The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-23
PREVIOUS QUEST.
The Discovery of the Breeding Haunts
Of the Fur-bearing Seals.

United States claim to have come out
best in the decisions, it might be in.
teresting to narrate the history of the
discovery Of the seal islands," re-
marked A. c. Caperton, agent for a
large New York house which deals in
sealskin goods. Mr. Capert0n has
made several trips to Alaska, and is
perfectly familiar with the seal industry,
from the roaring of the seals in a
rookery on some arctic coast down to
the persuasive tones of a smiling
Gotham clerk who is making the sale
of a fine sacque to some wealthy
woman.
"For the lover of true romance there
is more than an international interest in
the Bering Sea question" continued
Mr.. Caperton. at was only about the
close of the Revolutionary war that the
seal islands were discovered by civilized
man, and that discovery Is as full OF
romance as was the expedition I
Ponce de Leon in search OF the tabled
fountain f immortal youth. Before
that time the mysterious islands whore
the fur bearing seals had their breediug
places were known Only to the Eskl-
mos and only with a grunt and an un
satisfactory Shrug OF the shO lderS
would they answer any ruqulrr,s on the
subject For a hundr d years Russian
keels ploughed the waters Of the
Boring sea and the North Pacific in the
search for fur-bearing animals. Kan
tschatka was discovered and settled,
and the Aleutian Islands were dotted
with the trading stations of Russian
companies Alaska was added to the
possessions of Russia and a govern
ment established there. The numerous
sea offers were almost exterminated.
Two dozen Russian companies, with
hundreds Of vessels and thousands
of men, were employed in the busi-
ness.
Meantime, every year at certain
seasons the channels around the Aleu-.
tIan Islands swarmed with fur seals,
passing north in the spring and south
in the H. NJ seal was ever known
to stop evsn for an hour on any part of
the known Alaskan shore. The natives
protessed absolute ignorance as to
where the seals went ashore to breed.
1t was somewhere in the north, they
said, but no Aleut had ever moored his
little skin canoe on the beach Of that
mysterious land. For many years Rus
sian vessels piled the Arctic waters in a
frultless search for this mysterious
home Of the seal, where wealth in
fabulous sums awaited the lucky ex-
piorer.
But Columbus finally appeared.
His name was Gcrassim Prbyov. He
was a mate on a Russian vessel. An
old gray-haired Aleut related to him a
legend Of the natives regarding certain
islands said to exist in Behrng. Old
Prlbyluv was superstitlous as any sailor,
and believed there was some truth in
the legend. The next spring he fitted
up the little sloop ST. George, and sailed
from Ounalaska out into the fogey
northern sea. He passed through
great swarms. of seals as he sailed t.
the north, but gradually they dIsap-
peared, and after sailing all summer
over the icy waste OF waters, with never
ship or even an island IN SIGHT, he
returned south again to his winter
quarters AS he went back the seals
came with him, for they also hau
mysterious hiding place south for the
winter But old Prby'ov WIS ChuCk
full Of grit. The next spring h, followed
the seals back north again. He kept
this up for three seas MS, and finally IN
1886 was rewarded by maklug the joy,
ful discovery OF the mysterious breeding
grounds. For weeks he had been en-
veloped in dense fog md was mixing
a progress So slow tat his patlenCe
was severely tired, when suddenly one
day i'll July he heard a vague roaring
and rumbIing sound coming through
the dense vapor. Old PrlbyOv adj
vanced with glee, for his experienced
ear told him that the great roaring
came from seal rookery. Guided by
the sound, he steered thu vessel through
the dense fog and soon run up against
a rocky island that rose Ike a wall out
Of the ocean. Along the rocky shore
millions of seals were lying as closely
together as Worlds Fair visitors push
ing through an exit gate at the closing
hour.
"Old Pribylov and his crew shouted
for JOY, for he had at last found the
mysterious breeding place Of the willy
seal. His fortune was made. He
loaded down his ship with skins and
sailed back to Ounaaska, after leaving
part Of his crew to guard the secret OF
his discovery. He sold his cargo in
the nearest Russian port and fitted out
his vessel for another voyage north.
Before leaving the island he took pos
session Of it in the name of the Car of
Russia, and named it St. George, after
his vessel. But the secret was too big |
t. keep, and the next year, 1887, all
his men deserted him, and when be
started to sail north from Ounaaska a
dozen vessels lowered about him and |
followed his vessel north. His secret |
became known and the seal island be |