground. At last the mate lifted up
his hand as a signal for us to begin the attack. We slid gently down
the rocks, and got between the seals and the water. The instant they
saw us, the old watchmen roared out a signal of alarm. It was too late.
We began dealing blows with ou