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Updated: May 15, 2025
"We'll have to be careful and not get snarled up with any sea-leopards," said Harry, who had been examining the dead animal. "Look at the monster's tusks." "Yes, he could make a fine meal off any of you boys," remarked the professor. Suddenly he fell on his knees beside the sea-leopard and began examining it carefully. "What in the world are you doing, now?" asked Frank.
On April 5 we killed two seals, and this, with the sea-leopard of a few days before, enabled us to slightly increase our ration. Everybody now felt much happier; such is the psychological effect of hunger appeased. On cold days a few strips of raw blubber were served out to all hands, and it is wonderful how it fortified us against the cold.
One day a huge sea-leopard climbed on to the floe and attacked one of the men. Wild, hearing the shouting, ran out and shot it. When it was cut up, we found in its stomach several undigested fish. These we fried in some of its blubber, and so had our only "fresh" fish meal during the whole of our drift on the ice.
As he spoke the professor got to his feet and the dead sea-leopard, as he called it, fell over on the snow. It was a ponderous creature, much like a seal, but with huge tusks and a savage expression, even in death. It was about five feet in length. "What made it tackle you?" asked Harry.
"I thought I might find a sea-leopard flea," was the response of the engrossed scientist. "Ah," he exclaimed, making a sudden dart; "here is one, a beauty, too. Ah, ha, my fine fellow, no use your wriggling, I have you fast." As he spoke he drew out one of the bottles of which receptacles his pockets seemed to be always full, and popped the sea-leopard flea into it.
The commonest kind is the crab-eater or white seal, but the Ross seal is not rare, and there and there is found the sea-leopard, ranging wide and preying on the penguins and even on the young of its less powerful brethren. It is curious to observe that both seals and penguins regard themselves as safe when out of the water.
"Whatever is that caught to his coat tails?" exclaimed Frank, as he saw that a large, heavy creature of some kind was clinging fast to the flying professor's garment. "Take him off, take him off. If I were not running he'll bite me," shrieked the scientist as he sped along. "Whatever is it?" shouted Frank, regarding the strange sight with amazement. "It's a sea-leopard. Ouch! he bit me then.
Wherever we turned we saw great herds of seals Weddells and crab-eaters. The great sea-leopard, which we had seen occasionally on the floes, was not to be found here. During our whole stay in the Bay of Whales we did not see a single specimen of it. Nor did we ever see the Ross seal.
Seal, sea-leopard, or sea-lion whatever they may be they cry with one voice night and day; and it is not a pleasant cry either, though a far one, they mouth so horribly. Long ago it inspired a wit to madness and he made a joke; the same old joke has been made by those who followed after him.
Returning to the beach he shot it. When the elder men saw it, one or two said it was a sea-leopard, and such it proved to be. It was the stenorhyncus leptonyx, the most powerful seal of the Antarctic, and a rare visitor to Tristan, only two others having been seen by the islanders. It had short, light-grey hair, in parts turning to green, and measured in length ten and a half feet.
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