The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-17
Catching Sea Lions.

CAPTAIN MULLETT, the noted sea
~ lion hunter, in a recent business
chat with st. Louis reporter, said
You see, 1 was formerly sea cap
tain and ran passenger vessels between
England, Australia and California. /
first began to study the habits of sea
lions off the Chincha Islands of South
America, the only place where they ex-
ist except off the coast of California. 1
became very much interested in them,
and afterwards thought that L would
like to hunt sea lions for q living. l
have done so and have made money at
it. About six years ago some Snowman
persuaded me to go into the business,
and 1 fitted out two small schooners, the
H. G. Amy and the Phantom, with fif-
teen men on each. These vessel 1 am
using now. L pay the men small sal
airy, just enough to live on, and then
give them percentage of what get for
the sea lions.
They are employed the whole year,
and when they are not catching the ami
mails alive, they shoot them for the
skins and oil. You 1.-The lassoers have
to be very expert, and there are very few
lassoers in the world, and it is for my
interest to keep these / have. Our field
of operations is on the lower or Mexican
coast of California, as we are not allow
ed to catch the lions in American
waters. The Seal Rock, opposite San
Francisco, is looked upon as a natural
curiosity, and everybody who goes to
California goes to see it-so the authori-
ties want to preserve it, We are there
fore compelled to operate off San Diego,
which is the dividing line of California
and Mexico. The first sea lion caught
after fitting out my vessels were for Bar
mum, six years ago, and that was the
first one ever exhibited in this country
Our method of catching the lions is
this: They go in rookeries of 100 or
more, and we watch the shore to see
where they will go into camp. This we
can determine from the fact they carry
their young on shore, leave them and
go back to the water, returning at break
of day. When we find a camp we dig
trenches in the sand to hide in, or if
there are rocks convenient we hide be-
hind them. The vessels are anchored
some distance off the shore, and we
bring from them, in small boats, cages
made of sixinch fencing boards. When
the herd comes ashore, the lassoers
watch their opportunity and lasso one
of the lions around the neck. Another
lasso is then fastened to one of the hind
f1ippers, and the lion is forced into one
of the cages.
This must be done within short time
or the animal will not live. give or
ders that if twenty minutes elapse from
the time the animal is lassoed until he
is in the cage the men must let him go.
This is necessary from the fact that II
kept longer they struggle and strain
themselves so that they die within few
days afterwards. After the lion is cap
tured, a shot, to which a long rope is at
tached, is fired from bomb gun on the
shore over the vessel; the other end Of
the rope is attached to one of the cages,
and 1t is pushed into the breakers and
hauled out to the vessel. On board the
vessel the lions are not put in water, but
are kept wet with sprinkler. They
are then taken to San Francisco, where
they are placed in cars built for that
purpose and transported across the con.
tinent, each car containing twelve
lions.
" But do you find market for all yor
catch 7" asked the reporter.
"Oh, yes," was the reply, as the cap
tain smiled, probably at the absurdity o.
the question. I" / am the only man il
the world engaged in the business, ant
1 Icaught every sea lion ever exhibited IL
the world. On the 23d of December
took twelve to Europe, and on Saturda,
last, meta carload of twelve at Omaha
Ten of them are sold to Sells Brothers
whose show is at Topeka, Kansas, AM
two have gone to Cooper, Bailey & Co.
show. caught the sea lions that hav
} been exhibited at your fair grounds il
! this city. ~ Nii H0Fi Ge}3
(" They were caught three years ago.
There were five of them at first, bu
!, there are only two left. have not seel
them since thew were caupht unfil IN