The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-09

OF three weeks acres Of .tound arc fairly |
packed BY these animals as closely as they
can lie. They are stimulated to land BY
the expiration of the period Of CESSATION
for soon after coming ashore, usually with
IN day or two they give birth to their
young. How nicely these faultless ami
mails must time and direct their long sea
journey back to these islands for they
go IN quest Of food two and three thous
and miles away.
The seals are easily captured their cap
tors, the natives, reminding one Of butch
ers as they 90 into a stoek-yard to select
and drive out batch Of bullocks, for the
method of procedure IS precisely similar.
To the right and left of the breeding
grounds stretch sand-beaches, or some
convenient landing, upon which the 4hol-
luschiekie," or the bachelor seals, lie by
tens Of thousands, extended in every at
titude assumed by them In ftful sleep or
animated sport, and down from the village
to these "hauling grounds" come the ma.
tives, who, after making survey Of the
sWarming myriads, step in among them
and turn aside from the masses two or
three thousand of the most eligible ami.
mails, usually males Of not over four years
old aud not under two. This drove which
they have selected Is driven to the village
as flock of sheep would be, the animals
moving in succession Of sudden starts.
with frequent resting spells, at the rate Of
about half a mile an hour, provided the
weather is cool and foggy and the ground
hard Seals can be driven at the rate of
mile an hour under peculiarly favorable
conditions of road aud weather; but the
loss of life is great in large drove, SO
many falling scnseless, gasping and palpi-
tatlng, some to rise again within few
hours, and others dying at once.
Only four or FIVE men are required to
capture in this way drove Of from one to
even fifty thousand, did they ever want so
many and the labor of driving them over.
land to the salt-houses near the village is
light, as the seals move without resistance
and require but little urging, only it should
constant and gentle. They string them
selves out in long files as they travel, and
a drove of four or five thousand will stretch
over path more than mile In length.
The fur seal never sprawls out and
founders when moving on land, as might
be supposed from observing the progress
sion of the common hair seal; on tho con.
trary, this animal carries its body clear
and free from the ground, with head and
neck erect, stepping forward with Its fore
feet, and bringing the hinder ones up to
fresh position after every second step for
ward. When cxerting itself it can spring
into a numbering, shambling gallop, and
for few rods run as fast as a man. but
will sink quickly to the earth, gasping,
painting and palpitating. In the water all
movements when swimming are quick and
swift, the fore fippers propelling, aud the
long, attenuated hinder ones serving to
guide the course. The animal always in
travelling swims under water, ever and
anon rising, with head and neck clear from
the sea, to snort tand survey the field The
seals will frequently, when in play or sud
denly startled, leap from the water like 50
many dolphins.
The young seals are exceedingly froliek-
some at sea Gas also a great part Of the
time on land;) running acrobatic races in
the surf, chasing one another, and whirl-
ing in swift circles, they seem to be brim-
fal of warm, joyous life, They also de-
light, especially the old ones, in lazily
turning over and over in the swell, scratch,
ing and rubbing themselves with their
ilippers, exposing as they float in the water
; but small portion of their bodies; and
they also sleep upon the surface in the
same short, uneasy slumber SO character
istic Of them when on land. There is
nothing dull or lethargic about the fur
seal when asleep or awake. A healthy
seal is never seen sleeping without an in
voluntary nervous muscular twitching and
flinching Of various portions Of its body,
usually an uneasy folding out and back
Of its fippers, with quick crawling move
ments of its skin, the eyes being, however,
always tightly closed.
Arising from those great bands of herd
ing seals Is peculiar dull, vibrating roar,
the joint effort of hundreds of thousands
Of vigilaut and angry ml.iss, together with
the calls of their harems, din which new
er ceases for an instant, day or night, dur
ing the six or eight weeks Of the breeding
season; il can be heard at sea miles away,
and frequently has warned vessels Of the
dangerous proximity of land when search
ing for the Islands in thick, foggy weather.
There also comes with this sound most
disagrceahle smell, The seals themselves
do not emit this odor, although they have
a sweetish, oily breath, but they are con-
slantly stirring up the decaying bodies Of
the dead, on and over which they sleep or
necessarily founder Ha,psr's Magazine
for Nay
PERMANENT WHTTEwAsH.-W the
return Of spring comes the usual inquiry
after a good whitewash Take half a
bushcl Of unslaked lime, slake it with boil
ing water, covering 1t during the process
to keep in the steam, strain the liquid
through seivc or straiuer, and add 10 il