Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-10-28
Where our FMrs Come From.

Since the transfer OF Alaska to The
United States, numerous small traders
have taken the place oil the great Russian
company. These skim along the coas,
and pick up what they can in traffic and
iurs. The Russians maintained very strict
regulations with regard 10 the killing OF
fur bearing animals, which constituted,
~ tho chief resource Of the country, their
exclusive object Such animals arc
peculiarly sensitive to the report OF ire
arms, from which they flee. and disap.
pear from whole region of country in Il
most mysterious manner. The valuable
sea otter is cminently singular in this
respect. and for that reason is, as before
stated, hunted with spears. II is fast be
coming y very rare animal, and It's skin.
in the frs, hands, is worth from twenty to
eighty dollars in coin
The Russians placed upon various is
lands certain choice varieties Of the ioy,
and these were not allowed 10 be taken
until they had well stocked the islands
but these preserves are no longer re-
spectcd. For the taking Of these foxes
Inc natives use trap, most efficient in its
object, and simple in its construction. II
consists of stick OF wood about the size
Of an axe hcivc, into one end Of which
are fastened three strong iron barbs, about
four inchs long. The other end OF the
stick is twisted into a cord or whale
sinew, which is fastened TO block. The
stick is brought back rs u lever, which
,ightcns the cord as u spring. The fox.
touching the bait, springs the trap, and
the lever flying over trans6xes him
through the head by the barbs. Being
always struck in the head, the skin is not
injured. and once struck he never escapes.
These traps are most diabo!cal thing
for man to get into, for the barbs strik-
ing the leg about the knee. fix themselves
into the bone, and cannot be extracted
without a most painful SUR ical operation.
The natives themselves frequently get
caught in them. The season for taking
The fox is from November to March
There is the "black" or silver grey, the
skin Of which as 1t passes from the hand
Of the trapper, brings from five to twenty
dollars.
The marten, or sable, as it is often
called, abounds on the main land, but is
never found on the islands. This, to-
gether with the beaver. occupies con-
siderable place in the fur trade. and like
the mink and land otter, is taken in the
common steel trap.
The beautiful and classical little ermine
brown in summer. but snowy white in
winter, with It's jet biack tipped tails
taken in dead falls. as the boys take
ground squirrels. The annual catch OF
this animal in the whole territory is about
two thousand, but rs tho skin brings only
twenty five cents it has but little com.
mercial Importance. In a commercial
point of view. the fur seal hold the first
place. This ani,nal-simiar in habits
and general appearance to the common
hair seal-is found only in few localities
upon the globe. and the island St. Paul,
in Bering Sea, is one Of these localities.
This island lies northwest of the extremity
of the peninsula of Alaska, distant there.
from about two hundred miles. 1t Is
rocky. barren island. about twenty miles
long by four or five broad. TO this desc
late and isolate spot, resort seals in great
numbers. They appear in the spring oI
the year and leave again inihe lall ll,going
no one knows where, unless they enter
"symmes' Hole" which was located by