The Dugon is an animal which inhabits the African and Indian seas.
We have only seen two heads on this subject, which resembled that of
the walrus more than any other animal. It had, like that, very deep
sockets for the teeth, about the length of half a foot, which might
more properly be termed cutting teeth than tusks. They extend not in a
direct manner from the mouth, like those of the walrus, but are much
shorter and thinner, besides they are situated close to each other
in the fore part of the jaw, whereas the tusks of the walrus leave a
considerable space between them, and are placed at the side of the
upper jaw. The grinders of the dugon likewise differ in number, shape
and position, from those of the walrus, therefore we make not the least
doubt but they are animals of different species. Some travellers have
confounded the dugon with the sea-lion. Inigo de Biervillas says,
that a sea-lion was killed near the Cape of Good Hope, which measured
ten feet in length, and four in circumference. Its head was like that
of a calf about a year old; it had a bristly beard; its eyes large
and frightful; its ears short, its feet very broad, and its legs so
exceedingly short, that its belly dragged upon the ground: he adds,
that it had two tusks about half a foot long. This last, however, does
not agree with the sea-lion, which has no tusks, but teeth nearly
resembling those of the seal; and this difference made me imagine it
was not a sea-lion but the animal we call the _dugon_. Other travellers
seem to have indicated it by the name of the sea-bear: Spilsberg
and Mandelso relate, "that there are animals on the island of St.
Elizabeth, on the coast of Africa, which should rather be denominated
sea-bears than sea-wolves, as their hair, colour, and head, greatly
resemble those of that animal, the snout only being more pointed; that
they also move like the bear, except dragging their hind legs after
them; that these amphibious animals have a frightful appearance, and
do not shew any fear at the sight of man: their teeth are so very
strong as to bite through the shaft of a javelin; and although their
hind legs appear crippled, yet they move with such swiftness that it
is very difficult to come up with them." Le Guat speaks of having seen
a sea-cow, of a reddish colour, near the Cape of Good Hope; its body
was round and thick, its eyes full and large, long tusks, and its
muzzle was turned a little upwards. A sailor assured him that this
animal, of which he only saw the fore part of its body, the rest being
in the water, had feet. This sea-cow of le Guat's, the sea-bear of
Spilsberg, and the sea-lion of Biervillas, seem to be the same animal
as the _dugon_, the head of which was sent us from the isle of France,
and which, consequently, is to be met with in the southern seas, from
the Cape of Good Hope to the Philippine islands: as for the rest we
cannot affirm that this animal, which resembles the walrus by its head
and tusks, has, like that, four feet. We only presume from analogy,
and the testimony of travellers, that they have those members; but
as the analogy is not very great, nor the testimonies of travellers
sufficiently precise to decide this point, we shall suspend our
judgment thereon till we are able to obtain better information.