New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
A SOUTH SEA SLAUGHTER.
THE MARATHON Or THE SOUTH SHEI'
LAND SEALS

Far beyond the roaring track OF the NOME
ward bound merchantmen lie in the South
poci6c tho grim clusters of salt-whitened isles
marked on the chart as the South Shetianus.
MANY wears have come and gone since their
hungry shores were busy with the labors OF
the sealers. that dsdainful of the terrors OF
snow-laden gale and spindrift-burdened ar
toiled amid the Antarctic weather TO Ill Inc, IheIr
holds with the garments OF the sealoik. lnen,
after perils incredible. the adventures Wouiu
return to port ard waste in week OF deDauch
the fruit of their toll utterly forgetfu OF crash
ing foe or kissing sea frozen h,mos ., omt tbnv
would return resolutely forgetting their 1oily
and wreaking upon the innocent seal all the
rage or regret that would rise within them.
They spared none; bull cow. and calf alike were
slain as if in pure lust Of slaughter. untli the
helplessness of utter fatigue compelled them 10
desist and snatch an interval OF deathhke sleep,
oblivious Of all the grinding bitterness OF their
SURROUNDINGS Life was held cheap among them
a consequence not to be wondered at or It's
hardness and the want of all things that make
life desirable. And yet the stern existence mao
its own strong fascination for those VINO had
become Injured TO il. Few of them ever gave
It up voluntarily. ending their stormy life strug-
gle in some sudden CHASTITY fashion ana peins
almost Immediately forgotten OCCASIONALLY
some sorely MANNED would survive the
horrors Of his dsablement lying in the fetid
forecasle in sullen endurance until the Vessei
reached a port whence he could be tran5Ierred
10 civilization. But there unhappy men fretted
grievousy for the vast openness OF the Ant
arctic the crashing of the ice fangs upon the
black
gale and the ceaseless combat with the relent-
less sea
A HAVEN OF REST.
Many years came and went while the South
ern sealer piled his trade until at last none OF
the reckless shippers could longer disguise from
themselves the fact that their harvest heids
were rapidly becoming completely barren. Few
and far between were the isets frequented by
the seals the majority of the old grounds beng
quite abandoned. one by one the detected flsh-
ermen gave UP the attempt. until in due time
those gaunt Businesses resumed their primitive
loneliness The long, long tempest roared ques-
tioningly over the deserted islands. as II calling
for it's vanished children. and refusing to be
comforted because they were not. Years passed
in solitude but for the busy sea fowl. who. be-
cause they had no commercial value. were lelt
unmolested to eat their fill of the seas rich
harvest and rear among the black rock-cran-
MES their fluffy broods At last, out OF the
midst of a binding smother of snow. there APP
peared one day off the most southerly CUTLER OF
the South ShetandS Il little group OF round
yelvety heads staring with wide. humid eyes
at the surf-lashed fortresses Of the shore. Long
and warily they recOnnotred, ior dlthousn
many generations had passed since their knd
had been driven from those seas the memory
of those pitilesS days had been so steadlIy lahs-
mitted through the race that IL had become
part of themselves. an instinct iniallbe as any
other they possessed. NO enemy appearing
they gradually drew nearer anu nearer uilti i
their leader a fine bull seal OF four seasons TOOK
his courage in both hppers and mounted the
most promising slope, emerging from the io"'',
ing breakers majesticaly. and immediately w
coming a hirpling heap OF clumslness that "p
narantly bore no likeness to the graceful aslle
creature of a few moments before opeuie" 49,,
his flock followed him until they reachen 1T
tie patch Of hard. smooth sand sneitereu w
mj-circlc of great wave worn powders anu au
,nirabv suited to their purpose here WIN
sleepless vigilance of sentines. they resi-
rather brokenly at first, as every I'' ~, a'o" s
the indignant sea fowl startled them put prs
,t,tn
Der. -, , mus
Whence they had come was as grea' a me-
tery as all the deep-water ways OF the
neOplc must ever be to man. or now many nav
ing-places they must have visited and rejected
al the bidding Of their unerring instinct warning
them that the arch destroyers visits were u
be feared. However, they soon maue .ne IN
selves at home, fattening marVelouSiy upon liie
innumerable multitudeS of 1sh that sWdrheu
around the bases of those barren islands ana
between whites hasking in the transient sun
CLEANS that occasionally touched the desolate
land with streaks OF palest gold. And as time
went on being urmOlested in their dornestic
arrangements. the coming generation tumDieu
about the rugged shore in those pretty CAMPUS
that all young things love. learning steadlly
withal to take their appointed places IN tne
adult ranks as soon as they mad proved theii
capability so to do. Thus uneventfully and
haDpily passed the seasons until the little party
OF colonists had grown to he a goOdly nero
with leaders Of mighty proWess' quailileu 10
hold their own against any of their kind ana
Injured to combat by their constantly recurring
battles with each other. their love ahalrs. IN
which they fought with a fury astonishing TO
witness.
THE BATTLE.
But one bright spring morning when after
fu meal the females all doing peacefully
among the powders. and the pups were eleeiuliy
waddng and tumbling among them. there came
a message from the sea to the hghtlng males
who instantly suspended their family battles
to attend to the urgent call. How the news
came they alone knew: its exact significance
was hidden even from them. but sense OF I'M
minent danger was upon them all The females
called up their young and retreated further IN
land among the labyrinth Of rocky peaks that
made the place almost impossible for human