Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-03-30
sLAUGHTERING FUR SEALS.

oAA Ou II 4 hANu II 0EAlS.
How nm Expensive Article OF Femi-
nine Wear Ii Obtained.
The method followed by the natives
of st. Pauls and St. Georges Islands,
off the Alaska coast. in capturing the
fur seals, is curious. During the sum-
mer season the seals frequent the
shores of these islands and gather on
the beach in vast numbers. The young
male or bull seals are the only ones
that are killed, and they are found as
sembled by themselves away from the
breeding rookeries. The natives go
down to the beach in the early morn
ing and quietly surround group of
100 or more seals, getting between them
and the water. The seals are then
alarmed with shouts and cries, and, ter
ri6ed, flee inland along the only way
left open. They are driven in this way
to the killing place near the village on
the shores of the island. Driving them
is very easy thing, although it takes
them some time to accomplish the dis
lance; but they blunder along, stimu-
lated by the cries of their captors. The
old bull seals that may be in The drove
are apt to show fight, but if they do
they are allowed to drop out of the
crowd, as their skins are worthless.
The young ones are as easy driven as
a flock of sheep.
The seals, when finally driven up on
the DAYS between the east landing and
the village, and almost under the win.
dows of the dwellings, are herded there
until cool and rested. The drives are
usually made very early in the morn
ing, at the first breaking of day, which
is l 80 to 2 O'Clock of June and July in
these ATTITUDES. They arrive and cool
off on the slaughtering grounds so that
by 6 or z o'clock, after breakfast, the
able-bodied male population turn out
from the village and 60 down to engage
in the work of slaughter. The men are
dressed in their ordinary working garb
of thick flannel shirts, stout cashmere
or canvas pants, over which the "tar-
bossa" boots are drawn; if it rains, they
wear their ''kamlaikas" made of the
intestines and throats of the sea lion
and fur seal. Thus dressed they are
armed with a club, stout oaken or
bludgeon, whic. have been
made particularly for the purpose at
New Londo-, Conn, and imported here
for this special service. These sealing
clubs are about five or six feet in length,
three inches in diameter at their heads,
and the thickness of mans forearm
where they are grasped by the hands.
Each native also has his stabbing knife,
his skinning knife and his milestone:
these are laid upon the grass conven-
lent, when the work of Draining or
knocking the seals down commences.
This is all the apparatus they have for
killing and skinning.
When the men gather for work they
are under the control Of their chosen
foreman or chiefs; unusually on st.
Paul, divided into two working parties
at the village, and u sub party at north
east point, where another salt house
and Strengthening field is established.
At the signal of the chief the work of
the day begins on the flats, and driving
out from it 100 or $50 seals at time,
make what they call pod, which they
surround in circle, budding the seals
one on another as they narrow it down,
until they are directly within reach and
under their clubs. Then the chief,
after he has cast his experienced
eye over the struggling, with
ing kauticle in the centre, passes the
word that such and such seal is Bit
ten, and that such and such seal is
too young, and that such and such a
seal is too old. The attention of his
men being called to these points, he
give, the word strike, and instantly the
heavy clubs come down all around,
every one THAT is eligible is stretched
out stunned and motionless in less
time, really, than / take to tell it.
Those seals spared by the chief, now
from under and over the
bodies OF their insensible companions
and pass, hustled of by the natives
back to sea. Then the carcasses are
skinned, and pelts prepared for ship
ment
The common or popular motion in
regard to sealskins is that they are worn
by those animals just AS they appear
when offered for sale that the fur seals
swim about, exposing the soft coat with
which our ladies of fashion so delight to
cover their tender forms during incle-
ment winter. This is a very great mis-
take; few skins are less attractive than
the sealskin when it is taken from the
crea lure. The fur is not visible; it is
entirely by coat of stiff
overhair, dull, gray, brown and grizzled.
1t takes three of them to make lady's
sacque and boa. Fitting them for the
market is tedious, costly process, re-
curing great skill. AS the summer
wanes the seals forsake the islands and
old and young take to the sea, and it is
spend their intervening
until next season, on the fish
ing banks of the North Pacific.