The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-08

where tie families are located or to ha vs
anything to do with family afairs. They
ale, therefore, forced 10 flock by themsel YES
in another section not far away. ALI ths.
trey do in the meantime is 10 rambls
about the island, 10 or out OF
have good time generally. These are the
bachelors" as they are known, and il is
they who furnish the seaiskin olosks of On
merce. The population OF the harems soon
Iearly doubles oy the appearance Of as many
little fat barking "pupe' as there are fe-
msies. The little fellows are as risky az
puppies. and grow as rapidly on their diet
OF rich milk, the mothers dividing their
time between the care of their babies aud
swimming oil shore in search OF fish. The
papas stay at home, taking care OF the babies
30 long as the little rascals do not wander off
the spot claimed as home by them bat
becoming utterly indgernt 10 their inter
ests the moment they get off this spot
This occupies the time from May 10 August
when the pups begin 10 learn To swim, and
by october they are able 10 90 TO sea for the
long ewim and float OF tho winter. Mean
time. The natives under the direction ot the
seal Fur COmpaDy's agents and the control
o. The Government officials, are bnsy with
the "hecbelors," the young males whose
ages run from two to six, and who ara gam.
bling about the island in great herds The
Alaska Seal Fur Company, by its contract
made In 1870, has the sole right 10 Kill far
seals on these islands. They are by this con-
tract to Kill no more than 100 900
IN ,. year, to , use no firearms
swsy these valuable and gentle animals. and
for each one killed must pay into the Treas.
ury - go, and besides this yearly payment
OF $4,000: also, ffty-fve cents per gallon on
all the seal oil sold by the company, furnish.
ing also the 400 Inhabitants of the islands
10000 dried salmon, sixty cords of lrewood,
and sufficient salt and barrels with which 10
cure all the seal meat they may want to cat.
These natives are hired by the company TO
kill and skin the seals ut forty cents each.
At the season when the fur is at it's best
Juhe and July-parties OF men run quietly
through the great herds OF bachelors" cut.
ting off from the main body hundred or
i1o, which they drive quietly and slowly 10
The killing grounds, taking care that they do
not become oyerheaied AID the far .has in
luIed. The best ones OF the ages OF two.
three and four years are selected. Then the
killers, armed with clubs made for the pur-
pose in Connecticut, enter upon their work,
killing the poor gentle aud defsnseles9 AMI
Il ais with a single blow upon the very thin
ssull Of each. Then the skins are quickly
aud deity removed, partially cured and
made ready for shipment TO England for
dressing and dyeing for 1t must not be
supposed that the fur seal is the
soft, rich brown creature IN nature that
bis skin is after il becomes the cloak OF FASH
ionab,e life. Far from it. In nature he is
sort OF muddy grayish color, covered TO ap-
pesra ces with stiff over-hair holding about
the same relation to the fur that the feathers
OF duck do to the down. Even the fur it,
self, beneath the hair or bristles is a sort of
dirty gray in color, ana only takes its beauti
ful appearance after it has passed through
the hands OF the dresser aud dyer in Lou
don, who first remove all the coarse hairs
and then carefully dye the fur the required
shade. They are taken TO London for this
purpose, because the art is more thoroughly
understood there.
II is in the quality OF the skins when
taken. the successful or unsuccessful treat
ment OF them ~ the various stages OF man
ipulation. and their consequent ability to
retain their color and smoothuess with wear
that their value depends. 1t takees three
of the seal skins to make q full-sized cloak