The National tribune., 1890-05-15

Tins ID perhaps an exaggeTatiOn. Tt scarcely
lies within the possibilities Of actual occur-
FENCES to compass more than fancy can portrayr-
while 80 far as narration is concerned few who
are extensively read in the literature Of travel
and adventure have not regretted the fact tEos
writers Of fact are constantly go much less
pleasing than those Of fiction. undoubtedly
sea offers are sought amid such scenes as have
elsewhere most profoundly impressed the i'm
aginatiOns Of men, and in their pursuit external
circumstances and the constant vicissitudes Of
mems lives cO-Operated to effect the minds OF
those occupied with their pursuit. But those
VINO engaged IN hunting them were for the
most part insensble to aesthetic suggest
ions, as well as unable to record their more
important experiences. Thus it follows that
the habits Of the animal in a state Of nature ara
so lily understood. As was said, the sea otter
Is extremely shy Of man, and at all times alert
and wary. When the Russian traders invaded
the Aleutian Islands thev inauourated a uAriod
OIL lndlscr!minate slaughter. Their prey was
then plentiful and comparatively easv 70 secure.
so that soon, as Sir John Richardson observes
the market az Canton was overstOcked" PsItz
eould sui be sold, however, and as long az this
was possible the slaughter went on. When
says Elliott, the Prybilov Islands were frss
discovered, two sailors, LukannOn and Kaistov.
Killed at st. Paul's Island, in the first year OF
occupation, 5000; the next year they cot less
than LOO; and IN SIX years afterwards not
single sea otter appeared, and none have ap-
peared since. What occurred there also hap
pened elsewhere, until at present Saanach
Island, Oft Alaska, and it5 ad iacent reefs ia
about the only really remuneratiys hunting
ground left throughout the North Pacific coasts
of America To this
STORM SWEPT AND INCLEMENT REGIoy
hunters come prOvisioned for several months.
and here they remain, always without fire, nm
less the WIND be from the south, because their
game has added to its natural astuteness the
education derived from persecution. and wouId
instantly vanish from The southern shore, which
alone 1T visits, at the smell of smoke MaDy
of these men, of course perish from hardship,
ana all earn their rewards through MICH pri-
VItatiOn and suffering
with regard TO the habits Of sen offers. the
following IS a brief summary Of Etli0ts's obssr-
Vations, and Of the information which ne OBJ
tanned from men engaged in taxing them.
Besides the shell fish before enumerated. thew
consume crabs, various kinds OF fish and the
tender frORds Of sea-Weed and keIp Their
nearing IS exceedingly acute and 50 greatly
developed IS the sense Of smell that they will
take alarm and leave from the effects of a small
IRE four or five miles TO WindWard" Surf
shooting IS the method at present in vogue.
the hunters always firing az the animzI5s head
IL IS said that the sound of the report 8 lost in
that oil the breakers, and others who nav be- in
the vicinity remain undistuTbed. A shOt in
the head IS almost invariably fatal. and ths
man either RECEIVERS his prize by means Of a
bIdarkle," or If the water be too rouEh for
that frail craft, he waits until it is washed on
shore Seadding down in their kyaeks TO the
Saanach reefs on the tail OF a heavy HOrtherIy
gale the AIeut5, armed with short heavy cIubs.
creep up to where these ANNA lie on. the rocks
hiding their heads from the wind in kelD. and
the noise Of their approach being lost in the
tumult Of the sea and roar Of the wind. many
are often dubbed to death one after another.
They cannot be driven out upon land When
TINS Is attempted, desperation lends courage to
the surprised creature, and in a series Of short
leaps, very rapid for little distance. il will
endeayor, and often succeed,
IN PASSING THE ESEMY
or enemies who cut it of from the ocean.
Finally, the spear-surround" which ElIiots
says IS =" the orthodox native system9 Is made
oy 10 or 20 bidarkies in the following way:
The heet seeks region which offers frsauent,
and when one is seen sleeping on the water
Tor they are commonly found singly at sea the
dlseoverer endeayOrs to steal upon il. This ia
rarely accomplished successfully but when tha
animal dives, the first canoe occupies the EDos
at which it went down, and the others form a
wide circle which has this one for a center.
Within this area it must rise to breathe in from
20 70 80 minutes and as soon as it does so ths
animal Is compelled 20 dive again by the rush
Of the nearest boat which again occusies the
spot where it disappeared, while the rest de-
ploy as before. This goes on until the sea
otter, from interrupted respiration, becomes 50
hlled with air or gases that he cannot sink. and
becomes at once an easy victim" Some Aleuhs
take the sea otter in nets spread upon kelp
beds and by extending them over SURF holes or
caves IN the bluffs; the salt water, together
with kelp, apparently disinfeets the nets so
eheetually as to destroy all traces Of mans
touch. 1t IS said that they never attempt to
tear themselves loose, easily as this might be
done, but like Himaiayan bears eanghe In
trap that fox would despise, give themselves
up to despair, and passiveIy await their fate.
ITO Be eORtiHVsd.J