The morning call., 1893-11-12

the six boats. Some were hooking on the
falls, others casting off the lasbiDgs; boat
steerers appeared with the boat cOmpasSes
and water breakers and boat-pullers with
the lunch boxes. Hunters were stagger-
ing under two or three shOtguns, rifle
and heavy ammunition box, all of which
we're soon slowed away with their oil
skins and mittens in the boats.
The SailiDg-master gave his last orders
nd away we went pulling three pairs of
oars to gain our positions. We were In
the weather boat, and so had longer
pull than the others. The first, second and
third lee boats soon had all sail set and
were running off 10 the southwark and
westward with the wind abeam, while the
schooner was running of TO leeward oil
them, SO that in case of accident the boats
would have fair wind home.
1t was a glorious morning. but our boat
Steerer shook bis head ominouslv as he
glanced at the rising sun and propheti-
caily muttered, Red sun in the morning,
sailor take warning" The sun had an
angry look, and few light, fieecy niger
heads" IN that quarter seemed abashed and
frightened and soon disappeared. Away
off to the northwest Cape JeTlmO reared
its black. fOrbdding head like some huge
monster rising from the deep. The VIM
ter'S snow, net yet entirely dl5Slpated by
the sun. covered it in patches OF glstenlng
W hite, over which the light wlnd swept Oh
its way out to sea. Huge gunles rose
slowly, fluttering their wings IN the light
breeze and striking their webbed feet on
the surface of the water Tor over half
mile before they could leave it. Hardly
had the patter, patter died away when a
! flock OF sea quail rose, aud with whistling
| wings flew away to windward. where
| mem bers of a large band of whales were
! disporting themselves, their blowings
sounding like the exhaust of steam en-
gines. The harsh, discordart cries of a
sea-parrot grated unpleasantiy on the ear,
and set half dozen on the alert In
small band of seals that were ahead OF US.
Away they went preaching and jumping
entirely out of water. A seagull with
slow, deliberate flight and long majestic
curves, circled round US, and as reminder
OF home little English sparrow perched
impudenIly on the fo'castle head, and
cooking his head on one side cbirped ner-
| rlly. The boats were soon among the
seals, and the bangl bang! of the guns
could be heard from down to leeward.
The wind WAS slowly rising. and by 3
o'clock as, with a dozen seals in our boat,
we were deli berating whether to go on or
| turn back, the recall flag was run up a. the
sch Ooner's miZZen-a sure sign that with
| the rising wind the barometer was falling
and that our saillng-master was getting
anXl Gus for the welfare of the boats.
Away we went before the wind with a
single reef in our sail. With clench ed
teeth sat the boat-steerer. grasDing the
steering oar firmly with both hands,
his restless ewes On the alert-a glance
at the schooner ahead, as We rose on a sea,
another at the mainsheet, and then one
astern where the dark ripple of the wind
on the water told him OF a coming puff or
large white cap that tnrea tened to over
whelm US. The waves were holding high
carnival, performing the strangest antics,
until mil erIo thar n I'D olof, IN
fierce purSuit-now up, now down. here,
there and everywhere, until some great sea
of liquid green with its milk, white crest of
foam rose from the oceans thro Dbing
bosom and GROVE the others from view
But only for moment, Tor again under
new forms they reappeared. In the SUMS
path they wandered, where every ripple
great or small, every little spit or spray
looked like molten silver; where the
water lost its dark green color and became
a dazzling silvery food, only to vanish and
become wild waste of Sullen turbulence,
each dark forebOding sea Using and break
ing. then rolling on again. The dash, the
sparkle. the silvery light soon vanished
with the sun, which became obScured by
black clouds that were rolling swiftly in
from the west-nOrthwest; apt heralds of
the coming storm.
We soon reached the schooner and found
ourselves the last aboard. La few min.
utes the seals were SKINNED. boats and
decks washed. and we were down below
by the roaring fo'castle fire, with wash.
change of clothes and hot. substantial
supper before US. Sail had been put on
the scho 0ner, as we had a run of seventy
five miles to make to the southland before
morning. so as to get in the midst of the
seals, out of which we had strayed during
the last two days hunting.
We bad the first watch, from to mid
night. The wind was soon blowing