The morning call., 1892-09-28
FROM Behring'S POACHERS
They Report Millions Of Fur
Seals Left.
THE CARS MEN ON GUARD.
One of ths Crew of the Thistle Tells CT What
Was Done by the Mer-of-War in
the Far North

John Loohhead Jr. is the last OF the
crews of the seal poachers to arrive in the
city for the season. He reached San Fran
cisco last evening, arriving from Victoria,
where he landed the 10Th inst. from the
steamer Thistle.
The Thistle is owned by Victorian capt.
talists and early in the year came to this
city for her final fitting out. She sailed from
this port on the 18th of February last and
seven months after landed at Victoria with
the 450 skins which constituted her catch
for the season.
The Thistle is the first steamer ever en-
pioyed as seal fisher exclusively.
After leaving the city the Thistle sailed
for Barclay Sound, where two OF the crew
became insubOrdinate. and stealing one of
tie steamers boats attempted to desert A
storm arose, and the deserters finding them
selves in great danger begged TO be permit
ted to board the steamer. This they ere
allowed to do on promise of good behavior; !;
but the danger over they again became un-
ruly, and the captain then depOrted them to
an island inhabited only by natives,
whence, after much suffering and hard
ships, they finally made their way to Vic
torla.
The Thistle was obliged to return again
to Victoria to recruit her depleted crew and
again sailed, heading for Sand Point.
Arriving at Middleton Island the first luck
OF the season was bad, and in a few days
she secured catch Of 450. which she landed
on tender at Sand Point, and which was
afterward safely conveyed to Victoria, only
escaping seizure by few hours
From Sand Point the Thistle was ordered
to the coast OF Kamtchatk a, her destination
being Copper Island in the Russian posses
si0ns, but just before reaching that danger
Gus locality the steamer lost her main
shroud and was detained.
This aCCiuput OreVpUteu her SplZurn nv the
Russians who were actively on the look
out, the captain of the Thistle being warned
at night by small sealing schooner which
had barely escaped from the clutches Of the
Watchful Russians.
Thus warned the Thistle was put about
aud spent the rest of the season in the
Bering Sea.
Mr. Lochhead is amply qualified to judge
OF The prospect OF the present extinction OF
the seal. He scouts the idea and claims
that the seal, though probably less numer-
Gus than in former times, still exists in
countless numbers and will afford for an
unlimited succession OF years material for
profitable enterprises.
Killing seals, in Mr.. Lochhead's opinion,
is very easy. 1t Is done mostly in calm
weather, when the brutes take their sieSta.
If the lungs OF the seal are distended at the
time 1t is killed it floats, If not it sinks, and
this latter Is the case about one time in
three so that in securing 200 dead seals 3C0
are killed, and most IL not all those killed
are females. who are Fastening to the rook-
cries TO bring forth their young.
Al 10 the numbers who res0rted to the
usual rookeries the pOachers were Of course
not Informed. Mr.. Lochhead. however, as
serts that rumors abounded among the
feet that no diminution had been observed
and also that the American Company was
slaughtering them on the islands without
regard to any engagement as to numbers
which they had made with the United
States Government