. More kindred of the wild . hroats and parried the deadly strokes withwide-open j aws. At last that superior fire andenergy which had enabled the householderto be first of all the herd to arrive began toovermaster his foes superior weight. Theintruder was suffering heavily, and all atonce, either losing his nerve for a moment,or weakened by his wounds, he was overbal-anced and hurled into the water. Leaningfrom the ledge, and waving his head sinuously,the householder waited for the battle to be re-newed. But the intruder had had one moment he thrust his head high abovethe water and
. More kindred of the wild . hroats and parried the deadly strokes withwide-open j aws. At last that superior fire andenergy which had enabled the householderto be first of all the herd to arrive began toovermaster his foes superior weight. Theintruder was suffering heavily, and all atonce, either losing his nerve for a moment,or weakened by his wounds, he was overbal-anced and hurled into the water. Leaningfrom the ledge, and waving his head sinuously,the householder waited for the battle to be re-newed. But the intruder had had one moment he thrust his head high abovethe water and eyed his enemy. Then, diving,he swam off in dejection, and took up a placeon the exposed outskirts of the settlement.^Within the next four-and-twenty hours thehouseholder had four more battles to fight inorder to make good his title to his none of these later contests were equal tothe first in severity. Then, fortunately for his 1 The settlement of the fur seals on their breeding-grounds is called a rookery. Wrr. For one moment he thrust his head high above the water and eyedhis enemy. More Kiyulred of the W^ld] A HARASSED HOUSEHOLDER 139 bleeding flanks, life became less strenuous asthe rookery settled down. Nevertheless, though the big seal now got achance to rest and recover his breath, the priceof his repose was eternal vigilance. Late-comers kept arriving, swimming up to theledge and threatening to challenge his occu-pancy of the choice location. But, sprawlingclose to the lip of the rock, his bleeding bulk inplain view, his mighty neck swaying alertly,his big, intelligent eyes agleam with savagewatchfulness, he presented so formidable andprepared a front that his would-be challengersusually reconsidered, and swam on to lookfor an easier venture. If any did try to land,the householder was down upon them beforethey could gain a footing, and they got awaywith their gashes as best they might. Thenthere were his immediate neighbours, twobig, aggressive bulls, to g
Size: 1264px × 1977px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidcu3192, booksubjectanimals
