Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02

IT. ifgsT vivendi," is not re-
s lsSL newed the whole pratt
@-asfSA cal feet of sealers will
- TN enter Boring sea next
>&zP July and wipe out in
-- one season the entire
--- Pribylov herd, destroy
~ ing the sealing industry
in those waters forever.
To make this under
stood it is only necessary TO explain the aston
tshingly scientific system of slaughter adopted by
the pelsgic seslers. Suppose that there were a
hngle great herd of 1000 900 valuable fur
bearing beasts which Travelled continually over
kite-shaped track many thousands of miles
IN circuit on the great plains Of the west.
Imagine that these animals devoted eight
months in every year to traversing this route,
never varying from it. so that their entire COM
pany was always sure 20 be at given point on
The road at q certain date though hating
together in an isolated spot for four months
annually to breed and rear their young. How
long would it be before the greedy hunters
we're permitted to surround them at their
breeding place q single season would suffice
Cor their determination
THE ANNUAL JOURNEY
That is precisely the situation Of the seals.
The herd-there is only one-leaves the Priby-
lov Islands about November 10 each year to
bpend the winter in warmer waters. Passing
eouthward through the Aleutian chain and out
Of Bering sea the animals swim in a southeast
erly direction toward Santa Barbara, about 400
miles south OF San Francisco, on the Pacific
coast There they turn and go northward-
nearly a million strong-hugging the coast
past Oregon and Washington and along the
southern shore of Alaska into Bering
s ssa, reaching the - Pribylov Islands stands
lonely rocks they breed and nurse their young
Tor four months at the end of which time the
pups are weaned and big enough to accom-
pany the annual migration. The track they
the year finds them at the same stage of
their route, SO that no difficulty in discovering
the herd is experienced by the hunters. who
pursue the poor beasts relentlessly month after
month. killing, killing. killing. until they get
back into Bering sea again and are safe for
awhile No present project for putting a stop
TO this is entertained. The ..modus viyendi
and the seizures of vessels have merely related
70 the exclusion OF the pelagic sealers from
Bering sea itself, where they are anxious to 20
and wipe out the whole breeding herd while 1t
IL assembled on two small islands. thus making
IN end OF the species at once and 'for good"
PELAGIc SEALING.
Before explaining in detail the remarkably
effective method by which this result would
be accomplished some very interesting points
may be mentioned respecting the extraordl-
nary business OF pelagic sealing. For the pur-
suit Of this industry small scbooners of from
forty to sixty tons are equipped Each such
vessel starts out on voyage with three or
four months provisions, q quantity OF salt, a
supply Of repeating rifles and fifteen or twenty
men Usually the crew includes few Indians
from Vancouvers Island and Neeah bay. WASH
fngton. The schooner sails out into the path
Of the herd OF seals. She has no trouble in
discovering when the right point is reached by
the popping up on all sides in the water OF the
animals heads. Then she lies to. unless the
weather Is too rough. and lowers into the sea a
number Of small dories-
Each boat is occupied by two men. One of
them sits in the bow. with a Winchester rifle or
towing piece loaded with buckshot across his
lap, while the other rows The effort is to ex-
tend from the vessel a line of from seven to
ten dories, which shall be within hail of each
other. so that they can find their way back in
case Of q fog or storm Having taken their
positions, they wait for the chance o. a seal )
head popping up within range The animals.
while travelling. only appear on the surface at
the intervals necessary for breathing take a
quick and cautious look around and imme-
ciately dive again to swim and fish. They
do all their swimming and fishing under water.
HOW THEY ARE SHOT.
When the hunter sees a head pop up IL he is
quick enough, he may have time to aim and
Ere before the seal has taken an instantaneous
survey Of him and dived. Usually, when the
animal comes up close alongside the boat, its
fright is so great that il disappears too sud
denly tor q shot, but II il pops up at distance
OF fifty or one hundred yards perhaps it NAV
pause for two or three seconds and afford an
opportunity to the Inarksman. At best the aim
Is necessarily very uncertain, inasmuch as both
boat and seal are tossing about in the lumpy
water.
AFTER TIE PREY Is HIT.
Va VII ia hit or aool
disappears instantly. II killed outright il
sinks. but IL the marksman BY keeping his eve
on the spot where the carcass went under
can direct the boat to get there
quickly enough he may be able to see the
body Of the animal going down in the crystal
clear water. In that case he whips out his gan
pole and fishes il up. To succeed in this, how
ever, he must arrive in time at the exact point
where the game sank, since IL is only from lust
above that II will be visible through the choppy
waves, which show not bubble for guide. A
dead seal will sink from SIX to ten feet white a
sklr Is rowed nifty yards. There ia more
skill in finding the prey after ii is hit
than IN shooting II. Surprising that the seal IS
slightly or mortally wounded il dives and
sSims away. IN most Cases to perish later. III
merely stunned, II FOUNDERS about on the sur
face aud Is easily taken; but that seldom occurs
From this brief description some notion can be
formed OF the enormous waste of life in this
kind Of hunting. which. according to the testi-
mony OF the seaIers themselves, destroys d fifteen
animals for every one secured.
HEADING OFF THE HERD.
After few days the herd thus intereepte5
by the schooner will have passed by. This is
discovered from the fact that no more head.
of seals are seen popping up in the water.
Have the unfortunate beasts at length made
their escape from this predatory vessel? By
no means. She simply spreads her canvas a
the breeze, sails 90 or 100 miles, overhauls the
- A.. ~
week after week. month after month. unit
they have been pursued to Boring sea, ,ntC
which some bold poachers follow them, wins
OF the Pribylov Islands in the fog which hardI,
ever lifts and shooting the breeding motheri
that venture out into the ocean. In 1886 Their,
were seven vessels engaged in the sealing in
dus:ry on the northwest coast There wer,
twenty-five in 1881, thirty-three in 1883. forty
Ave in 1880, and one hundred and ter
last summer. This year there Will be abou
l2S sahDonsrs in the business. All of thes,