Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-13

iLat. 81 deg. sm. north, long. 40 deg 12m we5t.)
Last Saturday afternoon made trip to OF
ter Island. This island is a small islet about
five miles of from St Pauls Island lying to the
southwark and westward. 1t is In plain sight
from this island on bright days but thick wea-
Their often shuts of the view entirely. 1t Is
lonely spot nobody lives regularly on the little
Isle, but there is a small house there In which
hunters and fishermen sometimes stay when
they visit the place for short periods of time to
catch birds. foxes or FISH. the Island Is per-
hapS mile long and three quarters OF mile
bold and precieItous blu1S almost impossible
OF ascent; but it slopes OF gradually to the
north side where the land Is low and nearly
level with the sea at the boat landing.
The Island is OF volcanic Origfa-iava like
rocks line the shore, and scoria lies scattered
over the face OF the land, looking as though
the mighty eruption which threw item up from
the bottom Of the sea might have occurred not
many years ago. In places there are great
cracks and seams In the earth, and through oae
OF these the waters or the ocean can be seen.
Like ST. Paul and St George, Il is a graSS COW
cred isle. even though the latitude be high and
the climate forbldding. There Is thick growta
of hardy grasses and small plants. with good
deal OF moss mingled between covering the
rocks completely. save on the shores and cliffs.
Wild flowers. yellow, blue and purple are every
where seen; but not tree, bush or shrub.
SEAL STEALERS CAPTURED
The Island stands out high and bold, vita the
ceaseiess surf beating etern&lly against It's
rocky sides, Ships do not 90 near It's shores
when they can avoid IT, because Ct Is dangerous
navigating those untried waters. once, though,
some years ago, a schooner wenJ there 10 cate
seals, though the people on board had no right
10 do go; but she was discovered and stopped
In Der unlawful employ meat The
vessels masts were 100 hgh 70 be con-
ceaIed from the sharp eyes of the NJ i've people
on ST. PaulS Island: they showed above even
the highest blum, behind which her captain
tried 10 hide her. A boat Was sent swiftly TO
10 GrNt 10 yVal zafy ad ana lar
skins taken away from her by officers. On the
tT1p 10 t1iS island We used large whale boat,
provided With sails, compass and rudder, aud
manned by Aleut OarSInan and boat Steerer.
Two boys were also In the boat. We carried a
cask or water, some tea and bread. gins and
ammunition, fishhOOks and lines, blankets and
other netdful things one of the natives was
named Antoine, another Ivan.
BULL SEALS, MOTHER-sEAI AND PUPS.
We pushed of from the Cove Landing place
near the village hoiSted sail, and were soon out
OF the little harbor aud in the open sea, with a
fair wind blowing. We sailed past the long
reef, where millions OF seals,-oallS. mother
seals and pups" or baby sealS-were lying
upon the rocks Ia masses, covering acres and
acres OF ground, and almost touching each other
as they lay or moved. All the While they kept
up their noise, filling the air with their mingled
cries; the big CID bulls roaring like domestic
b0ylneS. the younger males Oawling like COWS,
the females Ike heifer5 or big calves and the
young pups "bia-a-t-ting'' Ike little lambs It
curious SOUNDS 10 any one who had never heard
them before. Besides the countless seals on
land, thousands upon thousands were swim
ming and playing in the sea about the shores.
They were in all sorts of positions and atti-
tudeS-SoIne dartiDg through the water like
Hash. some floating upon the surface some bal
anctng OIL their heads, with their tails sticking
out OF the water and their flippers waving In the
air like girls fan on hot day; others tWined
their bodies about those OF their fellows in play,
and all seemed 10 be reveling In the most per
feet abandon and indulging in the supremeSt
animal JOY business Nothing like IT. 10 the ami
NAL Kingdom was ever seen, I'm sure.
