The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-02-03
DANGEROUS SHOOTING.
Clubs More Reliable Than Gums In
Hunting the Seal.
The Wonderful Eject Of Music on the
Timid Animals A Green Hunters
Narrow Escape from Being
Torn to Pieces.

Seals are very fond Of music, and the
hunters who pursue them most success-
fully often make use of some musical
instrument to attract them. In "a
Seal Hunt on the Basket Islands a
writer in Outing describes an adven-
ture with seals, when a gun proved a
dangerous weapon. The oars dipped
slowly, O'Brien's eyes were fixed on
the caves, and the boatmen sung in
unison weird, wild song in a. kind OF
undertone. To the writer this seemed
hunt; but he was still more surprised
when one of the men produced a flute
and played on it 4 quaint, sympathetic
air, that echoed and re-echoed among
the caves The musical effects were
marvellous; but our author turned to
O'Brien and asked: What is the
meaning of all this?'' ooh. it is to al.
tract the seals. In few minutes you
will see them basking on the water
and on the lodges, charmed almost to
Inconsistencies by the music
And so it happened; for underneath
on ian easy ledge" we saw two seals
scramble up and lie quietly listening.
Now is our time" said O'Brien. and
the boatmen gently rowed toward the
continuing his tune.
Without gun or spear my frien1
sprang to the rocky ledge. He had
with him only bludgeon and a long
knife. Noiselessly advancing upon the
seals he dealt one of them blow on
the nose and then slid forward ana
KILLED it with his knife. Thus our first
capture was made.
''Why not shoot the poor brutes, and
go end the affair?' asked,
O'Brien laughed. My dear sir, "he
replied, ''it is impossible. I will prove
1t to you. You have your rifle with
you Well, the next time we meet a
seal will allow you to do the work
with powder and ball. and we shall see
how you fare
Then we went over to CarrigduH and
endeavored with music to inveigle 9th
er seals And we We're rewarded, fo>
far within the great cave there ap'
peared splendid male, much larger
than those we had before seen-not a
common seal, but one of the large
bearded seals. He was, to all appear
nnce, unconscious of our approach.
The flute player continued his tune,
and the oars pushed the waters as
.noiselessiy as possible until we were
within few yards of the game.
Now, trv your gun, whispered
NRrien.
climbed out Of the yawl and got
close to the seal. I feared to get too
close, lest should frigh LEN him Off the
ledge, SO 7 rested against the Shiny
rock, and, taking careful aim at point
between his shoulders, fired.
The din WAS awful. 1t seemed as il
the little island wcr1 being blown to
pieces by some m odern battery. be-
came aware, too soon. that my shot
had not killed the animal, and that by
IN series Of curious spine~made move
u,euts he had come close 80 me aad
caught my ankle in his powerful jaws.
nearly fell was too fear-strichen
to cry out.
All tbis happened in moment. |
felt nav ankle crunch as though the
foct would come off. As swiftly as
possible reloaded. ccnld scarcely
see the brute that held my ankle. so
blinded was from pain, And could
not understand why it was that
O'Brien had not come to nay rescue.
But there was no time to spare. l
must lose my leg or kill the seal.
Placing the muzzle of the rifle
against what seemed to be the shout
der OF the seal, fired The hold on
my ankle relaxed for an instant; then
came a more angry bite on the thick
part of my leg, and became conscious
of some one near me. dull blow
sounded, and | tainted
It appears that O'Brien, who was
looking on all the while, clarnbered on
the rock where was engaged with the
seal and with blow Of his biudgeol
ended the battle. In all likelihood he
saved me from death.
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