Connecticut western news., 1878-10-09
Capturing Sea-Lfons in Alaska.

A singular method IS annually em- ployed by the natives of St. Pauls Island, Alaska, for the capture of the sea-Iion. Here is an island which, in- stead of presenting an almost unbroken line of bold, abrupt cliffs to the sea, like its fellows in the North Pacific, offers to the landing seals low, though gradual Iy rising ground. Taking advantage of this topography, the natives of St. Paul's Island secure every season hun dreds of sea-ions, with but tithe of the labor and exposure by which their cap- ture is attended at other places. Eleven miles northeast from the village of St. Paul's Island is point upon which a large number of sea-lions annually re- pair for the purposes of breeding, etc., but as this animal is timid. and sure to take to water when brought into the presence of nan, it's capture requires much discretion and boldness on the part of it's captors, who are chosen every season from the village people, with es- pecial reference to their physical quail fcation for the work.
 The " sea-richie,' as the natives name them, cannot be approached successfully by daylight; so the hunters, ten or twelve in number, rendezvous in a hut near by until favorable night comes on, when the moon is partially obscured by drifting clouds and the wind blows in from the rookery. Then they step down to the beach, at low water, and proceed to c1eep flat on all fours over the surf-beaten sand and powders up to the dozing herd and between them and the water in this way a small body of men crawling along in Indian file may pass unnoticed by the sea-lion sentries which doubtless in the uncertain light confound the forms of their human enemies with those of seals.
 When the creeping natives have all reached the strip of beach which is left bare by ebb tide between the water and the unsuspecting animals, at given signal, the hunters leap at once to their feet, shout, yell, and brandish their arms while the astonished and terrified lions roar and founder in all directions If, at the moment of surprise, the brutes are sleeping with their heads pointed toward the water, they charge straight on in that way, directly over the men but if their heads have been resting pointed landward, they follow that course just as desperately, and nothing will turn them, at first, either one way or the other.
 Those who charge for the water are lost, of course, but the natives promptly follow up the land leaders with a rare combination of horrible noises and de- moniacal gesticulations until the first frenzied spurt and exertions of the ter rified animals completely exhaust them, and then, panting, gasping, prone upon the earth, they are extended at the mercy of their cunning captors, who gently urge them along up to the hut III which they have been keeping watch during several days past, for the night in which to make this effort. Here the natives have what they call their pen or cage, in which the lion-like seals, as they are captured from night to night, are collected and retained until sufficient numbers or drove of three or four hun dred has been secured. This cage is nothing more than 8 succession of small 1 poles stuck at wide intervals over a cir cle, in the ground; these poles are decked with huttering strips of white cotton cloth, and light ropes are loosely stretched from one to the other. Within this fimsy circle the sea-lions are secure ly imprisoned, and though incessantI. watched by two or three men, the, scarcely make an effort to escape, bu their 1oaring is almost deafening, whil, they constantly writhe and twist ove: and against one another like handful of angle-worms in saucer.- Scribner'
 Magazi7ae.