Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-06

monly but little over three feet, yet when the skin is removed and stretched in drying 1t often measures five feet and in some cases nearly six.
 The hunting of the otter has greatly changed in the last 25 years. Boats were formerly used from which to shoot them, but 1t no longer pays. Now men shoot them from the beach, using no boats This is done on the coast of Washington territory, between Port Granville and Gray's harbor, and scarce ly anywhere else at present. From morning till night the hunter walks the beach ready for shot, but even when he sees his game the chance that he will secure it is not par ticularly fattering. The first difficulty is that of putting bullet through it at perhaps 300 to GOO yards, or even more. It Is not a Creedmoor target, but a little black spot in the midst of the dark, leaden colorsd sea- and it is not more than four inches across. Yet he often hits it, though generally after many failures. The very best msrksmen average at least 9 shots for every otter killed. Then he must wait for it to drift in, and there is another chance against him-the In dians may have been watching him, and if nightfall arrives before the dead otter drifts in the man who owns it by right of conquest will scarcely hold his own-the chances are the Indians will get it.
 The Aleuts of Alaska both spear and club the otter. They attack only at night. Sev- eral canoes, with three to paddle and one to spear in each, advance as quietly as may be to spot where otters have been seen during the day. The first who discovers an otter darts bis spear, and generally with successful aim The animal dives, and all the boats at once form circle sufficiently large to be sure that they have surrounded him and that he must rise within, and then they wait pa tiently. The otter remains under water from 15 to 30 inmates if he is not wounded; if he is dragging the spear-pole behind him he must come up much sooner. Even in the darkness the keen eye of some Indian detects his head the instant it is above water. If within reach, another spear is thrown; If out of reach, great shouting and splashlng of paddles is kept up to compel the tlmld animal to dive again without delay. This is continued time after time, until, worn out and exhausted, he rises where some one can give him @ fatal blow.
 The clubbing" is equally characteristic of these strange people, and may only be done 6y those who have as little fear of the rough sea as have the sea otters themselves It is done only in the winter and at the end of one of the terrible gales which sweep that coast. Two hen in baidaika paddle out on the very tale of the gale to the low, rocky lslets which are only just high enough to be out of water. The sea otters are lying there with their heads thrust into the kelp to escLpe the the fury of the wind. The noise of the wind and of the sea enables the hunters to ap- proach unheard Each is armed with short, heavy club, and blow comes down after blow so fast as their strong arms can swing them Each blow leaves an otter dead; and In the crash of the gale, before the otters could take the alarm and escape, two Aleuts were known to kill 7S in single onslaught.