The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-10-17

(From illustrated paper by Henry W. Elliot,
SCRIBNER for Octuber1

AHlOul lliustVdlcU paper pN Henry W. El4lOt,
SCklBNER for October)
A singular method is annually en-
ployed by the natives of st. Paul's
Island, Alaska, for the capture of sea-
lions. Here is an Island which, in
stead of presenting an almost unbro-
ken line of bold, abrupt cliffs to the
sea, like its fellows in the North Pa
cifc, offers to the landing seals low,
though gradually raising ground.
Taking advantage ofthis topography,
the natives of St. Paul'sIsland secure
every season hundreds of sea-lions,
with but 1.-THE of the labor and ex-
posture by which their capture is at
tended at other places. Eleven miles
northeast from the village of St.
Paul's Island is point upon which
large number of sea-lions annually
repair for the purpose Of breeding,
etc, but as this animal is timid,
and sure to take to the water when
brought into the presence of man, its
capture requires much discretion and
bOldness on the part of the captors,
who are chosen every season from the
best village people, with especial
reference to their physical quail flea
ton for the work. The ''sea-richie,"
as the natives name them, cannot be
approached successfully by daylight;
so the hunters, ten or twelve in num-
Der, rendezvous in hut near by I'M
til favorable night comes on, when
the moon is partially obscured by
drifting clouds and the wind blows
in from the roobery. Then they step
down to the beach, at low water, and
proceed to creep flat on all tours over
the surf beaten sand and powders up
to the doing 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 ami
mails, at given signal, the hunters
leap at once to their feet, shout, yell,
and brandsh their arms while the as
tonished and terrified lions roar and
founder in all directions. If, at the
moment of surprise, the brutes are
sleeping with their heads pointed to-
ward 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 ust as desperately, and moth
ing 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 demoniacal
gesticulations until the first frenzied
squirt and eXertions of the terrified
animals completely exhausted them,
and then, painting, gasping, prone
upon the earth, they are extended at
the mercy of their cunning captors,
who gently urge them along up to
the hut in 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-likc seals. as they are
captured from night to night, are col
lected and retained until sufficient
numbers or drove of three or four
hundred has been secured. Thiscage
Is nothing more than succession of
small poles stuck at wide intervals
over circle, in the ground; these
poles are decked with futtering
strips of white cotton cloth. and light
ropes are loosely stretched from one
to the other Within this fimsv cir
Gle the sea-lions are securely impris-
oned. and though necessarily watched
by two or three men. they scarcely
make an effort to escape, but their
roarings are almost deafeninr, while
they constantly writhe and twist over
and against one another like a hand
full OF angleworms in a saucer.