The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-24
SEAL MILLIEVS in TEAE Icy N0RTEA.

not Rugged her for the moment TOO tightly
IA It's icy embrace.
moment was lost IN vain regre. Or useless
hopes Boats provisions. clothes. and al
they could save OF tia years outfit were
hastily piled on the Gee but before his own
clothes were saved. monetary sf2ekea-
Ing Of the tee occurred, and at once. head
nrss. down Ike a stcns seat the good
ship, swapping her nsasts Ike niascAwood
as she took the fatal plunge through the
Ice
Now began a sorrowful march FOR the
shore. as the 800 men, carrying or drag
Efrg all they could. started for home.
Empty cCpboarss. pale faces ard hungry
mouths were all that these brave fellows
had TO face after the long and sorrowful
march OF 30 miles and more. Yet Il was
but history repeating .tseif here also. and
many tale we listened to Of days AMI
even weeks, spent on the treacherous
pans by shspwreckei sealing crews On
board. the special feeling was that only hv
spectai providence no mere OF the feet
had turned fte island for all would lnev-
ttably have been lost
The aFh broke fine and the long and
narrow Neptune worked her way cieversy
through the Ice. and once again fiStanced
all her rivals. This IS a nohle xrht 10
watch rom the gfddy height of the crows
hes. and when the ship strikes heavily
AGAINST solid mass OF Ace ard IS hrouehe
up 'ail standing" one can eujoy I'm the
barrel unique sensation as OF an arrow.
Just leaving the bowstr,ng. We took a
young mood seal and few young harps,
as We fought our way all 6av to the north
and west. All night we continued the bat
tie: and the day after We raised through
al least thousand seals But II was Sum
day. on which day Our captain would not
touch them. but just went ahead. hoping
a \
For services on Sunday there was No
place but the hold. II was far too cold
to De on deck. and vet. to get room nelov
quite half the congregation must be IN
bed. There was no help for Il. however
ana quickly at service time not only all
the rough hunks and pounds were full OF
men. but also the spaces between ifnumer-
able boxes, barrels. puncheons coal lock-
ers. bread sacks. etc. Sailors are ALWAYS
quick To pick up tunes. and the notes OF
Old familiar hymns used to ring out Justify
from the open hatch and were lost in the
endless Ice fields. though the rude shocks
ana Eruesome noises which greeted us
down below as We charged the Ice would
nave disconnected MORE sophisticated
audience My pulpit was the companion
LADDER. though even there the lower steps
were occupied by my crowded congregation
Now had great opportunities OF watch
Ing the young seals. Balls Of snow-white
nun. these innocent looking babies
lie baskilg in their icy cradles,
equally happy in sunshine or fall
ing snow. sometimes for hours on
their backs, tapping their fiippers
impotentiy like fans, unable from sheer
Tat 10 get over again. In the coolest.
stormiest season they grow fastest and
fattest so marvelously does nature pro-
vide for their necessities Nor does size
do less for the old seals. So thin that they
sink at once II shot in the water In sum-
mer as winter approaches they fatten and
fatten up TIL now they enjoy this terri
Div cold weather as We would a bath In
summer. They dive IN or the Zee. paddle
to and fro In the water. throw themselves
on their backs and float. putting out their
chests and throwing showers of water over
their upturned noses with their foreflip-
perA Side stroke and breast stroke, diving
and sounding. they sport about til one
almost feels tempted to follow and share
their rapturous pleasures.
All next day disappointment awaited us
Though breakfast was taken before day
light In anticipation Of great things not
seal did we see all day except that
through our glasses we couid see the
steamer Hope ieisurely taking those We
had passed through yesterday. AT even
ing an enormous sun sank like a glorious
red ball OF fire behind the horizon. dyeng
all its ptnnacleS and bergs first golden and
then blood-red. while at night the northern
lights and the young moon made its sur
face one vast sheet Of CHANGING silvery
spangies. dancing like leaves as the ethery
waves lit up now one portion. now another
of the heavens The water. too. near the
ship Tapped up over the ice. and the phos-
phorescent animaiculae really left on the
surface appeared Ike far-off fairy lamps
buried away down in It's inenost recesses.
We made great progress that night. and
at daylight there were welcome signs Of
seals. 'Bobbing holes were sighted in
seals heads were constantly popping 10
breathe or sniff and stare at the strange
intruder
The excitement Instantly grows intense,
now a few "whitecoats'' are visible The
captain has been some hours In the barrel.
Alas! We are begged" and can get
neither ahead or astern. "Aii hands roll
the ship" came from aloft. Three hundred
men rush from port 10 starhoard. and star
board TO port. making the ship lurch from
side TO side. and loosening the grip of the
fee. Now all hands are out with ice chis-
els. axes. crowbars. and huge rope
around her bow. A hundred men pulling
on each side of her. another hundred ham,
mering. lowering and choppsng: the pro-
reller going full speed and every one shout
ing and yelling. the whole as seen from
the barrel resembling an eryny OF ants,
forming and reforming marching and coun-
termarehing. iii az last a huge yell an
nounces that the ship IL moving once more.
Then there is desperate scramble for the
ship from the sides OF which hang long
wooden tenders up the sides Of which the
men climb. IL IL bitterly cold again. the
wind t. increasing and slight snow falling.
but at last we can hear the loud bleating Of
the young seals fro rnthe deck. and no one
thinks or the weather: even dinner Is for
gotten. and every man Is on deck. his knife
sharpened and in his belt, booted and eager
for the fray. Exactly at midday the order
from the masthead Is shouted down: "Ai
hands on the .cet' Haul all pelts to the
shipr' and almost IN less time than II takes
20 write II the men are overheard and scat
terfng in all directions.
Now the killing Of young seals has been
frequently described as brutal and brutal
izing and the seal hunters depicted as In
conceivable savages and this not only by
shrieking faddist.s and afternoon tea drink
ers- But 10 my mind the work is not nearly
SO hrutaliz.ng as the ordinary killing OF
sheep. pigs or oxen. driven terror-stricken
20 the shangoles. which are already reeking
with their fellows blood.
Here the animal Is too young 70 feel