The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-08-16
DANGEROUS SllUUi!Nts.
Ou6B More Reliable Than Guns ir
Hunting the Seal.
ne Wonderful Eff+- OF rusic on rfis
Timid Animals \ Green hunters
Narrow Escape from l.cinS
Torn to Pieces.

writer in Outing describes - --':
ture with seals, when Il gun l:'': \ q
dangerous weapon. The oar tipped
slowly, O'Brien's eyes were ii:>d eli
the caves, and the boatmcn :,il;;T III
unison weird, wild song III Lind on
undertone To the writer III = seemed
curious accompaniment to se;! !
hunt; but he was still more surprised
when one of the men produced iir:>'
and played on it quaint. :, Eirat-i''i =
air. that echoed and re-cchucd ;l:.t'!.:;
the caves. The musical ctre"t> were
marvellous: but our author turned to
O'Brien and asked: What Is the
meaning of all this?'' ''Oh. II i, 10 at
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 qEie3s,; !i:,trI.nG.
''NOw is our time" s;ii:i G.: rem. and
the boatmen gently rowcd toward the
fascinated seals, the tlute-playcr still
continuing his tune.
Without gun or spear my friend
xprang to the rocky Ledge. He had
with him only blud~eoA aid Il lon
knife. Noiselcs:,ly advant ~ upon ,h2
seals he dealt one of thrn. y blow on
the nose and then slid Il ward and
killed it with his knife Thus our first
capture was made.
Why not shoot the poor brutes, and
80 end the affair" asked.
O'Brien laughed. My dear sir, 'he
replied. sit is impossible. | will prove
it to YOU. lsu have your rifle with
You. Well, the next time we meet a
seal I 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 invcigie 9TH
er seals. And we were rewarded. for
far within the great cave" there APP
peared splendid male. much larger
than those we had before scen-not a
common seal, but one of the large.
bearded seals. He was, to all appear
ance, unconscious Of cur approach.
The flute player continued his tune,
aud the oars pushed the waters a.;
noiselessly as possible until we were
within few yards Of the game.
''Now, try your gum" whispered
OBrien.
climbed out of the yawl and got
close to the seal. | feared to get too
close, lest I should frightcn him off the
ledge, SO / 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 were being blown to
pieces by some modern battery. be.
came aware, too soon. that my shot
had not killed the animal, and that by
. series of curious spine-made move.
nents he had come close to me and
caught my ankle in his powerful jaws
I nearly fell. / was too fear-stricken
to cry out.
All this happened in a moment.
felt my ankle crunch as though the
foot would come off. AS swiftly as
possible / reloaded | could scarcely
see the brute that held my ankle, sc
blinded was from pain. And could
not understand why it was tina,
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 shout
der OF the seal, | fired. The hold on
nay ankle relaxed for an instant; ther
came more angry bite on the thick
part of my leg, and I became coEsciou.
of some one near me. A dull blow
sounded, and / tainted.
1t appears that O'Brien, who wa.
looking on all the while, clambered OF
seal and with a blow of his bludgeo1
ended the battle. In all likelihood b,
saved me from death.
HELlO OF +; 3, 0LECN.
.. ft...e on Wh:e. a, .;'rr of Europ
Cut His .r,s ...:.....
l. writer in the Critic tells q tru
story. illustrating that species of coir
.:denc which is always happening
slis nrosaic world.
me day, as we were sitting on tn
..xzza, the conversation turned b
nance upon curiOS and relies.
This is rather an interesting so,
venir," said young lady. displaying
charm attached to her watch chain.
vss a dark blue stone, oval il shap,
abo1t an inch and a half long, an
severed with hieroglyphics. 1t was
handsome thing, and would have d.
lighted an antiquarian as much for i
beauty as its apparent age.
"What dc you suppose it is?' /,
CURED the owner.
We rubbed our foreheads and though
"Pharaoh's signet-ring," suggeste
one.
"a charm from Westinghouse fob
said another.
''You would never guess" replied Il
young lady, land viii tell you. 1t is
and she dangled it before our inquirir
eyes, sit is the stone on which Nap
leon Bonaparte cut his first teeth.'
Before most of us had time to I
cover from the shock Of this announc
ment practical-mindcd member of Il
party pointed to the hieroglyphics, al
asked:
"Are those the prints of his teeth?''
On closer inspection. however. tn,
appeared to be Arabic characters.
Are you sure that the stone is real
what you say?" asked doubter.
Perfectly" was the assured answe
1T was given to my mother by JOSEF
Bonaparte when he lived in Borde
town, and he told her that the bal
Napoleon, when he was just beginnn
20 take notice, clUtcAcd at the stol
which his mother were on . chain abo
her neck, ard was so determined
have it that &c took it from her ov
neck and pu' it around his. After ths
L. ! Ill l. L.