The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-25
Sea Lion Fishing.


Gus and menagerie which is fortunate
enough to possess a "sea lion depart
ment" fail to look long and wonderingly
upon the huge and noisy water animal
known as the Sea Lion. 1t is compare
lively but few years since the "frst and
only sea lions on exhibition" were an
nounced by the great Barnum. But du-
ring later years other exhibitors have
secured the attraction, and now sea
lion, although always quite curiosity, is
not so much of a special attraction, al
though that particular tank of amphibi-
Gus monsters is still given a prominent
place on the large bills and cuts.
At the Union Pacific depot in Council
Bluffs last evening, NonpareI reporter
was gratifed by running across Captain
J. R. Mullett, of San Francisco, the only
man on the globe who ideals" in sea
lions, and during the past few years he
has made a fortune out of it. He readi-
ly answered the questions of the reporter
regarding his "trade" or profession" /"
giving some interesting facts concerning
the business. Captain Mullett, who is
just home from Europe, came to Council
Bluffs for the purpose of looking after
the twelve sea lions that arrived in this
city on Thursday evening, and of which
due mention was made. The animals re-
mained at the Union Pacific depot until
last night when ten of them were
shipped South to Topeka, and two to
New York. "The ten," remarked the
Captain, ego to Sells Bros circus at To-
peko, and the other two I have sold to
Cooper, Bailey g. Co., and they 60 to
New York" In answer to the question
as to where and how he conducted his
capturing operations, the captain re-
piled: 81 was the first man to believe that
the sea lions could be taken alive, and
am still the only man in the world en-
gagged in the business. They are caught
on the coast of Upper Mexico. have
several ships devoted to the purpose,
which cruise in the waters in that vicin-
ity' continually. The lions are 'lassoed,
and the crew sometimes work an entire
day or longer before they can get one,
the lions being very timid and easily
frightened. Unless they can be cor
nered in some good place, they will dive
far out of sight on the approach of a ves-
sci. When one is lassoed it is drawn on
board and placed in tank and finally
taken to San Francisco, where I have
comfortable places for the reception OF
all that are caught. | have now caught
24O, and received an order while in Eu-
rope for sixty, which will be shipped at
once and brought this way-thirty Of
them arriving in your city in couple oi
weeks"
"The ! are in great demand by
showmen, ! they never pass out of my
hands," continued the great dealer, "for
less than $1,000 apiece. Showmen re,
gard them fully as big card as hippo,
potamus, and the market price for one oil
those unseemly animals is $4,000. ]
have made fortune in the business, and
if some fellow desires to step in and fur
nish sea lions at lower figures than do,
1 am ready to retire to the shades of pri-
vate life"
The talkative and intelligent gentle.
man also informed the reporter he had
secured plans for a number of cars adap.
ted to shipping the lions in. They are
now shipped in huge baskets, and have
to be transferred at the end Of each road
The hinge animals live entirely on fresh
fish, and one with respectable appetite
devours from twenty to twenty-five
pounds per day. When fresh fish can
not be secured the lions will live for sixty
or seventy days without eating q thing
and at times they become stubborn and
absolutely refuse to eat, one having re,
mained at the bottom of tank in the
Geological Gardens in Cincinnati recent
ly for sixty days without eating.-C0un'
III Ryufe NoDnnreH