The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-25
SWlLERS and THE SWILE.
REMARKABLE REVIVAL TRIS YEAR.
Hundreds of Thousands of Seals
Slaughtered by the New
fOundland Fishermen.
The Largest Catch for Twenty
five Years.
>>>~~~o~~~~~~~
ALL TERRA NOVA JUBILANT.
Interesting Sketch of the Seal
Traffic.
HOME ANQ HABITS OF THE ANIMAL.
Hunting and Staying Among the
Icebergs.
Americans Engaging in the
Pursuit.
->->,~~,oo~o~-~~~~~>~~
jealousy of the Cannie Scotch
Merchants.
mura cvSCprr M, nT,vuCOuyDr Mines VUO1AN
jealousy of the CANINE Scotch
Merchants.
THE SECRET OF NEWFOUNDLANwS WOES.
HAREon GRACE, N. F., April -, 1871

"
HARnon GRACE, N. F., April IL. 1871.
ARRIVAL OF sEALERs AT NEWFOUNDLAND PORTS.
l have just descended upon this bustling town
from the deck Of tho steamer Mastiff. which has
returned from most profitable run to the seal
Ice with cargo Of 90 900 pelts We were among
the first to arrive OF the feet of $50 vesses-"canvas
backs" and sreamers-which started for the ice on
The LIST Of March. The catch this year has been of
unexampled yield. Every vessel returning to this
port or s. Johns is loaded to the full with pelts.
We compare notes with the Retriever and the
bark Barbara. and the figures obtained from
their captains attest the immensely of the fishery
this year. -. 4,es-
g. UNPRECEDENTED CATCH.
1t Is computed that already more ''pelts'' have
been landed than were obtained during the entire
season Of 1870, which lasted from the beginning OF
March until far into April. One hundred and SIX
teen vessels went out to the ice last year. and these
secured about 100, 600 seals-a yield which had
not been reached since 1861, although the
intermediate years 1868, 1867 and 1859 had
nearly proved as prosperous the catch in those
years being-For 1861. 1884, ooo by LA vessels; 1862
1876, 500 by 121 vessels. The catch in 1867 by 147
vessels 1884, 800. while 1859 showed the profitable
yield Of $4,000, secured by 1O4 vessels. But it
NAMED for 1869 TO cap the climax, as 1t was
thought by turning in 1S9, 700 pets, from eet of
ll8 vessels. The tremendous yield OF 1850, 25S 00o
brought in by the feet OF 200 fishers, was almost
lost sight OF In the general ublation Of April last
But It Will remain for this year to give Newfound-
land such harvest OF wealth, acquired from her
seal fisheries, as will astound the anticpatons Of
the most sangulne 'panter' Of st. Johns or Harbor
Grace.
AN EARLY YEAR.
The Ice was reached by the steamers at an un.
usually early period in March, and seemed almost
undesirable under Its vast freight OF seals.
The oldest veterns IN the feet declare that they
never observed the parallel OF it since 1860 when, to
use expressive phrase from the lips Of one OF the
Mastifi's "batsmen'': was that thick, we
out four pair OF boots day, bootin lem out or
the road" (of course dead).
TERRIFIC SLAUGHTER OF SEALS.
Our steamer brings In 20, 900; and anchored near
is the Retriever, which arrived to-day with 17Ooo
and the bark Barbara, with $1,000 aboard-a heavy
load for a sailing vessel. The captain OF the Bar
bara beat IN, though under canvas, he having got
right In among the foes tenanted by the seals. All
appear to have secured their "catches" In the
immense ice fields which came down into the
Straits OF Belle Isle from the Grand Banks about the
latter part OF February. The steamers arrived first
on account Of their superior speed; but now that
the sailing vessels begin 10 come IN we can gain
some idea or the enormous catch. Every steamer
and sailing vessel leaving these two ports on or
about the ls OF March struck the lel0s, and conse
quently loaded up immediately.
THE VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE HUNT.
The steamers Glengarry, Monticello and r. 8. @.
are on their way or have arrived at ST. Johns with
cargoes Of ten to twenty thousand and several sail
ing vessels bound thther with twelve to twenty
thousand. So far as can ascertain twenty steamers
were IN the ice, all from this port or St. Johns.
Among those which have gone to Belle Isle are the
Mastif Glengarry, Retriever, Monticello, walrus,
Hawk, Ospray. Merlin, Lion, Warrior and Wolf
These are all veterans at the business except the
Monticello, and the majority are owned in st. Johns.
JOY OF THE NEwFOUNDLANDERs.
The smiles Of complacency that now beam from
the countenances OF the owners who are about to
rejoice in the possession Of the fruits Of the yield,
Is very benignant and catching. The appearance Of
the families Of the betokens that prosperity
ahead; and above all the odor that seems to permc
ate the earth the houses and the people, convinces
one that Newfoundland exults In her prosperity and
is striving to make the most Of it.
Everything locks seay; the people talk seal; the
grounds send up the scent OF SEAL and the oleagl-
nous odor thereof ascends to neaven-a difficult
thing you might think, in this land Of ogs In fact,
you little else or hear any conversation except
appertalning to the catching OF seals.
rival Of so-andso's brig bark, and the Institution
OF comparisons between the yields OF this and
former years prosperous and runous.
The fatal year OF 1864 here naturally comes In as
reminder that the leaven OF misfortune sometimes
interpose between the most bounteous gifts Of the
THE GREATEST YEAR EVER KNOWN.
You WILL OF course, be treated TO eXtravagant and
exaggerated stories OF the unparalleled harvest OF
the sea- but VIII not venture into Details preferrng
70 give you the statistics OF former years and the
incomplete returns OF this season.
The grand toJal may be summed up as exceeding
that OF the aggregate catch OF any year within the
past quarter OF century; and when we refer to the
years, producing over two hundred thousand each,
the unparalleled catch this year becomes more
vid. The Warrior Mastin, Retriever. Glengarry and
discharge their carg0cs with expeditions; and they
will soon be fitting out, with the Old crews. for
second trip to the Ice. The musket has been but
little used this season. the schools Of seals for such
We Will call them, being SO dense that the 'bats-
men, were wearied with the labor OF slaughter.
But let me impress you with some idea Of the
habits OF the hardy scalers Of Newfoundland, and
their struggles In this strange land.
THE MEN WHO RULE NEWFOUNDLAND.
The fishermen may, or within short time could
be, practically be said to be under the control Of
the merchant princes, who rule the country, dis
courage the development Of Its fertile mineral re-
sources andseem 70 doom the people 70 the preea-
they lying back IN ease and drawing the substance
Of the poor fishermen.
The method by which these merchants assert their
sway is complex but always rebounds ultimately to
their own advantage.
These observations apply TO the merchants deal
ing with the seal fishers, although the rule Is peril
nent TO the traders with the tOerS OF the sea who
engage In other fisheries.
HOW THE FISHERMAN Is IMPOSED UPON
al, " .nus;-Eacn merchant supplies certain num-
den0mfnated In these regionsl with provisions. the
3tter 10 turn retail them 10 the fsDermon In their