The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-12
PRiBlLOF'S DISCOVERY.
His Finding of the Seal Islands - Last
Years Great Take of Skins.
Especial Correspondence.l


Years Great Take of Skins.
Especial correspondence
VICTORIA, B. c., March at will
probably gladden. the hearts of many
women who delight in the wearing Of
sealskin garments to know that, in spite
of the restrictions, the past season S take
of skins was the largest on record, and
therefore the great advance in price
that has been predicted is not likely to
take place this year at all events.
1t is only seven or eight years over
century now since the eyes of civilized
man were first rejoiced by the sight of
the seal islands Tt was almost 100
years before this discovery that Russian
vessels began to cruise about in the wa
tiers of Boring sea and the northern Pa
cific in search of fur bearing animals.
Kamchatka was discovered early in the
search. The Aleutian islands were pop
ulated, and Alaska was added to the
empire of the czar and labeled "Rus-
sian possessions" on the maps. The en-
tire extreme northwestern portion of
the North American continent was over
run by the employees of more than a
score of Russian fur companies, and the
sea otter and one or two other fur bear
ing animals were almost exterminated.
Seals in plenty were to be seen in the
waters Of the sea, but no seal, by any
chance, ever tarried for moment on
the shore of any land theRussians could
discover, and the natives said they had
never been able to find the animals
home. 1t was, however, somewhere to
the north, they said, and this was evil
EO-~
the seals were observed to be moving
southwark and again, later, to the
north.
AS the other fur bearing animals be-
came scarcer every season, it was soon
a matter of prime Importance for the
Russians to find the mysterious home of
the seals, and so year by year the search
was prosecuted with greater energy.
Finally old Gerassin Pribilof, a mate
in the service of one of the Russian
companies, heard at Unalaska from a
gray haired native story about an is
land in Boring sea where the seals were
plentiful in the proper season beyond
mans widest dreams. The next year,
with the little sloop st. George, he sail
ed into the mists of the Arctic. Seals
he saw in the water by the thousand all
summer, and he sailed hither and yon
in his quest till the severity of the late
fall made it necessary to sail southwark
again. But the breeding place he sought
he could not find This was in 1884,
and the next year, nothing daunted, he
went on another voyage of discovery.
1t was as fruitless as the first, but he
was not discouraged, and in 1885 he set
out again.
This time his persistence was reward
ed by success. It was in July when, as
the st. George was carefully picking
her way through the dense fog, a vague
roaring sound was heard. Then Pribi-
1of knew. as every other man ON the
little vessel knew, that the search had
| at last ended. Some time later the craft
was brought within sight of what has
since been known as st. Georges is
land. Pribilof killed enough seals to
enable him to fill the vessel to the ut
most capacity with skins and sailed
away. first taking possession of the is
land in the name of Russia. When he
departed, he left number of men. who
were to guard the precious discovery,
but they deserted during the winter,
and when he sailed to the island the
next summer he was followed by other
ships, and so the location of the home
and breeding place of the seals became
generally known. Near st. Georges is
land is st. Paul's. discovered on Pribi
lofts second visit, and both are now
known as the Pribilof islands.
W. E. N