Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/72

42 this enabled her to load up very rapidly with young Harps, of which she killed 26,361, and only 202 old Seals. She was thus quite independent of the Hooded Seals, of which most of the other vessels went in search after taking in the young Harps; hence her speedy return, making what I believe was the most rapid voyage on record. On her homeward voyage she experienced a fearful storm on the night of the 19th of March, and sought shelter at Perlican, where she was nearly driven on shore, and had to beat about the bay all night, but reached Harbour Grace in safety next morning. The 'Aurora' also made a very successful and rapid voyage; she met with bad weather, but struck the main patch on the morning of the 12th. By the night of the 15th, although she had been joined by other vessels, which took their share, she had taken on board 25,000 Harp Seals, and then departed in a north-easterly direction in search of the Hooded Seals, coming up with them on the afternoon of the 18th. Between that time and the morning of the 20th she had secured 7000. The latter part of the voyage would have been unnecessary, but that, less fortunate than the 'Southern Cross,' she lost seventy-two "flags," representing some 10,000 Seals; it is said these were unfairly appropriated by other vessels fishing in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately this is not the only complaint of a similar character which has been heard of this year. The result of her voyage was 25,210 young and 306 old Harps, and 4020 young and 2871 old Hoods; the young Harps, like all those killed early in the season, being of very light weight. With regard to this, I shall have some observations to make later on. The 'Nimrod' arrived on the 7th April with 13,055 Seals, and the 'Terra Nova' on the 23rd with 19,275; some 10,000 of these were old Harps and Hoods, some said to have been of enormous weight; her delivery was 650 tons net. All her old Seals were taken prior to the 8th of April, on which day she was beset and drifted about for some time in the vicinity of Groais Island. The 'Iceland' came in contact with an iceberg on the 11th March, sustaining considerable damage, and injuring two of her crew; but, as she was running slow at the time, a fatal disaster was avoided; she, however, secured 20,150 Seals. The 'Virginia Lake' was the most unfortunate vessel of this section of the fleet; on the 27th of March she was caught in the