Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-12
THE Willy SEA OTTER
ITS PELT IS HIGHLY PRICED AND HARD
TO OBTAIN.

Nose when Alive and All Fur when
Dead-Its Capture II Attended With
Great Dangers and Hardships.
Fifty pounds sterling. or $3.50, per
skin is not an unusually high average
price to pay for the fur of the sea otter.
and at fur sales in London a much
higher price has often been asked and
received. Much. of course. in the mat
ter of price depends upon the condition
uhd size of the skin. The animal when
it is alive and wearing 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. the actual 'pelt.
is of fair size
Ever since Boring, sailing from Rms
STA, discovered Alaska and found its ma
tives clad in otter skin this fur has
been tine prime object of the pelt hunt
ers' desire. Sable. marten. mink and
even ermine can be trapped or shot
without extraordinary trouble. Seals
are driven inland like fools to be slaugh-
tered and skinned at their captors' lei
sure. 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 Uniting from the southern cor
ner of Alaska. which is the northwest
corner of the continent. Alaska. n pc
ninsula, which breaks off into Il chain
of islands called the Aleutians- just
where the peninsula ends and the is
lands begin Il 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 Saa-
Hak island TO the southwest the bulk of
the sea offers are taken.
Thoroughly impressed with the val
ne 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 II 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 20 minutes at time.
Sometimes a stray otter may be shot
from the land as he plays in the surf,
but the chief methods of his capture
are 'stfie surround" and clubbing. In
the former case party of Aleutian is
landers are conveyed to Saanak, there
to 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 tobac
co smoked. or the hope of a capture
would be vain. For the otter is all
eyes and ears and nose when alive; all
fur when dead
Upon n calm day the hunters paddle
gently over the sea in their skin canoes,
keeping an eager eye upon the rolling
surf for a sign of the prey. A hunter
sees an otter and makes a quiet signal
to his mates. Like Il flash the quarry
has dived. Raising his oar aloft, the
man who found the otter remains as
buoy above the place of the animal
disappearance. while his mates form in
a huge circle with him in the center.
In 30 minutes. at most, the otter
comes up again in sight of some of the
canoe men y 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 repeated,
till at length his body is so gas inflated
that lie 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 re-
suit of his three months catch.
To be n successful hunter requires n
Spartan scorn of comfort. huge pa
thence, keenness of vision and readiness
of resource. as well as great dexterity
in the handling of Il risky craft and
an intimate knowledge of your quarry's
habits which it requires n lifetime of
under trying conditions to
gain.
1.-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 a
gale from doing anything save |
sleep or smoke One or two of the men.
Knowing. seemingly by INSTINCT that |