Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-24
THE SEALING FLEET.
From the Port Townsend Star


The sealing season has about COM
menced, and the different vessels on the
Sound that engage in the business reg
ularly each year, have either reached
their destination, or will in few DAYS
be on the grounds and ready to COM
menee operations. The vessels belong
ing to and sailing from Port Townsend
this season are the Mary Taylor, Capt.
Delgardno owner and master; Lottie,
Capt. Martinez, H. Landes owner; and
the Champion, Capt. McAlpine. owner
and master; besides these there are the
schooners Teaser, Capt. Quinn, owned
by Baxter d CO., of Seattle; the Mist,
Capt. Brown; the Eudora, Capt. Ray,
and Seventy-six, Capt. Mcfarland, all
three of which hail from San Francisco
and ale owned by Gallick Il Co., of
Portland. There are also about fifteen
English vessels engaged in the business
every season. The sealing season begins
about February 10Th, and lasts until the
foggy weather commences, in June.
The principal fishing grounds are from
40 to 100 miles southwest of Cape Flat
terry, and extend from Gray's harbor to
Queen Charlotte island, although about
the latter point the American vessels
seldom, If ever, do any sealing. Each
of these vessels disburse on an average
5000 to the natives for the furs, making
total outlay for the seven American
vessels above named of $1,000 for the
season. Two years ago as high as $780,
600 we're paid out by the Sound feet.
The total amount paid out every year
by the entire fleet of American and
English vessels must, therefore, be some
thing over 500, 900, which sum is after
wards spent by the indians among the
merchants of Victoria, Port Townsend
and Seattle. The natives employed in
the sealing business are principally
those belonging to the Clallam and
Makah tribes, living on the coast in the
neighborhood of the Cape, together
with number from the English side.
The average catch for each vessel is
about 800 skins. Last year the skins
were worth about IS apiece, bat owing
to the supply at present being in excess
of the demand, and for other reasons,
they will probably not bring moro than
"a each this season. The principal
buyers are II. Landes, of Port Town
send: Baxter IL Co., Seattle; and the
Hudson Bay Co. and other firms in Vic
toria. There are three different grades
of skins. being classified as pups Zone
year olds), mediums (two-year- olds),
and full grown three year olds), the
latter being the most valuable. Each
schooner carries a complement of 20
Indians, distributed among 10 canoes,
each boat having simply an oarsman
and harpooner. When the hunting
grounds are reached the schooner takes
a central position within easy reach of
all the sealing boats. The method of
catching the seals is quite simple, and
consists of spearing them while the un-
suspicious animals lie sleeping on their
backs on top of the water; but it re-
Quirss considerable skill and caution to
approach near enough to spear them, as
they are easily alarmed, and on the
slightest intimatiou of danger tho willy
creatures Immediately disappear be-
meath the surface. About SHUTDOWN the
natives return With their catch to the
vessel, where the animals are skinned,
and the hides measured and paid for;
one third being retained by the captain
for the transportation and maintenance
of the sealers. Owing to the rough
weather about the cape at this season of
the year. the Indians rarely get more
than ten days continuous fishing during
the month. The last two schooners of
the fieet-the Mary Taylor and Mist
sailed from this port daring the week,
the former leaving Monday afternoon
and the latter will probably leave tomor-
row.