The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-21


subject of fur-seal skins-they were then
of little or no value. After we took posses
sion of Alaska, in 1867, the fur-seal islands
in Boring Sea were carefully managed by the
Government, and the value of this industry
rapidly increased. White men, in 1872, began
to take notice of the manner in which the
Makah Indians at Cape Flattery captured
their fur-scals, and soon they followed suit.
But they fitted out schoOners at first, and car
ried hunting parties of these natives out to sea,
30 that the Indians need not make for the land
at every nightfall, whereby q great deal OF
time was lost by them.
The savagcs do all of their hunting with a
spear and capture only those animals which
they happen to find sleeping in the water. By
quietly padding the canoe up from the lee
ward tho hunter is brought within easy strik-
ing distance Of the sleeping seal, and the spear
head once fastened in the body of the seal, the
escape of that animal is impossible, because a
line is attached to the weapon, and the savage
hunter can and does draw tho wounded crea-
ture up to the gunwale OF the canoe where it is
hit on the skull with short handled club and
speedily secured.
American and Canadian fishermen Of Van
couver's Island and Puget Sound in the seven
ties began to seriously undertake the business
of sealing for themselves, but the Indians did
not fancy working for their white brethren at
first because they used rifles and shotguns.
This of firearms tho natives declared
was all wrOng,-it scared the seals away and
then, too, the white hunters killed and
wounded so many that they did not recover
the bodies Of. But seal skins were valuable
and growing more so every year; so the white
men grew restless; then, finally, in 1SS5-1886,
began the extended cruises which followed
the herd Of fur seals up into Bering Sea, and
carried on their vessels Indian canoes and
crews to man them.
In 1872-'74 when frstvisited the Prbylov
or Seal Islands of Alaska, the only open water
hunting Of the fur seal then done was as have
illustrated it. Here off the entrance Of the
Straits OF Fuca, some seven to Is miles, and
up along the west coast Of Vancouver Island,
are series of fishing banks, upon which great
numbers Of halibut and other food fishes resort
at certain seasons of the year. To and from
these banks from time lmmemorial the say.
ages Of that coast have travelled in their neat
dugout canoes. They are shrewd judges of the
weather, and must be so, an ocean journey
ont IS or 20 miles to sea and back again after
fishing in the same day, would be highly
risky undertaking, for when storms do arise
off Cape Flattery land they often do, they are
proverbial for their severity and the wildness
of the water.
The example and success of the hardy saw
ages has led our people into the active prosecu-
ton of an industry known as pelagic fur-seal-
ing which has nearly precipitated war be-
tween America and Great Britain. Happily the
Counsels of moderation have prevailed and we
have peace with honor.
The fact has been pretty we'll established
now that the fur-sea rookeries of Boring Sea
on the Pribylov Islands are in danger Of COM
mercial ruin that the numbers of those ami
mails have been so diminished since made my
calculations of their condition in 1972174 as
to be less than one-third in 1890 of my figures
made 16 years ago.
Now, if We are going to save these seals from
indscriminate slaughter in the high seas, We
want TO save them by taking that action which
will result in the greatest good to the greatest
number not only Of our own people, but of the
people of the whole civilized world where furs
are priced and worn.
With this object honestly exhibited we can
confidently ask for and secure the Co operation
of that foreign aid necessary to save the Prlby-
low rookeries from commercial ruin. say
Commercial ruin," because saving merely the
species from determination is not enough, and
is In itself idle attempt were it made.
Everybody will admit tie soundness of this
generalization. Now comes the tug Of war
over what W. shall do to accomplish this result
l. e.. John Ball, Russia. and the United States.
The fur.seals are killed for their skins by the
open water hunters from the time they first
strike the Californian coast in February until
ing the July following. / am not opposed to
these men, but am opposed to their methods.
The pelagic sealer kills indiscriminately old
and young, male and female, if he kills at all,
since he cannot possibly tell these classes apart
when he shoots at them in the sea, for he sees
nothing but brief glimpse of seals snout
or neck In the tumblng water where he shoots.
If he kills at all. he kills everything he hap
pens to see, and he cannot discriminate even if
he desired to.
On the other hand, the legal killing Is done
on the Pribylov Islands, where it can be regu-
lated to absolute limits of age and sex. 1t can
be SO adjusted in its operations SO as to be with
out the least harm to the regular increase and
preservation of the herd.
Therefore, any minded man can under
stand in the light OF these facts that unchecked
pelagic sealing means a speedy ruin Of the
Pribylov herd as commercial factor. And
the only difference of opinion on this score that
can honestly arise will be the question Of how
much time will it take to destroy these rook-
cries if the pelagic sealer be not stopped.
The fur-sea herd leaves the Prbylov Islands
and Boring Sea every November and strikes
cut over the North Pacific Ocean in S.S.E
course, until 1t appears off the California coast
In February following 1t turns northward
and feeds up, so as to be off the Straits of Fuca
In March, off Sitka in April. under the lee of
Kcna Peninsula in May under the lee of Ko
diak Island and the Alaskan Peninsula in
june aud by the 10th of July 1t will have re-
Co. IL. . Al.