The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-02-22
DANGEROUS SHOOTING.
Clubs More Reliable Than Gums in
Hunting the Seal.
Tho 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 'tA
Seal Hunt on the Basket Islands a
writer in Outing describes an adven-
ture with seals, when 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 kind of
undertone. To the writer this seemed
a curious accompaniment to seal
hunt; but he was still more surprised
when one of the men produced a flute
and played on it a 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?'' ''Oh, it is to at
tract the seals. In a few minutes you
will see them basking on the water
and on the lodges, charmed almost to
unconsciousness by the music"
And so it happened; for underneath,
on ''an 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
fascinated seals, the hute-player still
continuing his tune.
Without gun or spear my friend
sprang to the rocky ledge. He had
with him only a bludgeon and long
knife. Noiselessly advancing upon the
seals he dealt one of them a blow on
the nose and then slid forward and
killed it with his knife. Thus our first
capture was made.
''Why not shoot the poor brutes, and
so end the affair?'' 1 asked.
O'Brien laughed. my dear sir, "he
replied. sit is impossible. 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 Carrigduff and
endeavored with music to inveigle 9TH
er seals. And we were rewarded, for
far within the great cave there ap-
peared a 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
ance, unconscious of our approach.
The flute player continued his tune,
and the oars pushed the waters as
noiselessly as possible until we We're
within a few yards of the game.
Now, try your gun," whispered
O'Brien.
I. climbed out of the yawl and got
close to the seal. 1 feared to get too
close, lest should frighten him off the
ledge, SO 1 rested against the Shiny
rock, and, taking careful aim at a point
between his shoulders. fired.
The din was awful. 1t seemed as if
the little island were being blown to
pieces by some modern battery. 1 be-
came aware, too soon, that my shot
had not killed the animal. and that by
a series of curious spine-made move
ments' he had come close. to me and
caught my ankle in his powerful jaws
1 nearly fell. I was too fear-stricl-en
to cry out.
All this happened in a moment.
felt my ankle crunch as though the
foot would come off. As swiftly as
possible I reloaded. 1 could scarcely
see the brute that held my ankle, sc
blinded was Ifrom pain. And 1 could
not understand why it was that
O'Brien had not come to my rescue
But there was no time to spare.
must lose my leg or kill the seal.
Placing the muzzle of the rife
against what seemed to be the shoul
der of the seal, fired. The hold on
my ankle relaxed for an instant; ther
came more angry-bite on the thick
part of my leg, and became corsciou:
of some one near me. A dull blow
sounded, and 1 tainted.
1t appears that O'Brien, who wa.
looking on all the while, clambered or
the rock where 1 was engaged with tho
seal and with blow of his bludgeor
ended the battle. In all likelihood b,
saved me from death.