The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-12-02
CRUISING FOR SEAL.
Exciting Work Which Only the
Hardy Can Endure.
The Seals Ambushed and Then
Clubbed to Death.

seals has como south as far as the lnti-
tudc of the Straits OF Belle Isle. The
region between these narrows and
Noire Dame Bay is the seals hnbitual
breeding ground. The seals produce
their young upon the ice foes, or
"pans," within few miles OF the
shore. The parent animals swim
about in pursuit of fish, and contentod-
ly follow tho ice wherever il drifts.
The young grow with surprising rapi.
dity. At the age OF three weeks they
have attained about the size OF bull
dog, and replaced the white fur of in
fancy with the dark cont.
Seal ships from Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia and the neighboring coasts sail
early in March. BY that time the ice
is well on in the process of brcaking
up, or spawning abroad" and navi-
CATION has become possible. About the
middle of March the killing begins As
the ships approach the sealing grounds
the final preparations are completed.
The long watch is begun, which is not
relaxed until the active cruise is over.
This watch, lasting from dawn till
dark of every day, is kept up by one
man alone. His importance is recog-
nized in his rank which is next
to that OF the captain. From the
shape OF his station of observation at
the masthead, this individual is known
as "the barrel man." He is provided
with as fine telescope as can be pro-
cured, and skill in it's use is one Of his
most important essentials.
Another part of the preparation is
the division of the ships crew, 200 or
300 in number, into four watches.
Each is put under command of mas
ter OF watch, and is organized into
boats crews and other small divisions
for tho performance of the various
uuties aDOhu sup.
When at length senls are sighted the
word is passed down from the mast
head as quietly as possible. Old seals
may be disturbed by n shout at dis.
tance of miles further reason for eau
tion exists il the observer is within
hearing of other ships. In the latter
case the first ship edges around tow
ard the seals by circuitous route, in
tended to throw others off the track.
Meantime orders are issued forbidling
anyone to show his head above the
rail. The slightest carelessness will
cause the game to disappear into the
water. Perhaps the "pan" OF seals is
sighted by rival ship. In that case
NIL roundabout tactics are dropped,
and race ensues. The four watches
armed with gaff tipped clubs "stand
by" for directions. At the instant the
ship gets among ice too closely packed
for her to proceed further all hands
are overheard.
Away they Iun, cnch master of watch
picking path for his command, which
hurries after him in single file. 1t is
a rough chase; now n climb over n
washed-up ledge of broken ice; again
leap across black strip of water.
Occasionally some unfortunate fellow
falls in, and is fished dripping out on
the gaff of companion. His clothes
are frozen stiff in few seconds, but
he doesn't stop. The seals by this
time are thoroughly alarmed, and it
is important to reach them as quickly
as possible. A seals vital point is his
nose. One blow of the "bat" usually
kills; sometimes, however, an old ami
nal offers hard and dangerous fight.
The men hurry about their work OF
execution with energy, abaied only
after the last of the living seals has
escaped into the water.
The victims are then skinned and
the pelts heaped together in stacks,
surmounted by the ensigns of their re-
spective ownerships. These stacks, by
the way, are another of the objects
designated by the useful term "pan."
A pan" of pelts, like "pan" of
seals, is the supporting fiat cake of ice.
We have the same usage in "pan of
bacon" 1t il seldom that n pan
marked by a flag is molested; feeling
on the subject is prohibitively strong.
After stacking up the pelts as describ-
ed, all hands hurry back to the ship
to continue the search.
At dark the ship returns over her
days course to collect the "pans'' of
pelts. A storm may have arisen. 1t
nj, hao ha