The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-03-29
A SEAL HUNT.
Description Of an Expedition in
Quest of Sealskin.
The Animals are Surprised and
Killed With Clubs.

Seals once having taken to place
will never desert it unless frequently
Here they periodically return
to breed, and thence the old ones never
wander for. Three expeditions, Of two
nights on each occasion at most, are
made yearly, and as only one attack is
possible each time, great caution and ex-
pcriencc are necessary to ensure a good
bag.
The oars have to be muffl,d, and the
island approached according to the
wind; for seals are not the sleepy crea-
lures one associates with the 200, but
post videttes in commanding positions,
and on the slightest alarm there is a
rush and splash, and goodbye to your
prospects for that night. Having dis
embarked in silence, the men, armed
with heavy clubs somewhat resembling
though longer than policcman's staff,
are posted at intervals of two or three
yards on the glacis by which the seals
invariably come and go. When all is
ready every one begins to shout, and
then comes a rush like q thousand
sheep, and thwack, thwack, right and
left, as hard as you like, aud the more
the better, followed by splash, and
every one makes for the boats and
shoves off.
For the old bulls, often six feet and
seven feet long, are very dangerous and
will often follow boat knawiug at the
gunwales. For purposes of commerce
the old ones arc absolutely worthless,
and attention is only paid to the small
est and youngest. We started at one
a. m., the writer continues, for the
seal island. A glorious moon made
every object as clear as day, and in
about half an hour we found ourselves
alongside about as difficult landing
place as can we'll be conceived. Imagine
then, rather steep glacis as slippery
as slide and extending without one
friendly foothold for about twenty
yards.
But our nimblc companions lost no
time in the ascent, and in less time
than it takes to write it, we found our
selves seized by sturdy arms and in po'
sition at the top of the glaci'. 'Hoo,
hoop intermingled with shouts such a.
none but Afrikander lungs could posi-.
bly, emit, then rent the air, and then {
roar such as can only describe as thai
of a hundred oxen, followed by a
scampering Of what seemed Thousand
feet and literal avalanc che of seal
came tumbling past us and dashed
furiously into the water.
Personally, was too excitel to d.
justice to my club; struck about, re
gardlcss of all instructions, indiscrlmi
natcly at old and young that cam
within reach, and was delighted to fine
when the counting began that was th
proud exterminator of four. rhs ov
perts had, of course, done better, am
our nights work for thirty-two club
was represented by 316 seals. To max
1 for the boats and shove off was the woI
of an instant; and, having laid-to for
short time in case of attack, VIC agai
landed, collected our victims and re
I. turned to the guano island.
The nights work, however, was b
no means over; and after hearty SUI
a per, the skinniug process began an
5 continued till well into the Afternoon
The preliminary preparing (or brayir
Q as it is calledD of the skins is somewh
Il peculiar; and as the fur known as sea
: skin is an underground, all the bristl
have to be rcmovcd,---i. c.. pulle
:, backwards from the inside. In the vel
g young animals these brstles have n
!. appeared; hence, the value of the SC
the younger he is, and the absoln
worthlcssncss of the old bulls. On tt
following night the seals were to be lie
:, in peace; but on the Thursday we r
i peatcd the attack, with much the san
experience and an addition of 2O7 to o
- bag, making grand total of 523.,
y London Field.