The Republican., 1890-05-10
AMONG THE SEALERS.
An Interesting Account of Life on tn,
Fur Seal Islands.

| Fur Seal Islands.
1t was interesting to note the differ
ence in character crop out as the com
munity gradually took upon itself civil
ization. Some were naturally prudent
and easily saved surplus; others would
be in debt at the end of the year. In
1877 small proportion of their number
perhaps ton per cent, had invested
about ten or twelve hundred dollars
with the fur company; another ten pei
cent were always in want; the remain
der spent what they received. The best
paid class, the ablest workers, received
over four hundred dollars each fol-
their seasons work, and as they
could obtain large part of theil
food from the resources of the island
without cost, and received their houses
furnished, rent free, their needs were
few. To foreign ways in clothes and
fashion they inclined very naturally.
The year before my coming sealing
parties had brought to the island con.
siderable quantities of ready-made
clothing as an article of trade. and the
men were consequently fairly we'll
dressed; but only a small quantity OF
cloth suitable for dresses had been
taken, and the women had not begun to
make their clothing in any regular
form. But in time, with some assist
ance, their ready adaptability made
them a very well-dressed people. Before
/ came away the wives of those who had
been saving sent their measures to Sitka
with orders for silk dresses for church
twear, and the young men arrayed them
selves in broadcloth, wore gloves and
well-blacked boots, and carried per-
fumed handkerchiefs.
AS my time was not fully taken up
with my duties, and good fortune
brought to me an abiding place of un-
usual size for ST. Paul, l seized the
happy chance of making my house a
meeting-place for the people, and espec-
tally for the children. Later we fitted
up school-room, which we also made a
place for social entertainment, and kept
the school open eight months in the
year. We were greatly assisted in our
school duties by illustrated books and
papers sent to us; for SO UNMARRIED and
barren was the scenery of the island,
which was all of the world these chill
dren had ever seen, that it was we'll
nigh impossible for them to comprehend
physical objects Of the simplest nature.
What mountain might be was beyond
their understanding, and the difficulty
of explaining the appearance of a great
forest to children who knew no vegeta-
BILE growth larger than the purple lupine
on their gentle slopes, was greater than
one can tell. 1t was necessary, how
ever, to exercise the strictest censorship
in our illustrated lessons, as it was diff
cult for all to comprehend caricature
even in its simplest forms; oven the
most impossible pictures they believed
represented facts.
l found the people living in separate
families, and, as far as | could see, there
was no more immortality among them
than would be found in any decent civil
lied community. The women were
modest in department, the children
obedient and respectful to their parents,
and the men always manifested dis
position to assist me in all my efforts.
In character they were mild and
gentle, with the expression of settled
melancholy habitual to those races
which have no amusements. In this
respect, however, they changed greatly
as opportunity developed the merriment
latent in their nature. The children
when first taught to speak did so in a
serious way, and the utter absence of
any thing like hearty laughter in a
group of them always affected me
strangely. 1t seemed as if their avenues
of expression were closed to pleasure,
and later, when they had learned the
simple games I taught them, it was a
great satisfaction to me to hear my
rooms ring with their merry Voices
Captain Charles Bryant, in Century.