, 1885-02-15
A sEALsKIN sACQUE.
WHERE THE m0cH-DEsiRED GAR
MENT CONES FROM.


lssn Francisco letter.
Nearly all tho sealskin used in the world
comes from American waters and America
shores. It's production Is almost exclusively
an American industry, and more than so
per cent Of tho entire amount produced Is
used IN America This coast Is the great
source OF supply. pnd tho women OF this city
arc tho largost buyers In proportion to their
numbers. With the advent Of winter they
are again DOMINIC their cloaks. and q briof
sketch OF the history Of a sealskin sacqus
viii now be appropriate.
About Jan. ! the seals come 10 the north
western coast OF this country, following
the fishes, upon which they feed. They
arr very fond Of salmon. young halIbut and
hearings, and arc great connoisssurs in the
matter OF selecting tho most tempting
piscatorial fodder. After gorKing them
selves they 60 to sleep on Top OF the water,
and from the time of their arrival until
about July I they are hunted In certain we'll
known fish on the American side,
from Cape Flattery to Gray's harbor, and
on the British side from the mouth Of the
straits OF Fuga 70 Barclay sound. The seal
catch in that locality Is open to all. but with
the exception OF a few English srhooners
sent out from Victoria, the largest share Of
the operations are carried on by San Fran
cisco merchants and Spectators. This years
catch was unusually large, numbering about
30,000.
In Puget sound the method OF hunting
them is as follows. The owner Of tho
schooner gets together a few Indians from
the British possessions. who take on board
fifteen or sixteen adug-outs,n and sail out to
whore tho seals are sleeping ON the surface
Of the water. The Indians lie down in the
canoe and paddle up as near the seal as they
dare without waking the coveted prey.
They can then spear the seal. They ara
great experts In throwing the spear, and can
hit q seal at thirty yards with unerring 40
curacy. 1t Is necessary TO use the spear, for
II the seals ara shot they sink to the bottom
almost Immediately. The arrangement Is
that the vessel shall own one-third Of the
catch and buy the remaining two-thirds from
the Indians. One firm OF this city secured
1900 skins In this way during the season
that has just passed. Soon aftor July / all
the seals, as II commanded by a military
general, go In an immense body to Behrina
sea and congrsgats, for the most part, In the
bays and on the shores of St Paul and St
Georges island. which are controlled by the
Alaska Commercial company Of this city.
The contracts held by the Alaska company
with the government of the United State
and with Russia gave It the sole right q
XII tc9m uTuuNu ok Luul anu d. dtuTEt
islands, and around Cooper island, Behring
island and Robin island. The natives THE
Aleutes, who ara a mixture Of Japanese, Chi
pese, Russian and Italian blood aloha are
permitted to kin the seals. They drive the
seals up a short distance on the land, into
what arc called "rookeries,p and 20 among
them and kill them by striking them on the
head with a club. The seals head Is very
soft, and one blow Is sufficient 1t Is law
full only to Kill the male seals
Their heads are slightly larger thar
the heads OF the females, the
hair Is not quite so fine and the fur just
back OF the head is darker in color. The
seals from $ to 4 years Of age ave tho best
skins, and 1t requires perfect familiarity
with all OF a seals characteristics, and
great discretion on the part of the hunter to
make an advantageous selection. The rule
Of killing only the males has resulted in the
fact hat more seals come to the islands
aforementioned now than fifteen years
ago.
The weather up there Is as warm during
ing the summer as it Is in this city, and the
killing must be done on a cool day or else
the skins viii spoil, and the entire cam
paign, which Is begun in the early part Of
August, lasts only a few weeks After
the killing is done the seals must
DO skinned quickly. There Is nc
time to be lost The whole skin i
used. The celebrity with which tho nativei
perform this operation Is remarkable. Thf
skins are then thoroughly sailed and piled
up to cure II n single spot Is left u~nsalted
1t will spoil the skin. They are loft In pile,
about four weeks. When the salt has per
meated all the leather the skins nre tied VI
m pairs. with the skin sides in, and sent &c
San Francisco. where they are packed IA
barrels and shipped TO London, the center ol
tho sealskin trade. There they are opened
and sorted in 100 and $50 lots and put up al
auction, for sale TO the fur trade OF the
world. Twice a year, In November and IL
March. representative furriers OF all nations
are on hand at these immense saies OF the
raw skins Tho skins bought one year an
for tho next ye4r's use, for 1t takes six OIL
seven months TO prepare them for tho retail
trade.
Although frequent attempts have beer
made by other countries to finish up and dye
the fur, and to-day a small portion Of tn,
business Is done in Paris and New York, thu
London men have the advantage Of expert
ence, the secret OF connecting the dye and
the in~comparably skilled workmen, ani
they do % per cent Of the business. They
are so trustworthy that their certificates q
the quality of any lot OF kim sent forti
from their concerns arc highly regarded ths
world over by the trade.
To illustrate the high degree Of skill re
quircd 1t Is necessary to remember that tn
tanner has to tan the skin with the fur Oh
and must not injure IL The skin In the frs
place Is very tough and as thick as the hid
Of q calf, and IL must be haved down to thI
thickness OF a kid glove. If the knife goe
too deep the kin is worthless, and II II doe
not go deep enough the result Is equally dis
astrous The outer coating Of long, stiff
hairs must be plucked out, and only the fine
soft under fur left remaining. The dyer cal
cause a skin to DO worth 81 or SO. Herr 4
where the greatest caution Is taken ant
where the great secret lies OF the sealfu
business. The hair Is full OF oil
that Is to say. II has life Jus
like human hair. This life must b
qusnched and the oil and grease removed BY
brushing certain chsmicals over IL 10 tn
depth OF one-eighth Of the length of the hair
This must be done before the dye can be ap
piled. II the grease Is not entirely remove,
the dying will not be effective. and II thl
chemicals are allowed 10 act too long tn
hair will DO singed and tho skin ruined
After the dyeing has been completed TIL
gloss is gone and IL has a dead appearance
It Is another secret what chemicals they up
ply<o restore this gloss and make 1t perma
| nent forever afterward.
Tho tanneries and the plucking and dyeini
establishments are separate and dlstinc
branches Of the business.
Ths latest wrinkle is color dinners. Swell
folks dim surrounded by pink. yellow, blus
etc. Common and sensible folks Will stick I
dinner that are simply done brown