Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-08
THE SEAL FISHERY.

There are two species of these animals found
on the Alaska coaSt-the sea-otter aud the fur
seal The sea-otter is very large animal, the
fur is soft and black; while long hairs, tipped
with white, add to its beauty. Formerly,
sra-ottcr skin was worth $500 in Europe, but
since the art of initiating these rare turs has
come 10 vogue the price has declined, and
skin that would few years ago have brought
$500, is now worth about 500. The fur-seals
arc found 10 much greater plumbers, although
the skin is far from being so valuable as that of
the sca-otter. Stragglers may be found all
along the Alaska coast, but their tavorite re-
sort is The Pribyotf group of Islands iD Behriug
sea. They put in an appearance about the
m,ddle of Juue, aud remaln TO the end OF Octo-
Der. They are supposed to spend the winter
in the open sea south of the Aleutian slaHds
Their Young are brought forth on the islands,
and grow to be stout little pups" before they
set out on their winter voyage to the open sea-
They come 10 droves OF many thousands, aud
literally blackrn the shores with their numbers
The males fight ierccly among themselves, each
one having five or six wives, which he Is obliged
to defend from the advances OF all other polyg-
amuus husbands.
The socalIed fisheries are conducted in this
WIS.,: the Aleuts so along the shore and get be
tween the seals aud the water. Singing out
herd OF four or FIVE hundred, they drive them
luaud, shouting and hourlshlng their sticks,
very much as civilized men do when driving
shrcp, and they have the same habit OF following
a |, ader and breaking away in fucks that belongs
to most domestic animals. Ii the weather Is
c.oudy aud the grass moist, they can be driven
srvclaI miles, by allowing them TO rest every
twu or three minutes. Ii there is 40 moisture,
or the suu is shining they cauuot be driven at
all Those that give out by the way are killed
and skinned on the spot, there Is no use OF
auempting to force them to walk against their
will When they are brought to a suitable
place, they are killed at the convenience OF the
Aruts the old males, females, and their young
beng permitted to return to the shore. Uuder
the Russian rule. only the males between the
ages OF one aud five years were killed. The
females aud their young, and the heree OLD
pUlygamists were always allowed to escape. In
fact, the skius of the old males are so thick
that they are of no value. When the herd has
been despoed Of its young males. the seals are
allowed 10 return TO the waller The skins are
sated aud sent to London, where the art OF
dressing aud coloring them is understood: \
skin is worth seven dollars in London, in its
raw state; the Aleut who takesit from the anl
nal gets thrty-fve cents 1t will be seen FROM
this that there is fair marg gin for profit to the
Fur Companies.
When the Russians first began to encourage
the killing of seals, they allowed them to be
slaughtered ia immense numbers, and at one
time three hundred thousand skins were de-
stroycd to prevent an ovcrstocking OF the mar
ke aud reduction in the price. During the
last years OF Russian rule, however, there was
such dinipu,ion in the number of seals on
the island, that only fifty thousand skins were
taken annually. DR.. Dali gives it as his opin,,
lon that the annual capture Of one hundred
thousand skins observing the restrictions here
toiore mcnioned) will not diminish the herds
that now flock to the PribyloH Islands every
<ummcr.-BaH i'm.