Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-06

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~ From the leading article Of Harper's Maga-
sine for A pSiI, entitled Three Months n Ia.
brd4Or, We gather Che following information
respecting one Of the most important in
dpsirial pursuits Of the North Country;
The seal fishery Of Labrador is valued ~
81, SOC, 600 per annum, and is wholly prose-
cuted by Newfoundland vessels with theex-
ception Of perhaps a Dozen that sail nom
| Canada and other Provinces. The hunting
ground lies between the forty-ninth and fifty
second parallels Of latitude, and the season
| Of catching extends from March to May in
elusive The average fare OF successful yes-
sells Is 2 900 seals, though as many as 5000
have been taken but upward Of 400 vessels
that yearly engage in sealing not more than
sixty make remunerative voyages, and many
suffer heavy LOSSES Hence the business Is
| altogether lottery. Nevertheless, the
chances Of large gains are 80 seductive,
| that sealers' berths in vessels "up for the
| ice, command premium Of from SO to 500
The men so engaged obtain their Quilt
! (which includes clothing, guns, ammuni-
| lion, &c.l on credit, the cost of which is
| deducted from their earnings at the end OF
| their voyage; and they not untrequently
find balance Of Sl25 in their favor at the
close of the season. Yet they are fortunate
if, after their accounts are squared, they do
not find themselves in debt to the vessel, or
at least with empty pockets. The expense
of the outfit is borne by the owners Of the
vessel The captain receives no wages, but
is allowed share of ten cents on very seal
caught. When this is deducted, one. half
the fare is divided among the crew, and the
other half falls to the owners. The average
price per seal is SO 80. Consequently,
fare OF 1000 SEALS worth $1,000, yields 20
the owners and crew $3,325 each and to the
captain $3.50.
Sealing vessels are sheathed with iron, and
extra .panked about the bows to protect
them from the ice. On reaching the ground
they are warped into the channels cut
through the ice, where they Lie snugly
moored until warm weather breaks 1t up.
Then the sealers, singly and in small parties,
each man armed with heavy iron-spiked
bat and muffled to his eyes in furs go forth
in quest of victims. These lie, quietly sun
ming themselves near their breathing holes.
often 100 together, utteriDg doleful cries
and frog like croaks. Upon some hummock
a sentinel is ever on the alert to warn of ap-
preaching danger. ....
But the hunters, creeping stealthily, aRd
taking advantage of the wind and the ine-
qualities of surface rush upon them at the
first alarm, dealing death-bows. right aud
left among the affrighted herd, who wriVgle
burriedly over the ice, and tumble founder
ing into their holes. The old seals geuer-
ally escape, as their movements are wonder
fully quick; but many of the young are
killed. These are now dexterously sculped,"
stripped of their blubber and pelts, which
come off entire; the bloody carcasses are left
to glut the starveling bears aud Arctic f.xes
and the pelts rolled up and dragged away to
the vessel. After the ice breaks up, the seals
are shot from boats in the open water, where
they are found disportiDg.
There are various kinds OF seals, among
which are the harbor, ranger, jar, hood,
doter, bed-lamer, harpe, blue and square
flipper; differing as greatly iu size and ply
siognomy as members of the human family.
There are canine and feline looking seals
seals with round, smooth heads, cropped
like prize fighters, and seals with patri-
archal boards and long flowing locks; meek,
| pensive looking seals, and seals fierce and
| long-tusked little seals three feet long, and
monsters, upward of eight feet in length
and weighing 1000 pounds. Selah!
The hood seal when attacked throws up
| thick, bullet proof hood or shield before its
face, and whichever way gun is presented
| this defense is always opposed, the animal
moving deXierously from side to side with
every movement of his assailant. An effect
i've wound must be given under the ear, and
| it requires an expert msrksman to hit him
Il ere. The harpe is most esteemed, and
commands a market price of 81 to So He
is first class pugilist, and always shows
fight; rising on his hind fiippers, dodging
the bat skilfully, and often seizing it from
his asssilants hand. He is very tenacious
of life, and when worsted frequently feigns
death. At such times the unsuspecting
sealer STOPPING over to "sculD" him, is
liable to serious injury. Sometimes they
have teen completely disemboweled.
Seals wheIp in March, and suckle their
young. They are in good condition at all
seasons, but are seldom taken after July, as
they migrate to more Northern regions
returning in December. In early Summer
they are caught in strong, large-meshet
nets They constitute an impor tant article o
food to the settlers and Esquimaux, and tc
the latter are Indispensable. The blu5ber is
exceedingly fat and being cut into strips
and thrown into vats, large quantity of oil
is obtained by natural drainage. The resi-
due is tried out by heat. 1t is extensively
used for machinery, both in Europe and the
United States, but is sold under different
name. It's value is about fifty cents per
gallon.