The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-17
VOL. XXVIII.-NO. 7.

shooting is now the common method. but
has only been in vogue among the natives
for short time, the practice being Dor.
rOwed from the keen hunters of our own
people along the Oregon coast. The young
Aleuts Of Alaska have nearly all been sup
piled with rifles by the traders, and with
these they patrol the island iulets, and when
ever sea offers head is seen in the surf
even at Il thousand yards, they fire at it.
The distance and noise of the surf prevent
the animal from taking alarm until it is
hit, provided the wind blows right, and in
nine times out of ten when it is hit in the
head-the exposed part-the shock is ia
tai' and the hunter waits patiently for
hours until the surf brings in his quarry,
if it is too rough for him to venture out
IN his canoe. This shooting is kept up
now the whole year round, and this con-
stant ''Pop, pop" pop by vigiIant,
experienced and tireless marksmen is the
danger that threatens the sea otter with
extinction.
The spearlng surround is the historic
and orthdox native system of capture. 4
party Of fifteen or twenty canoes. with
two men i'll each, set out in pleasant
weather and spread themselves in a long
line, slowly padding over the waters.
When any one of them discovers an eaer
asleep he makes quiet signal by lifting
his paddle, then dashes his canoe toward
the animal OF course the alarm is taken
by the sensitive creature, but the hunter
Keeps right on and stops his canoe directly
over the spot where tho otter disappeared.
The other hunters instantly deploy and
scatter, forming circle Of half mile
wide round the place, and patiently wait
tor the ANIMALS reappearance to breathe,
which must must take place in fifteen or
twenty minutes. As soon rs this happens
the hunter nearest to it darts forward
while. all hands shout and throw up their
spears. The animal then dives again.
without 4 chance to recover itself and ex-
pei the surcharged air from its overloaded
lungs. \ sentry is again placed over the
second diving spot as before, the circle is
drawn anew, and thus the game is kept
up until the poor sea otter, from oft-inter-
rupted respiration, becomes so filed with
gasses that he cannot sink and becomes an
easy victim.
This clubbing is gamy undertaking,
and is only carried on in the winter season
at the end of some tremendous gale. Then
the old natives set out and scud down to
the far-outlying rocks just protrudinS
above surf-wash, where the sea otter are
lying with their heads pushed into and un-
der the beds of kelp to avoid the fierce
pelting of the spray The noise of the
tempest covers the stealthy approach of
the hunters, who, each armed with short
heavy wooden club, dispatch the animals
one after another without alarming the
whole body.
Hunting by the use of nets is peculiar
to the Aleuts Of Atkas Altoo. These peo-
Pile make little nets from sixteen to eigh-
teen feet long and from six TO ten feet
wide, with a coarse, diamond-shapcd mesh,
The nets are taken out to the kelp beds
aud spread carelessly here ana there over
floating mess of sca-cabbage After 4
few days absence the hunters return and
frequently find sea otters cntangled, hay
Ing, as they say, died of excessive fright