The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-05-10
AMONG HE SEALERS.
An Interesting Account of Life on th
Fur Seal IsInnds.

An Interesting Account of Life on the
Fur Seal Issnnds. @
1t was interesting to note tho differ.
ence in character crop out as the COM
munity gradually took upon itself civil
i2ation Some we're naturally prudent,
and easily saved a surplus: others would
be in debt at the end of the year. In
1877 small proportion of their number,
perhaps ten per cent, had invested
about ten or twelve hundred dollars
with the fur company; another ten per
cent. were always in want: the remain
der spent what they received. The best
paid class, the ablcst workers, received
over four hundred dollars each for
their seasons work and as they
could obtain a large part of thoir
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 very well-dressod people. Before
| came away the wives of those who had
been saving sent their measures to Sitka
with orders for silk dresses for church
wear, and the young men arrayed them
selves in broadcloth, wore gloves and
well-blacked boots, and carried per-
fumed handlierchiefs.
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, seized the
happy chance of making my house
meeting-place for the people, and espec-
tally for the children. Later we fitted
up school-room, which we also made Z.
place for social entertainment, and kept
the school open eight months in tho
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 well.
nigh impossible for them to comprehend
physical objects of the simplest nature.
What a mountain might be was beyond
their understanding, and the difficulty
OF explaining the appearance of great
forest to children who knew no vegeta-
bic 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 it's simplest forms; even tho
most impossible pictures they believed
represented facts.
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 deportment, the children
obedient and respectful to their parents.
and the men always manifested u 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 amusemcnts. 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
serious way, and the utter absence OF
any thing like hearty laughter in
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 l taught them, it was
great satisfaction TO me To hear my
rooms ring with their merry voices.-
Captain Charles BRYANT. in Century.