The, wind was blowing fresh towards Otter
Island, and. filing our satl,-a ''mutton-leg"-it
sent the graceful boat swiftly through the
water We soon reached the island shcre As
We neared the land, seals and sea-lions were
cliffs or In the air. We hauled down our sail
and landed on the rocks. The surf was dashIDy
white against them. Antoine. The steersmaG'
GUIDED s the coat into LITTLE blight which had
ottn useo IGr me pnEff,Sse before, and we Jumped
ashore anu ha1eSd her out OF the water 70 keep
t .he .aIsS-afom dashing her 10 pieces against
sHe SSGiarp- pointed rocks. Then Antone took
1starbiDe and cIept softly along towards where
monstroUS Dig sea-liOn lay doing near the
waters edge. Antoine kept himself hid behind
boulders TIL he was within twenty or thirty
PAGES OF the great beast. then fired, but without
fatal effect The sea lion reused himself up
extended his powerful neck and head, saw
where the danger lay, and, without any further
TO do, rolled off into the sea with great splash
and swan away, now and then coming 10 the
surface 10 breathe or cast an angry eye towards
his enemies The native hunter had fired too
nigh, probably, and missed his game. lie looked
crest fallen when / asked him. "AntOae, why
didn't you bring down your sea-lion?r
Then we took our traps" out OF the boat
and carried them up 10 the II Tie house Few
rods away: from these headquarters We after
wards Oranched out and spread over the iSlaui.
The house has In Ii a stove for cooking. hunks
for sleeping. table or two. some stool5. shelves.
and closet. There are two little rooms an1
two small windows We found coal al hand
and drift wood on the beach near b. and SOON
had fire roaring In the stove. Tue weather
was f0ggy and the day raw ard cod. SOna OF
tie natives went TO the cliffs for eggs orner5
commenced shooting birds near the house
The birds Of Otter Island are ten times yes,
forty times, as numerous as those which
make their habitat on st. Pauls Island:
this Is probably because the high cliffs there are
so much better suited 20 nesting than are the
lower shores OF this island. STILL they number
Tot nearly so many as do the vast focks OF st.
Georges Island There are about these islands
gnlls az two kinds, aries In vast numbers.
"a Russian name) sea-parrots or
puftins, auks, crested, horned ana white
breasted; Shags or corInorantS. ducks. geese
and several other kinds Of BIRDS which / may
tell you something more about
THE WAY THE NATIVES SHOOT The BIRDS
is very simple and interesting. Sitting right
down on the bare ground or on a stone, the
gunner, with his shotgun In his hand, waits for
the birds to come flying over his head, and
When within good shooting distance he fires
" on the wing" bringing down his bird nearly
every time, which falls at his feet or within
rod or two or him. Picking the bird up IL it is
not dead he puts It's skull between his teeth and
brushes II. so as TO put an end,UO trS life Then
he holds the dead bird in one hand above his
head, shaking its wings 10 attract other birds
circling about in the air. and making a low
whistle with his mouth. This device generally
succeeds with the gullS. which sail round and
round. ard po1Se themselves In air overhead,
looking down curiouSly at the hunter with the
birl ID his hands fiapplng its wings. The gun
ner again fires, bringing down another bird
20 The sport goes on for hours, the gunner
loading and firing where he sits on the ground
scarcely moving a rod away from his first DO
sitlon- In this way he soon gathers az MANY |
Dlr0S a. gOod-Sized boy can carry. The AleufS |
With me-Ihree OF them only having guaS-yor |
nearly hundred birds In the course of a few /
hours Ihey migat have killed a thousaud in |
me same time on the cliffs, where they are /
IouAu on 'heir nests as thick as bees 10 a hive |
aLlOoti Oul II shot there. their bodies would |
IAN UNDER me cliffs and could not be recovered !
easily Tnen we had ctg [tea) and eggs with |
Crackers Tor lunch.
AN QUESTIONING EXPEDITION.
AFTER this the natives started out TO the |
clins for more eggs went With them, carrying |
the caIbine- one of them used long pole,
with continuance On the end Ike a pair OF |
Pl1ccrs or camps for picking up the eggs. With |
tniS N hard and standing On the edge OF the |
C4lH ne would reach far down and seize the eggs |
one oy one from the nests, drawing them up |
Nlthln reach OF an attendant, who would put