Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-09

Russians who were skilled in the business
of killing the seals and curing their skins.
Overseers were placed in charge to have
general direction, and under these the
100, 900 seal skins are secured according
to the most approved methods. As out
lined in the last paper in the HERALD,
the seals come on the islands in May,
and take up their chosen abodes. The
old males, each with his harem OF
females, find their resting place on the
rocks in sheltered spots near the sea, but
protected from the waves. The young
males of one to four years old are driven
further inland to herd by themselves.
1t is known that the skins of animals OF
two to four years old are the best, and
that these must be secured in certain
we'll known ways. Thus when killing
time comes on in June, July, September
and October, the resting places of the
families are not disturbed, and those col
onies are carefully kept in ignorance
of the slaughter going on behind them.
The natives, who are we'll skilled in their
work, 90 in among the colonies of young
males, and dropping out all that are not
possessed Of perfect skins, big drove
is taken far back into the island where
the killing is to be done. If the animals
are killed while too warm, the fur all
falls from the hide. To avoid this the
band of victims is let rest for few hours,
when the killers, armed with handy
clubs, 20 among the defenseless brutes
and knock them in the head. A big
army of SINNERS follow these and take
off the skins as fast as long experience
and very sharp knife will permit of
their doing. Another gang of natives
follow who take the skins to the curing
houses, where they are at once laid down
in salt. The bands of seals not destined
for slaughter remain undisturbed, and
are in no way frightened. If they were
they would leave the islands at once and
never return again. Such is the method
pursued by the Alaska Company, under
the direction of the overseer and of q
Government official. A strict account is
kept and when the 900 skins are &C.
cured killing is stopped. Only perfect
skins are taken, and they are 30 taken
a. to be in the best condition. Few it
any seals are killed which 60 not pro-
duce good skin for the use Of man, and
no unnecessary slaughter is done.
TIE NUMBERING PoACHERs' WAY.
Contrast the perfect method above
outlined with the following plan Of the
poacher. This uncomfortable robber OF
the high seas stands off to sea in his
schooner and watches for the seals as they
swim of to their feeding ground in
the morning or return at night.
The seal swims near the
surface of the water, and as he ap-
pears to breathe from time to time.
crack goes the poacher's rife. If the
animal is hit in vital point and dies at
once, he floats on the surface of the sea,
and is generally recovered unless the
sea is very rough. If, on the contrary,
the seal is only wounded, he at once
dives to the very bottom of the ocean
and is seen no more. 1t has been
proven to the perfect satisfaction of this
committee that only one seal out Of
every seven shot by these marauders is
ever recovered. Thus to secure %, 900
skins, one-quarter of the catch made
under the rules of the United States
Government, it would be necessary to
kill 175, 900 of the animals. Besides the
poacher has no means of guessing even
what sort of skin he will
get. He may kill sick seal,
whose skin will be worthless. 1t
may be an animal too young or too old
to produce q merchantable skin. Or,
worse than all, he may kill female
with young, and 80 get an inferior if
not worthless skin and kill two animals
for that.
THE NECESSARY CONCLUSION.
Any person who has read the two
previous papers and this one appearing
in the HERALD, cannot reasonably
escape the conclusion, that the interests
of the civilized world are all on the side
of the United States in these fur seal
fisheries, and that the interests of theee
robbers, the seal poachers, ARE not worthy
the notice of any thinking man. They
have no rights which justice or reason
will uphold.
In future papers the legal rights of the
United States, as derived from Russia,
and the humanitarian side of the ques-
ton will be dwelt upon. The first will
demonstrate that our Government is act.
ing strictly within her rights, and the
other will show the incalculable good
resulting from the preservation of seal,
all of which benefits to mankind the
poacher would quickly do away with, not