The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-09-06
Iygamist Of the most incorporating char

In June comes his mnltitudinOus bride
The male is huge but symmetrical, brown.
isli bulk of six to eight hundred pounds.
The female is a meek, modest, submissive
looking little creature, averaging about one
hundred weight She eroeps up out of the
water with a demure, downcast countc-
nance (there are exceptions and always will
be,) with the hair neatly brushed back
from her pretty little head, and-arayed
in brown sacque, think you? Not at
all. She is Quakorish looking matron
in Rnpretending steel gray, but sleek
and tidy, without wrinkle in her dress.
There could not be a greater contrast
in seeming than that between the male
and female fur seal. He, aggressive,
fierce and blood-thirsty; she, meek and
lowly, but, as rumors 60, sly withal, aud,
were she sole mistress OF her lords affec- |
tions, would, no doubt, exhibit temper Of |
her own. Competition keeps her spirit |
down, poor thing Such, be it whispered, |
are some Of the awful effects Of polygamy.
Both male and female seals are perfect
models of grace and symmetry. There is
not an angle in the contour Of either, but
in size, color and character they ore oppo-
sites. One represents courage and strength.
The other timidity and affection. The
baby seals are black, playful little imps,
that roll and wrestle with each other on
the grass, kiss and quarrel, learn from their
fond mammas how to swim, and start out
on their first voyage to sea in the fall, or
furnish the Aleuts with veal through the
winter. Some must swim aud some must
boil in their babyhood Some are swal-
lowed by sharks or "killers, aud some re-
turn to celebrate their birthday where they
first saw the fog. In their second year
they are safe on the Prybiloy Island, but
exposed to danger among the Aleutians
while under way and along the coast,
whore neither age nor sex is spared by
those who may be able and have an oppor-
tunity to spear them. During their third
year the males may be raped on the
sconce at st. Paul's or st. Georges, wher-
ever they haul out, and in the fourth year
their chances for living to old age are
considerably less. At five years they are
comparatively safe again; at six assurance
policies might be issued to them at small
premiums; aud at eight they have nothing
to fear from the lessees Of the Prybilov
group.
The "pup" seals may be killed by the
natives in the fall in sufficient numbers to
afford food during the winter; but the fur
sealskin is not marketable before the third
year; they are at their best when the ami
NAL is four or five years years old, but af-
ter six the coating Of the hide runs grad.
ually from fur to hair, till the latter pre-
dominates and the skin is not valuable.
The females are never killed here unless
by accident when slaughtering drove.
The coast line Of the Island of St. Paul
is largely occupied by what are known as
'rookeries,' or breeding grounds of the
seal, which come here once u year. A
sandy beach is not much used by the seals
They select localities where basaltic boul.
ders abound as plentifully as hills in q
potato patch, and considerably larger
The 'bulls, as they are technically called
arrive first Where they 90 in the fall
or where they come from in the spring il
7 not known, but as soon as the ice melts O
fioats from the shores of these Islands tn
. bulls appear and take positions among tn
rocks, all lying close 10 tracts nearly uni
form in size and shape, about 30 feet il
diameter, on an average. Some season
are so late in opening that the ice is du;
away from the shores by the company
employees in order to permit the seals t,
land
I, The first to arrive are the strongest o
; the seals, and they take up claims ncares
|; the water. Those which are later or weak
: er are driven farther back to less desirabl
! places. Might makes right in these mat
ters, seals that arc not frst-class fighter
going to the wall or up the bluff. 1t is
case Of the survival Of the 6ghtest.
The old bulls occupy the pre- empty,
: claims for weeks without going into th,
water, awaiting the arrival Of the females
sleeping upon their ground, neither eatin
nor drinking during that time. This
however, is but preliminary to muc
, longer vigil and fast, which continues 70
: three months after the arrival of the fc
males. During this time they live upO
the blubber which they accumulate Will
; away. When they depart they are veal
: aud lcan. When they return they ar
= sleek and fat 4