The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-20
FUR SEALS OFF CAPE FLATTERY.
Proof That the Animals Do Not Eli Go
North to Breed.

PORT TOWNSEND, Aug. 10, 1892.
To THE EDITOR: The endeavors Of the govern
ment officers last spring to obtain infor
regarding the habits of fur seals along our
coast has resulted in sealers taking moro notice
OF the habits of these animals than ever before.
Since the season has closed, which was about
the LIST OF July, have received some very inter-
esting information regarding the habits of fur
seals, which goes to prove my assertion that
some OF these fur seals do have their pups in
the ocean or In keIp patches or reefs along
shore That their pups are seen every season
about Cape Flattery was reluctantly admitted to
me by Dr. Mcintyre, the special agent OF the
treasury department., who was here on the 26th
of May last and interviewed me regarding the
habits of fur seal at Neah bay. He had been to
Neah bay interviewing the Indians, but evil
IDENTIFY had only questioned them matters
favorable to the United States in the Bering sea
controversy, but the questions he put to those
Indians, as well the numerous other ques-
tons by government officers set the Indians
thinking, and this season they have been more
observant of the habits OF fur seals than ever be-
fore.
On Friday, July %, the sealing schooner Lot
tie, Captain Janus Claplanhoo, of Neah Bay,
arrived here. Captain Claplanhoo is full
blooded Makah Indian, and the hereditary
chief of the tribe. He owns the Lottie ana also
the trading post at Neah bay, and is very in
telligent man. His sou-in-law, Ches toaua Peter
son, who attends to the store, here with
him, and both told me that about the last OF
May Makah Indian named Wispoh saw a cow
seal with little black pup which she was hold
ing between her fore lippers. Wispoh spcared
the COW seal, but the pup got away. When the
seal was skinned her udder was full OF milk
They said that Martin w Newton, Thomas
Lowe and Allabush found that nearly all the
cow seals they killed were in milk but had no
pups in them.
on Wednesday, August 8, Martin Newton and
I,,v, a,lfa a ot nY;, al,
following statement: Thomas r. Lowe says
that on August > as he and Captain Jim Brown
were coming down from Willow point, where
Brown lives, they saw big cow fur seal off
Marrowstone point. about twenty yards off, on
its back tanning itself with its hippers. They
had no gun, they could easily have secured
it. There srs fur seals about the cape all the
year round Last year, continued he, when /
returned in the schooner LOttie from Beriug
sea, we saw three large cow seals of Cape Flat
terry. This was i'll september. All
the fur seals do not go 10 Boring
sea. Some can be seen ali the year round
This year ! sealing in the schooner
swan. Martin Newton and / Were in the Same
canoe. We have killed many seals which
gave milk, and they had no pups in them
About the sth or 9th OF June last We killed six
COW seals. Four OF them were in milk and had
no pups In them. In the latter part of last May
Wispoh. Makah Indian, one of the hunters
on board the schooner swan, saw cow with
little black pup held between its fore fippers
lie saw the mother play with the pup aad
watched il several minutes. The pup would
slip from between the Clippers and so under
water. Then the mother would dive down and
bring il To the surface. She saw the canoe, but
WAS too much engaged playing with her little
pup Finally Nispoa speared the mother. and
the Young one left. lie said he could have Sc
cured the pup. but was too busy with the
mother. The Indians never took any particular
notice about the pups til this year. after the
government officers went around asking so
many questions, which has made Us take more
notice. have seen tAis season on some DAYS
when we have had forty or nifty seals on board
the schooner, that fully two-thiris were in milk
and no pups III them. Nearly all the seals we
got were COW seats, and from the last OF May
til the time we quiz. which the last OF
Jane, at least two-ih:r3s OF AL the COW seals
were in milk. Martin W. Newton fully eorrob-
Grated all that Tom Lowe said
Tom Lowe further stated that d.. RunnelIs,
the surgeon OF the Makah agency, wanted TO get
lot of black pup SKINS to make into q robe and
this WAS the reason why he took much notice
Usually when the skin Is taken of the seal the
carcass IS thrown overheard withou: opening IL,
but now they were surprised 10 find co many
COW seals III milk and so few pups. At the first
OF the season they could have got plenty OF pups
from the mothers, but they waited too long tc