The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-05-26

seals, all in prime condition. The
steamer Kite followed two days after
with 10000 as many as she could posi-
bly, carry, as she is but of small tonnage
Then came the Nimrod with 16, 600 and
the Panther with 81, 600. This year the
seals are well grown, owing to the favor
able weather, and the vessels did not get
among them at too early a date. 1t is
remarkable that the Greenland got her
seals between eighty and one hundred
miles east-southeast of Belle Isle, and
that the Kite took her seals ninety miles
northwest of the Greenland's position,
or about one hundred miles east of Cape
Quirpon. From later accounts it seems
that the seals were dispersed along
curve extending between these two
points, and in immense numbers.
On the forenoon of April 3 the steamer
Arctic arrived with "a, 600 seals, but of
these nearly 1000 were old hood seals,
making the value Of the cargo equaleto
that of 10000 harp seals. She reported
her sister ship, the Aurora with $1,000
seals when last spoken and still engaged
in taking more; so that she will not prob
ably bring in full cargo. This was q
fine trip; but few hours after the steam
er Neptune, owned by Job Brothers, en-
tered the Narrows so heavily loaded that
the gunwale was but two or three feet
out OF the, water. Every nook and cram
ny below decks were crammed with seals.
The men had given up their berths ana
filled them with seal fat, and the deck
itself was piled with whitecoatsn Al
together the Neptune brought in 1900
seals. 1t was wonderful sight to see
her crew of ESQ stalwart hunters crowd
ing her decks as she came in, steaminc
slowly, and cheering wildly as they
waved their greasy caps in the air their
clothing all polished with seal-fat and the
blood of their victims. The crowd OF
shore re-eChoed their cheers and received
them like conquerors returning from a
battlefield. The return of the Argonauts
with the Golden Fleece from Colchis was
not circumstance" to the return of
the Neptune with her fat-cargo from the
ice-tields. The value of the cargo is
$4,000, the results of the twenty-six
days seal-hunting. The Captain (E.
White) gets twenty cents per seal, so that
in those twenty-siX days he cleared as his
share IS, 400. The men get one third of
the proceeds, so that each would receive
$3.50, subject to certain deductions. As
soon as the cargo is landed the Neptune
will be off on her second trip in pursuit
of old seals, and, as this is Capt. Whites
specially, she may bring in 100000 worth
of old eals-perhaps much more. 1t
was the good fortune of the Neptune to
get right into the center of the main body
of the seals, SO that the men had only to
slaughter their innocent victims and haul
them on board. Capt. White states that,
had his vessel been large enough, he
| could have brought in 100000 seals as
easily as the $4,000. He killed ana
panned 1000 more, and directed a sail
ing vessel he met where to find them: and
he shipped 5000 additional on board an
other vessel, STIMULATING for one.third of
/ the lot as bonus. This is the greatest
feat in seal-hunting ever performed, and
the largest trip of seals ever brought into
any port of Newfoundland. The name
of Capt. White is now immortalized, and
will go down in the traditions of our
fishermen to the latest posterity. Among
| them the greatest hero is he who has
slaughtered most seals.
A number of other steamers are re-
ported as having seals when last seen.
The Vanguard had $4,000; the Proteus,
$4,000; the Lion, Wolf and Bear, each
from 5000 to 10000 Several sailing
vessels were fully loaded The Glen
garry, 5000; Rolling Wave, 5000; Isa-
bella Ridley, $500; Hannah and Bonnie,
$500. The catch is evidently well di-
vided, although some are spoken Of as
clean" All concur in representing
the number of seals as immense; so that
it is evident no serious impression has
yet been made in reducing the numbers
of this valuable creature; but it is diff
cult to see how these immense drafts can
go on year after year, and especially as
the old seals are slaughtered after the
young, and yet that the seals can main
tain their numbers, producing as they do
only once year and one at birth.-.St.
Johns (N. F) Cor N. 7. World.