The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-02-26
The second claim Of the North Pacific

the world comes from the islands Of Behr-
ings Sea, and the indications are that in
few years our Alaskan possessions will
be the only source Of this beautiful fur
Everywhere else the slaughter goes on
without regard to system, age, or sex, and
already many islands which used to furnish
thousands Of skins every year have been
entirely depopulated. Not less than a
million skins were taken from the island
Of Masafuera, off the coast Of Chilli In
two years four hundred thousand skins
were taken from a small island near Aus
tralia. From the South Shetland islands,
three hundred and twenty thousand were
taken in 1920 and 1921, males and females
being slaughtered Unfortunately, and
the young left to die. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to add that, in few years, this waste
ful process wrought its own destruction.
The resorts Of the sea lions Of the north
were discovered in 1856, and a Russian
fur company was at once established. For
thirty years from eighty to ninety thousand
skins year were brought away, the kill
ing being done without regard to sex or
system. About 1917 It was observed that
the animals had diminished In numbers.
For twonty years more the wasteful slaugh-
ter went on, until but tithe Of the origi-
nal number appeared. Then the slaughter
was regulated, the number Of skins re-
stricted, and the females left undisturbed
When the islands came into the possession
of the United States, the system was sub.
stantially continued, with the result of
giving them almost monopoly Of the en-
tire seal fur trade. According to Mr.
Elliotts calculation, rs many as three mil
lion breeding seals annually congregate on
the two islands, st. Paul and St. George,
to which they resort; the yearlings and
males under six years of age he sets down
at two millions, making population Of
upwards Of FIVE millions. Only young
males are allowed to be killed, and the
number is limited to one hundred thousand.
Females are not allowed to be molested,
and no killing is permitted within several
miles of the "rookeries," as the resting
places of the females and their cubs are
called.
When the time for killing arrives, usual
ly in June, the killers select some "hauling
ground" of the young males-for the old
bulls do not allow them to associate with
the females-and, armed with clubs, get
between them and the sea. The animals,
startled by the sight Of them and fright
ened by their shouts, scramble rapidly
landwards, and are leisurely driven to the
killing grounds. In favorable weather
they can travel at the rate of half mile
an hour, the most effective implement for
driving being an umbrella. At the killing
ground they are allowed to rest awhile,
after which the fttest are selected and
killed with clubs, q single blow on the
head being sufficient for each. The rest
are allowed to return to the sea. The
skins are shipped in salt.
For many years the stiff coarse hair,
which conceals the under fur, was plucked
oW by hand. It was finally discovered
that the roots Of the hair were more deep
ly seated than those Of the fur, and that,
by shaving the skin from the underside
until the hair roots were cut away, the
hair could easily be brushed away, leaving
the under fur intact, thus greatly simpli-
flying and cheapening the work Of prepar-
ing the skins. Naturally, the fur is curly
and of light brown color; but as the la
dies prefer darker shade, the fur is dyed,
in which process the curls untwist aud the
fur becomes smooth. The government
rents the islands for $4,000 year, and
imposes revenue tax Of two dollars on
each skin taken. According to late &C.
counts, the population of the islands is
steadily increasing, and it is proposed that
the number allowed to be killed might
safely be increased also. In view Of the
probable early determination Of the fur
bearing seals, so called, Of other regions,
howcver-at least, SO great reduction of
their numbers as to make the taking Of
them unproftable-it is to be hoped that
no risks will be run in the only place
where they have any chance Of perpetua-
tion. Better under kill than over kill,
even il the demands Of the ladies should
be scantily gra.ifed. Properly managed,
our Alaskan islands will remain for ever
source, perhaps the only source, Of this
beautiful and valuable fur. Overhunted,
or left to the shortsighted sel6shness Of
professional sealers, there is danger that
it may soon be said of them, as an Austria.
liam naturalist has said of another once
productive region-"I should as soon cx.
pect to meet sen lion on London bridge,
as on any one Of the islands in Bass's
Strait r. &
The following prophecy is said to have
been made by Goethe on the 21st Of Feb
ruary, 1927 -" am convinced that soon,