Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-09
dent, o. C. Gibbs, ESQ.


We desire to call special attention to the fol-
lowing appeal Of New Bedford shipmaster. II
is burning shame for whalemen TO kill off the
Walrus IN the Arctic ocean. Suppose the ma
tons of Europe should sent fleets of armed yes
sells 10 destroy the fisheries and oyster beds
along the American coest, would there not be
war! Yet whaemen penetrate the cold regions
of the north, and literally take the food from the
poor EsquimauX, whose only staple food is the
walrus meat. We hope TO hear no more of such
destruction of poor peoples food
To the Editor Of the Nelo Bedford Standard =.
For the past three or four years the North Pa
cific whaling feet has been taking walrus in the
months of July and August, as the whales in
those months 90 into the ice and around Point
Barrow, out OF the reach of whalemen During
all the years from 1S49 to 1867 the whalemen
bad let the walrus alone or taken very few. In
1868 few ships commenced taking walrus, and
did quite well, securing from 200 to 600 walrus.
and destroying half as many more In 1869 a
large number of ships were engaged in the bust
ness, but in 1870 the whole feet with two or
three eXceptions) went in" and took all they
could. Probably not less than 10000 female
walrus, with their young, were killed and
destroyed. The past year three-lOurths of the
feet were engaged in the business, but the wal
rus were shy and far into the ice, and they did
not do as well. Shipmasters had TO send their
boats twenty and twenty-five miles to find
them.
The arctic walrus are nearly all females. who
go into the Arctic in the summer months TO
bring forth and nurse their young, which the
mothers are very fond Of and attached to. They
will never iorsake their young but will take
them in their hlppers and hold them to their
breasts, even when their destrOyers are puttinp
their sharp lances through and through them
and the blood streaming from every side, utter
ing the most heartrending and piteous cries
and so until they die, and then the little one
must starve, unless the whaleman can thrust
his lance through it and send it TO the bottom
This is one OF the most cruel Occupa tons that
know of, and many humane whaleman has
felt guilty and turned aside as he did it. The
walrus average about twenty gallons of oil and
four pounds Of ivory.
But the worst feature Of the business is that
the natives Of the entire Arctic shores from
Cape Thaddeus, in the Anadir sea, TO the iarthest
point north, a shore line af more than a thou
sand miles on the west coast, with the large
island of ST. Lawrence, The smaller ones of bio
mede and Kings Islands, all thckly inhabited
and our own coast of northern Alaska, are now
almost entirely dependant on the walrus for
their food, clothing, boats and dwellings.
Twenty years ago whales were plenty and easily
caught, but the whales have been destroyed and
driven north so that now the natives seldom get
a whale. This is a sad state of things for them.
The question now is, shall our whalemen keep
on taking the warus and eventually stave and
depopulate these Arctic shores? II will certainly
come to that soon. Already they are starving
or on the point OF starvation.
Several captains lately arrived home have
told me that they saw the natives, thirty and
forty miles from land, on the ice, trying to
catch walrus to eat, and were living on the
carcasses Of those that the whaemen had killed.
what must the poor creatures do this cold win
ter with no whales or walrus2
capt Barker, who was shipwrecked and
passed the winter with them last year, says that
sney we're upon the point Of starvation in many
places on account Of the warus being so scarce
aha shy, aud he was ashamed OF himself 10
snln ls, nc mad been engaged in the business, aud
would never do 1t again.
nave seen most Of the captains lately ar
5lyed home, aud they all tell the same story
mat the natives are or will starve II the bus-
mess IS not stopped. Some say al never win
taHe another walrus;' bat several others have
ti.lReu WIN say they won't take warus II Others
VIII NOT, which means just this, ~ shall take
All can" But II wants the condemnation OF
the ship0wners and agents here In New Red.
ford, for think their ships eau be better and
more prodtrbly employed in whaling. There
are plenty Of humpback aud California grey