The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-02-03

Sends the First Vessel from the At
lanuc Coast.
New London claims the honor of
having sent the first vessel from
the Atlantic coast to the waters
OF Alaska to engage in the funsesl
business. This vessel was the bark
Teru, Il. Morgan, Master, owned by
Mlillams d Haven, of that city The
Hartford COTGnt says: Captain
Morgan has recently returned huJne.
| overland, from San Francisco, and
gives an Interesting account of his
operations and description of the
iocallty where the fur seals are found,
| lie Joined his ship at the Sandwich
Islands In February last, proceeded
Dy way uf Sitka to the island where
tne seals resort, and arrived there on
the 18th OF April. Soon after he land
eu MS men, with building material
provisions, salt and utensils. and
nolsted for the first time the American
nag on the island. The master hired
some natives TO assist, and made DreD-
aratlons for the summers work.
Needing more supplies the ship
was sent back to Honolulu for addf-
tlonal provisions and lumber, which
arrived later in the season. Some
twelve or fourteen buildings or dwell
llngs. store and salt houses, were cree
ted along the shores, and in due time
Ihe taxing OF skins commenced. The
men employed in this work followed
the old Russian rules of killing only
the males and removing these back
from the beaches before dispatchino
them, lest those coming in from the
water should be alarmed and driven
on Oy blood or carcasses on the shores.
Inc young seals or pups were never
InoleSted. The men report the antics
OF these fellows, gathered in vast
numbers learning to swim and fish. as
very amusing.
The Peru party met with stron0
rivalry and opposition in their work
from the employees of a San Francisco
concern who, having bought out the
STOCK OF goods and vessels BELONGING
20 the old Russian American Fur
Company, claimed to be their success
Sors IN the fur business OF the territory.
Ihey tried almost every means of
annoyance, but soon found that New
England seamen were not TO be COAX
ed or driven away.
''Ehe islands known for MANY veore
as the home of the fur seal are two in
NUMBER and are situated inside or
horIn OF the Fox or Alleutian Islands.
ABOUT forty miles apart and two or
three hundred miles from any other
ianu. 'Ihey are triangular in shane.
the largest about twenty miles lone.
| east and west; the other about two
thirds the size. The soil is sandy.
with underlying clay and rocks: some
prominent hills, with low places and
ponds between. Along the shore are
! sand beaches with cliffs and projecting
ledges OF rocks, on which The ocean
surf constantly breaks. No harbor
aHordlng good security is to be found
at either island. Strong winds from
almost every quarter are prevalent
and during the summer foo and rain
are very common, induced by vast
quantities of ice that come floating
down from the northern seas. IN
winter the cold northern winds make
the climate extremely cold and in
hospitable. No tres or shrubs of
any kind are found; a rank grass.
some vines producing berrit 8, and a
profuslon OF flowers are the sole veg
etabie products. Our animals. sea
lions, walrus. foxes, ducks and fish
comprise the list.
| ''About one hundred families of tbe
native Alutes live upon these islands.
and deriYe their subsistence from the
| products OF the land and sea. Thev
are an active and hardy race, peanea
bly, disposed, resembling somewhat
the EsquimauX, but more intelligent.
They live in huts or caves, speak the
Aleutlan and Russian languages, and
nave been employed for many years
In the taking and curing of the fur
seal skins. The seals are found at
these islands ouIy in the summer sea
son; they begin to arrive in April or
May, and continue to come and 90
during the summer, occupying the
shores, often coming up the bluffs to a
considerable height. Their number
Is legion. The young are brought
forth during the months of June and
July, the mothers sucking them for
nearly two months, when they can
provide for themselves Later in the
season all the old seals shed their
| coats OF hair; as soon as this is renew
ed they begin to migrate, and before
winter sets in the whole herd have
departed on their annual voyage to
sea, not to return until the next
spring.
"I he bark Peru is believed to be
| the only vessel on this side of the
continent that has been sent to engage
in the fur business in our new posses
| oAOAAos AACAO hOAN1 III 4dCls UuG lew
vessels at the seal islands this wear
all of them, except the Peru and one
other, combining to work together,
thus obtaining a large number of
SKINS. The merchants and masters of
New London engaged in the whaling
business have always been found fore
most in every sea to discover and fish
on new grounds for the pursuit of
their game, and the adventure of the
bark Peru in a new trade shows that
the past Reputation of that port for
marine enterprise is not likely to
die out.
"The last of September the Peru
took off her catch of skins, left part
of her crew to remain through winter,
carried some of the natives employed
during the summer to their homes in
KOdiac, and proceeded thence to
Honolulu, where she arrived Novem-
/ hnp with q In h7a. v.cro