Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-11-30

Seal HuNrsSe.-The aim Of the hun
tiers il to reach The young seals which
lie Graded on the ice. in patches" or
groups, some " here in the vast ice COW
cred area extending between two or
three hundred miles from our shores.
There they lie during the fsrst four or
i've weeks OF their existence, fed BY
their motker's milk, and growing fat at
an enormous rate. Armed with their
gals, or iron bound clubs, the seal.
hunters ca getting among the ..whi,e.
coats" leap on the see, add then COM
mences ''the slaughter Of the inno-
cents. A blow on the nose from the
"gaf stuns OF killsthe young seal, and
instantly the knife is at work; the skin
and adheFiug fat are detached with
;%::'es R s.n :. .,;'' .hs :! s.rss.s:
with life. while the fat aud skin alone
are carried of. The fact that each seal
slaug ughtered is worth So gives xest and
energy to the bloody work. Fancy the
crew OF one the largest steamers, num-
bering 80, eagerly carrying on their
murderous work; their persons smeared
with blood and fat; the ice stained with
gore and dotted with the skin,ess car
casses OF the slain: 1.-The shivering seals
low Eoans," like the cries OF babies in
distress, filing the air. The shouts OF
the hunters, the blows of the "ga!f."
as they dispatch their victims; the
blood-gouts that cover the hands and
arms of the men and stain the virgin
snow: the carcasses denuded o. skin
and fat, and yet palpi.ating with warm
life, rs they re flung on the ice: the
eager, exultant hunters, slaying. "sculp-
ing." hauling the loads of fat to the
| ship-what scene amid these ice SOL
itudes of the ocean, with the bright sun
in the heavens lighting up the gli,tcring
pinnacles and far spreading fields oi
ice. On the deck men are moving
about knee deep in fat and blood, a.
there the pelts arc piled previous to be-
ing slowed under the hatches when
cooled. The hunters arrive with their
loads Of fat. snatch hasty moment to
drink bowl OF tea, and are OF present
~ III search OF new Victims.
The poor mother seals, now cubless,
are seen popping their heads up in small
lakes of water, anxiously looking for
their snow white dar!ings. and refusing
to believe that the bloody carcasses on
the ice are all that remain of their ten
der offspring. With a moan ot distres,
they plunge into the water, as If anx.
ious to escape from scene polluted by
the ensanguined trail oi the hunters.
The maternal instinct is very strong in
the seals. The mothers remain near
their young, fishing in their neighbor-
mood and returning occasionally to give
them suck. II is q most curious fact
that when the ice is unbroken each
mother seal has it3 own hole by whic b
it reaches the water, and which /, takes
care TO keep from freezing. On return
ing from fishing excursion extending
over fifty or hundred miles, each j.
able to find its own hole, and, among
thousands OF others, at once to distin-
gui,h its own snow white cub--bv the
sense of smell, ii is believed, which il
proceeds To tondie and suckle. Thi,
Is one OF the most wonderful achiey-
ment, Of animal instinct. The Young
are scattered in mygiads on the ice. aud
during the absence OF the mothers the
ice, borne on the current has shifted
its position many miies-yet each l.
able TO find its own icchole ard to pick
out her own darling from the immense
herd with u1erring accuracy.
At times the hunters have to push
forward over the ice two or three mile
from the vessel, in pursui; OF seals and
should fog or snow storm set IN there
il terrible risk of losing their way and
pcri,hin- mi>cra5ly On those Icc-des-
er;>, or OF falling through the opening
which are covered with Snow. Some
times the ice-feld on which they are
al worl; separate withou, a moment,
warning, and they are loated OF to lie
down and die on the ice, unless rescued
by some other vessel of the feet Or
perhaps 4 tugiou, north-ea>ter blow.
rafting the ice or piiing the huge
blocks one upon another all around the
imprisoned ship and At len 9Th cru hing
her like a nutshell and leaving the un
happy seai-hunter, shiveriny and per.
ishing with hunger on the floating ice
fields. Sometimes their ,ufierinys are
very great: but on the whole, such are
their skill and ioriitude in meeting ali
emersencies' and such their acouairt
tance with The manners and movement.
OF the ice, that comparatively few mis-
hap occur. The very dangers OF The
seal-hunt presents al Irresistible charm
of excitement to these daring men who
have been nurtured amid such peTils.
Besides, it l. thu, they win the bread
Tor their wives and little ones a. home:
and how happy TO he able to enter por,
with enough TO keep the wolf from the
door and gladden. the hearts CT those who
on shore are longing and praying for
their SUCCESSFUL. Johns N. +. Cor.
y. y. World.