Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-21
HUSTING THE SEA orrEn.
skins Worth Five Dollars a >.
K0Ot-Spors ia AInska

tfortst and Stream
SiTKA. April The skin OF tue otter "a ~,r,,
mort tnan mat OF any other asimal. excepting
the royal ermine. IL brings In Alaska from k,o
20 $780, Unlike all other skins of th,s couotr,
IL needs little assistance from the fur dresssr,
arts; the black hairs are not dyed ana ma
@ni,e ones not sewed IN. therein differing
greatly from the imitation called s.poiatsi
BEAVER, and from the fur seal the raw peit A,
winch has no more beauty than that OF A eAlf
ihey are very wary animals, and are worthy
OF being considered game. for none but the most
expert hunters are successful IN their pursuit
mike the fur seal, millions OF which return
annually IN great herds 70 the Pryoolof1 island,
where they are driven ard slaughtered 10y clno-
bing. the offers go singly or IN pairs. and their
range is large one, / believe they ara found
on the western shores OF Behring Straits. ana
they have been plentiful from our westersmos'
possession, the Island or Alton, along through
the Aleutian group through the gulf OF Alaska
and the Indians OF NancouverIs island ktu them
on the western coast while IN spring making
their way north.
Men OF all nations Join in their pursuit AL
even ever, Undergo the hardships incident 10 mar
iiste Win naive women for their sake.
. lie outer was TO a cert ain exteTt protected
NO Whlte men could Kill them and no orearm,
,,i q ee USED Ia hunting them but with made
qua e iorce 10 carry out the law Il soon becsna
desd letter. A number OF white man a,
various nat:onalities had settled upon the isiaad
OF Ounga [near the south point OF Alaska Pen
lnsGlsl, and employed themselves IA otter hunt
ing. In ISIS the Treasury department RAys
sptc.al permisslons 10 such whites as were
10 latlNe women and intended
remain In the territory TO hunt them which
permits son put offers at q discount and women
az premium. But very little ceremony was
needed TO give them full rights 10 both Otters
and women. which without IL they had owned
These sQuaw-m by their steady hunting
frequently With guns, are greatly reducing the
supply. AT Alton. where they were once aound-
ant but seven were killed last year. ana IN
other resorts they are decreasing. A skin worth
IS per square foot is worth working for
The method OF hunting the otter, as pracucei
lea fON=p
presume much the same elsewhere, is as FOL
| lows: The hunters go In companies OF three
canoes. each carrying ten paddlers, the one in
| the DOW being armed with spear or bow and
| arrows. Lately muskets have been introduced
| which are loaded with buCkshot; but this Is
Illegal and tends to drive the animals from
| tnelr breeding grounds, which are on rocky
| Islands Just TO the nerthwaTd or Cape spencer
| The ar imsls seek these islets In May, and the
hunters rendezvous al them. When an otter
| Is seen approaching they endeavor to form A
circle 70 seward OF IL, as quietly as possible
| ana then close on IL. When alarmed the otter
Gives and elIoeayors 10 make Its way TO sea.
| Atlnougn less able 10 remain under than Jhs
SEAL It's first Give VII sometimes last for hal
| an hour; but IL quickly discovered and fol
lowed on reappearlng, it soon becomes TAILED
| ana lalls TO the lot or the boat which nrsj
| wounds II Great care is taken TO bit IA the
head and some OF the Indians are expert
| shots.
/ Any dispute OF ownership IA referred TO on
KAN hoo doc SAX, who listens 10 all OF the e. 10
denQe, and gives decision which is never
| queSuoIel. Nilioughby was present AZ ono
| such arbitration. The old man gave the skin
| worth s1e, TO one OF the contestants. who was
| TO pay to the other seven blankets. worth 81.
All captains OF companies report to this CHIEF
the number OF their offers. aud he keeps tally
Tbs year ~ have been tailed worth probably
| az least $4,000 The Indians say they don't
kill the female at this spring season, but the
skins CT unborn sea otter pups are frequently
on sale. suppose that they do refrain, fully
| as much as does the ordinary supporter OF game
| laws In New York from killing when In yAs
| AdirondackS and out OF meat.
In fall there is another short season, during
| which all adults are killed Without dlstinction
| on nearly every one OF the Aleutian Islands IA
| several places In the Alaska peninsula ana IN
| as many or more along the western coast the
Alaska Commercial Company aud The North
! west Fur Company have agents stationed who
moIopoliZe the market In the vicinity.
Hoonah Dick admitted that some OF the Alaska
! hunters used guns. / asked why they did &C.
| and he said that the EHglish Indians used them
and unless they did also they could not get near
enough TO kill the otter by other means He
and kah-hoo- doo-sak have promised 70 break
| uD the custom.