The Democratic advocate., 1871-07-13
aMistellantous.
Newfoundland Seal-Hunt.

Not less than 10000 hardy, active
men sail from the liarbors OF Newfound-
land about the first of March, every
year in pursuit Of the seal. The yes
sells in which they embark vary in size
from 80 to $50 tons. OF late steamers
have been introduced aud, as in all
other branches oil industry, steam threa.
tens to drive away oil competitors. Last
year there were ten steamers engaged
in the sealfshery; and this year i've
additional steamers have been added to
the heet-a sufficient proof that this
method Of carrying On the fishery
is found more remuneratiye than the
old system. The seal.hunters infinitely
prefer berth in steamer to one in u
sailing vessel although in the former
the crew get but one third the proceeds
OF the voyage divided among them, aud
in the latter one half. The steamer eau
make two, and at times even three
trips to the icefields, 50 that the proba.
billties Of success are vastly increased
by the employment of steam. Last year
the ten steamers averaged 10000 seals
each valued ut three dollars per seal.
One steamer in two trips brought in
$4,000 seals, thus earning, in two
mouths, S96,O00. 1t is thus evident
that when successful, there are few
commercial adventures more profitable
than seal hunting. But, then, there
are many blanks to prize aud, after
battling for weeks with the pillows,
amid these ice covered seas, where over
hundreds of square miles the seals are
to be sought, the poor men often return
to port, their. vessel "clean," aud their
prospects dismal. The profits Of the
enterprise are, however, on the whole
very large, when we take into account
that the number Of seals taken each
Spring ranges from 1000 to $780,
900.
The seal.hunters, or, as they are call.
cd in the veruacular, "soilers," like best
to fall in with that species OF seal called
the "harp." II is SO named from the
old male animal having in addition to a
number Of spots, broad curved line of
connected blotches proceeding from
each shoulder aud meeting on the back
above the tail, forming figure some
thing like an ancient Harp or Tyre. The
female has not this harp; neither has
the mail till after his secoad year. The
young, when born, are covered with
thick, white fur, aud are called by 'the
soldiers" "whitecoats. When about
six weeks old they shed this white coat,
aud smooth spotted skin appears.
They are then young "barps." When
twelve months old, the males are still
scarcely distinguishable from the fe-
males and during that season they
are called "bedaners." The next sea.
son the male has assumed his harp.
They are never seen on the coast Of
Newfoundland except during the breed.
ing scason, aud come from the Arctic
soIitudes for the purpose of bringing
forth their young. The mothers leave
their young on the ice aud fish about
in the neighborhood for their subsist.
ence, returning occasionally to give
suck. The young ones are fattest when
three weeks old 1t is said to be a pi-
table sight when the mother seal re.
turns for the purpose OF sucking her
young, aud finds her white.coated dar.
ling gone, mass Of flesh which she
fails to recognize as her lost offspring,
hahn, tba onlv ralic Har s;pns ol.,,r;af'