New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-06
they are not quick in eluding their pursuers
the bulls are"


the bulls are"
HOW THE CATCH is REGULATED.
| How is the number of seals that the lessees
| are permitted to kill regulated?'
"Oh, that is a simple matter" said he. the
| Government for example, has an agent at the
Prbyloff Islands, and when the hunters have
| taken certain number of skns--it was $4,000 in
| this case-they say STOP and the fur seaers have
| to obey. At the Commander Islands the manner
of doing this differs little in detail 1t Is an
| agent in the direct employ Of the Russian Gov
eminent who superintends the killing OF the
seals, and when the requisite number is slain he
turns the animals to the representatives or
the company. The agents Of the two Govern
ments guided in their estimate of the number
to be killed by seeing that 1t does not exceed
that point where the existence or the nero might
be endangered"
There is small rookery at Point Lobus, in the
South Pacific. where 1000 seals were killed dur
ing this season, which are not included In the
total catch which the calculations that nave
been made in this article are based VI the
$50 900 that killed by the peagic sealers,
more than a. 900 were taken by British vessels.
about 10000 by Ameri IAN vessels. and the re-
mainder by the Indians and outside seal-hunters
Ii Is a question whether the poachers are or are
not using firearms This terrific slaughter OF the
animals by the pelagc sealers has been caused
probably on account Of the method OF killing
them with spear.
that white men could not this weapon as
deftly as the Indians do but l am or opinion
now that far as killing seals is concerned they
can use II even more deftly. You see tnat wnen
a seal is killed by this means the rest OF the nero
Is sleeping on the surface OF the water, ana Is
not disturbed, as would be the case II hrearlns
were discharged. The largest number OF the
female seals killed by the poachers are taken
when they are heavy with young, on their way 10
the islands. and it then becomes an easy matter
to kill them"
Does the disparity of the catch on the Com
mander Islands as compared with that on .he
Pribylon Islands indicate that the Russian
agent Is more lax than the American agent!
Not necessarily" he replied. 1T Is because
greater inroads have been made In the one case
than In the oth0. 1t is worth while TO remember
that IL is only within the last two or three years
that large quantities Of seals have been captured
on their way to the Russian breeding grounds
The Pribyloff herd was orig nally larger than
Islands, and for over twenty years ana up 10
about 1889 abb 100000 male seals were
killed annually on the Pribylon Islands Since
then the peagic sealers have wrought sucn htNoc
that If 1t is permitted 10 continue for a t"W
years longer the herd frequentlns the Prlbyiot
Islands at least will be well nigh annihiIated
When Is the season for hunting?
1T begins about February" said he. and ENDS
in September or October. The British vessels
which engage in sealing set out from victoria
and other ports and on their return. after the
voyage Is over and the catch completed, they
make the declaration of the number OF SKINS
they have at the custom-house where my
land. and where their clearance PAPERS arr ~
amined The American sealers. on the o'her
hand start from San Francisco, Seattle ana
other such seaport towns. 1t may De Una.
the reason rather more are killed, or are De'eNeu
10 be killed off the Japanese coast Is because
Russia has not made adequate provision TOT
their protection. Formerly there were no re-
strctions as to shooting. and even SUI this re-
strcton does not apply to the Russian nero Out
now the spear Is the weapon chiefly used
HOW THE HERDS TRAVEL.
icb no
Pribylofr herd takes. and how 1t returns along
the coast of the Gulf Of Alaska. satlated WIN
fish and then passing through the Aleutian
group makes its way to the young ones VINO are
awaiting II on the breeding grounds "heh
gorged with fish the seals sleep on the surface OF
| the water and that is why so many OF them'
when struck and killed drop out Of sight and are
| lost. II the ones which the poachers XIII were
| instead permitted To return to their young ones
| and feed them these young male ones would be-
| come what are called killable seals IN two years
The informant pointed out furthet 10 lN - re-
porter that the herd which frequehts tiie I'm. I'm,
mander Islands travels along the japanese coast
on the other side Of the Pacific, ana makes its
way through the Gulf OF kamchatKa. IL -
while these wonderful animals are around these
waters that the pOacher does his deadly work
Although Russia does not seem sara ne, 70
have taken any decided steps so far 10 ptotec i
the seals il is but fair to say she mas not hau
much opportunity for doing so up 10 the pres
emit" o.,
what was the capture last season?
THE capture last season by the North AMER
cor comnanv" said le was only 1900. but
that is not a standard to judge BY Tor the
modus yivendl was In existence then, ana that
number was killed merely To Keep the hauNss
from starving: and the number that was slaush-
tered on the Commander islands was ABOUT
30 600 Nevertheless. in that very year loyVvo
skins were taken by the peagic sealers II with
nut any international understanding having been
arrived at. and when everybody. in sense II
might be- said was free to capture as many as
r,r tb. Commission of Arbitration had made
its award and adopted certain rules to be ooeyeu
I50 900 were killed the question naturally arises;
How does the work OF the far!s r'oui'd - .snu .
:, htrder the determination OF the fur-bearng
al