Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-08-21
forests to patient and docile beast OF

burden. y
Up in the frozen regions of Alaska
the sea-lion is hunted in much the same
manner as the elephant in the equato-
rial districts of Asia and Africa. The
huntsmen are the native Aleutes, q
species of Esquimaux who inhabit
Alaska. They first find one of the
rookeries to which the sea-lions betake
themselves during the autumn season.
These are usually some narrow prom
ontory or strip of land bordering the
sea, where the animals congregate in
large quantities. The Aleuts well
know that their prey cannot be ap-
preached by day. They would simply,
at the first sight of man, jump into
the ocean and disappear. So the
hunters conceal themselves in the
neighborhood until a favorable night
comes on-a night when the moon is
partially obscured by clouds and the
wind is blowing from the shore. When
the herd of sea-lions are fast asleep
with only waking sentry here and
there, the hunters slip down to the
beach at low water and proceed to
crawl on all fours, Indian fashion, be-
tween the seq and the DOING herd.
The sentries either do not see them or
else in the dim light mistake them for
fellow seals. At all events, they rarely
give the alarm. Slowly, cautiously
the hunters creep along until they
have completely intercepted their
prey. Then at given signal from the
leader they leap to their feet, shout,
yell, brandish their arms, fire off pis-
tolls and create a regular pandmonium.
The startled sea-lions, reused suddenly
from their slumbers, answer with loud
roars of dismay and alright and found
er off in all directions.
If their heads happen to be pointed
seaward at the moment of awaken
ing, off they go toward the sea; if
landward then they follow that course
just as blindly and desperately.
Nothing can turn them from the
straight course. 1t is the land-turned
animals whom the hunters pursue,
leaving the others to escape as they
please. They follow them with
hideous shouts and wild gesticulations,
until the poor terrified creatures fall
painting. gasping prone upon the earth
and at the mercy of their cunning
captors. They pen them up in in
closures made only of stakes with
line or two of linen rope stretched in
circle from stake to stake. The
stupid sea-lions make no effort to
escape through their fimsy bonds.
When sufficient number have been
captured on successive nights the
whole lot are driven to tho Aleut
village by means of constant prodding
and kicking. There they are slain, a
few being reserved for such purchasers
as wish for live specimens.
Snakes of various kinds are caught
in India and in Africa Here is how
the capture is effected in India. Dur
ing the dry season the jungle which
they infest is set ON fire. The snakes
dart out in all directions and are
caught by the natives in large hand
nets, in shape not unlike the nets with
which American children catch butter
flies. They are then cast into sacks
and carried to Calcutta on the
shoulders of the natives. At Calcutta
they are packed in big boxes, from
two or three to fifteen in box, ac-
cording to the size of the box and Of
the snakes, and shipped off to Europe.
They need neither food nor drink on
the journey, but must be very care
fully shielded from cold, which is sure
death to them. New York World.