Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-06-05
SEAL HUNTING.
The Story of = Grcat HUNT -Th,r.v.
Three ThO"snno fclas.
CnPran,nONG1encA n tho rvor,. ,,,


Correspondence Of the Evcntno Ttm..
ST. JoHN's, N. f., April Is. 1873.--
1t savors of the legends of California
and Ballyratt to say that steamship
of large tonnage left the port of 81
Johns, N: F., on the Sd of March
sailed to the region of the seal. and
returned here on the afternoon Of The
18th, laden to her decks with valuable
skins. Her "tally-men" reckone1 m
thirty.three thousand victims. the
largest number OF seals ever cantnred
by one crew. The particulars of Can.
tain Jackman's unprecedented succass
are worthy of record. His vessel the
steamship Eagle, had scarcely been out
four days when he "struck''. the
seals.
On the morning of tho 7th of March
an endless plain Of rough ico confront-
ed his vessel, and as far as the eve
could reach in any. direction this ice
swarmed with bright-eyed pups and
sleek-skinDed dang of the seal tribe.
Some baskihg in the sun, and others
gamboling over hillocks and boulders
Of ice they little suspected the cruel
doom which awaited them.
When "About ship" rang out lus-
tilv from the captain, all hands re-
for they in:sinesise,s & felt WITH th.: wil ths
order was as cheerful as the chiukine
OF gold. The boats forward, amid.
ships, and on the starboard quarter
were at once loosed from their davits.
These bouts were to be pulled into
the narrow channels which penetrate
the ice IN various directions, and to be
used for receiving the skins as each
hunter made . "haul." A "haul"
signifies, in the language of seal
hunters, q batch of eight or ten skins
bound with ropes. In some instances
these bundles of skins are drawn two
and three miles over rough field
ice to the nearest boat or the ships
side. Frequently sealers thus far from
their vessel are overtaken by sudden
storm aud benighted. Many time
their provislons run out or more
dreadful than all, the ice divide, dur.
ing q gale, leaving a channel miles in
width between them and their vessel.
Seal hunters have often told me that
during an intense frost they were fire.
quently immersed knee deep on q pan
of ice, and barely able to hold a1oft
their gads bearing signals of distress.
The signals would generally be made
with shreds of some garment.
woolen mitten, or = cap.
In fact, the hardships undergone by
the Newfoundland fishermen arc far
more severe than those suffered by any
other class Of toilers. Among those
who know these iron framed men, their
bravery is proverbial. Except in rigid
" disciplined navies it is rare to find
in civil marine service crews of eighty
or hundred men who, in any weather
or emergency, obey orders without
murmur, as these men do. In spite of
the chagrin which follows misfortune,
or the miseries attendant on q voyage
unnecessarily protected, the Newfound-
land seal hunters have not for wears
oppofed the decision of their officers.
And this is the more remarkable be.
cause the Newfoundland seal hunters
are rather shareholders in joint stock
company than mere hired sailors.
More than one hundred men went
over the side of the Eagle, encouraged
by the God speed of the commander.
The sealers were divided into gangs as
the several boats landed them. Soon
the blows Of the bat were were heard on
all sides. The old female seals cried
piteously for quarters, and the Young
ones fled for shelter to them. Few Of
the old ones died without a strueple.
Retreating to their icy lairs, thev
grOwled and snarled.
Sealers relate instances wherein the
almost human cries of the seal touched
their hearts, and they turned away un.
able to strike the blow. But there was
no tenderness shown to those of the
genus phoco encountered by the Eagles
crew in March last. The slaughter con
tinued daily until the Arctic moonlight
flooded the wide prairie of ice. Then
the crew, fatigued and sleepy, went on
board to chunk" till daybreak.
When daylight came the carnage was
renewed. But it was no scene Of des.
olstion, for the men, buoyed up by the
Of skins and the amount of oil |
which lay to their credit in the holds |
OF the Eagle, and the quantities yet to
come, broke the silence of the wild
northland with rude but cherry cho-
ruses of the sea. During each day of |
the hunt, the crew returned at stated |
intervals to receive their rations of |
bread, butter, beef and coffee. Then
with wild hurrahs they renewed their |
charge upon the bewildered seals.
Nearly mile square of the icy expanse |
was stained with the blood of the |
seal. The ice surrounding the Eagle |
was literally maize ct blood tracks.
Thus the cruel work went on until the |
evening of the 18th inst, when Captain |
Jackman announced that the vessel !
was full, and gave the welcome order:
Boys get ready to bear up for home. "
In response to the enlivening announce
ment three cheers were given for the
good ship Eagle and three times three |
Tor Captain Jackman.
On the evening of the 18th of March |
The Eagle sailed into st. Johns harbor,
her halliards and rigging streaming |
With the flags of many nations and Of
every firm in the land, having made |
the quickest sealing voyage on record,
and oaDtured the 1nr0nat nnmlor of