Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-07

THE Willy SEA OTTER.
ITS PEuTiS HIGHLY PRICED AND
HARD TO OBTAIN.

ITS PELTiS HIGHLY PRICED AND
HARD TO OBTAIN.
The Animal j., All Eyes, Ears and hose
When Alive and All Fur When Dead Its
Capture i, Attended With Great Dangers
and hardshps
Fifty pounds sterling, or $3.50, per
skin = not an unusually high average
rrlcc t. pay Tor the fur oil the sea
otter. and nj fur sales in London a
much higher price has often been
asked and received. Much, of course,
IN the matter of price depends upon
the condition and size OF the skin.
The animal when it is alive and wear
ing the fur itself is from three to five
feet in length from nose to tail tip,
though the skin lying upon It in loose
folds. and the actual opel" is of fair
sI/c.
Ever since Boring, sailing from Rus
eia, discovered Alaska and found its
natives clad in otter skin this fur has
been the prime object OF the pelt hunt
ers' desire. Sable, marten, mink and
even crmine can be trapped or shot
without extraordinary trouble. Seals
are driven inland like fools to be
slaughtered and skinned at their cap
tors leisure But the sea otter must
be sought diligently as the diamond,
for three centuries of experience have
made him wise.
Upon the map OF North America
may be seen jutting from the southern
corner of Alaska, which is the north
west corner Of the continent, Alaska,
peninsula, which breaks off into q
chain OF islands called the Aleutians.
Just where the peninsula ends and the
islands begin point may be noticed
marked Belkovsky.
This is the headquarters of the sea-
otter hunters, and between here and
Chernaboor island to the south and
Saanak island to the southwest the
bulk OF the sea offers are taken.
Thoroughly impressed with the
value Of his own skin, the sea otter
takes care OF it by living far away
from the mainland, sleeping with one
eye open, upon the floating weed
beds or sea washed reef exposed to
the full fury of the north Pacific.
At the slightest sign of the approach
of man he dives deep, and stays below
for 90 minutes at time.
Sometimes q stray otter may be shot
from the land as he plays in the surf,
but the chief methods of his capture
are "the surround" and clubbing. In
the former case a party of Aleutian
islanders are conveyed to Saanak,
there tn encamp for two or three
months.
Woe to the hunters if the wind be
off the shore, for then no fire may be
lit to make the beloved tea, no pipe
of tobacco smoked, or the hope OF
capture would be vain. For the otter
is all eyes and ears and nose when
alive; all fur when dead.
Upon calm day the hunters pad
die gently over the sea in their skin
canoes, keeping an eagle eye upon the
rolling surf for sign of the prey. A
hunter sees an otter and makes quiet
signal to his mates. Like flash the
quarry has dived. Raising his oar
aloft, the man who found the otter
remains as buoy above the place
of the animals disappearance, while
his mates form in huge circle with
him in the center.
In 20 minutes, at most, the otter
comes up again in sight of some of the
canoe men. A frightful yell drives
the poor brute below again before he
has had time to fill his lungs. Shortly
he is again seen, and the process is re-
peated, till at length his body is so
gas inflated that he cannot sink and
falls prey to the lucky hunter whose
spear first pierces that too rich coat OF
his.
Luck varies, and the sea otter is
yearly rarer and more shy, but, if for
tunate, each hunter may have from
two to five skins for the traders as the
result of his three months catch.
To be successful hunter requires
q Spartan scorn of comfort, huge
patience, keenness of vision and readi.
ness of resource, as we'll as great dex-
terity in the handling of risky craft
and an intimate knowledge of your
Quarry's habits which it requires a
lifetime Of observation under trying
conditions to gain.
."The surround" then, is no joke,
but clubbing next door to suicide.
The hunters encamped upon Saanak
have been for a day or two prevented
by bowling gale from doing anything
save sleep or smoke. One or two oil
the men, knowing, seemingly by in.
stinct, that the gale has almost blown
itself out, prepare for a clubbing expe-
ditiOn.
Should they in the dark and turmoil
miss the islands some score of miles
away they are carried out into the
ocean aud certain death. If, on the
other hand, they make their haven
they land and creep, club in hand
over the rocky coast to the ocean
swelled reef where the offers sleep.
The roar of the gale browns the
II Al Al