The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-06
KILLING HAIR SEALS.
AN OLD SEALER SAYS 1T is THE HARD.
EST WORK HE KNOWS.

h"o AJitnCUit SuhTaCIGr.
Poor Accommodation on ships For Rest
and Kccupcrntion.
Captain Asply, u slnewy and good look.
Ing young Newfoupdlander, haa followed
the sea during much tho greater part of
ms life, II the incidents he describes are
full OF genuine interest.
Captain Asply declares sealing to be the
hardest work he ever heard Of, and any
one Knowing will testify that the seaman's
standard of hardness Of work Ia not that
OF II man of fashion No man dnres at
tempt n sealing cruise until his endurance
ms pcen demonstrated beyond any ques-
ton. Work IL not tho only consideration.
A strong mnn need not dread labor so long
as ho is allowed time for the necessary re-
~storativo, sleep. But tho conditions of u
sealing cruise nrc such that this, in u grent
measure, must DO denied. Add the rluors
OF constant exposure to tho most extreme
cold, nnd you have q partial summary of IA
sealcr's discomforts.
In the latter part OF February tho great
herd OF about half n million seals has como
south M far as tho latitude Of tho etraits
OF Belle Isle. Tho region between these
narrows md Notrc Dame bay Is the scals'
habitual breeding ground. 1t is among
tho leo OF these waters TINT tho steamship
Slariposa of Montreal is supposed to nave
met her recent fato. The seals praduce
thoir young upon the Ice floos, or 'pnns,"
within IA TOW miles of tho shore. Tho par
ent animals swim about In pursuit OF fish
and contcntedly follow tho leo wherever It
drifts. Tho young grow with surprising
rapidity. At the agc Of 3 weeks they
have attained about tho size of II bulldog
and replaced tho white fur of infancy with
the dirk coat.
Snp1 chtrp fr1a.
Scotia and tho ncighboring coasts snil
cnrly I'm March. BY that time the ice is we'll
ON in the process of breaking up, or
spawning abroad" and navigation has
become possible. About the middle of
March the killing begins. AS tho ships mp
rroach the sculing grounds the final prop
arntions arc completed. The long watch
IL begun, which Is not relaxed until tho
active cruise Is over. This witch. lasting
from dawn till dark Of every day, is kent
up 10y one man alone. His Importance Ia
recognized In his rank, which Is next to
that of the captain. From tho shape of his
station or observation at tho masthead this
Individual Is known MS ''the barrel man."
He is provided with as fine telcscoro ma
can be procured ind skill in its use is one
OF his most important essentials.
Another part of the preparation is tho
DIVISION OF the ships crew, 200 or 800 in
number, into -four watches. Each is nut
Under command Of u muster Of witch and
Is organized nto hoats' crews and other
small divisions for tho performance of tho
various duties abonri ship. 1t Is tho per-
fcction of these details of organization Tint
brings II ships work to the frlctionlcss sys-
tom that isa lnndsnian's constant surprise
When ut length seals nro sighted, the
word is passed down from tho masthead
ms quietly as possible. Old scals may be
disturbed by II shout at n distance OF miles.
Further reason for caution exists If tho
observer is within hearing of other ships.
In tho latter case tho first ship edges
around toward tho seals by II circuitous
route, Intended to throw others of the
track. Meantime orders are issued forbid
ding any ono to show his head above tho
rail-. The slightest carelessnoss will cause
tho game to disappear into tho water. Per
linps the pan" of seals is sighted by n ri
val ship. In that case all roundabout tao.
Tics are dropped and n raco cnsues. 1bc
four watches, armed with gaff tipped clubs,
stand by for directions. Al the instant
the ship gets among FEC too closely pucked
for her to proceed further all hands are
overheard.
Away they run, each master of watch
picking IL path for his command, which
hurries after him in single file. 1t is n
rough chase. Now u climb over n washed
up ledge of broken ice. ngnin a leap across
a black strip OF water. Occasionally some
unfortunate wretch falls III and Is nshed
dripping out OH the gnff Of n companion.
ms clothes are frozen stiff in n few sec
onds, but he doesn' stop. The seals by this
time are thoroughly alarmed, and it is i'm
portant to reach them ms quickly as posi-
BILE. A seals vital point Is his nose. 1t is
on that organ that the attack Is made. One
blow OF tho bat" usually kills. Some.
times, however, an old animal offers n hard
and dangerous fight. The men hurry
about their work Of execution with energy,
abatcd only after the last of the living
seals has escaped into the water.
The victims are then skinned and the
pelts henped together in stacks, surmount-
ed by the cnsigns Of their respective own
erships. These stacks, by the way, arc
another of the objects designated by tho
useful term pan" A "pan' of potts,
like n pm" of seals, is the supporting
Tat cake of Ice. Wo have tho same usage
In pan of bacon" 1t is seldom that n
pan marked by q flag is molested. Feel.
ing on the subject is prohibitivcly strong.
After stacking up tho pclts rs described
all hands hurry back to tic ship to con-
tinGe the search. After hours of rushing
about over q slippery footing, handling
SHINING the heavy bodies OF the
game, and perhaps Il cuflle with n rivals
crew, 1t Is only natural I. think of rest.
But at this point the hardship only begins.