The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-02

shooting was done and a number were
killed, but not as many as was expected.
1t was decided that it would be best to
avoid firing upon the rookeries as long as
the sea lions. At last q desirable loca-
ton was found, but to reach it was dan
gerous. Yesterday morning after
hearty breakfast at the dairy farm of r.
E. Dickson where the hunters were &C
commodated in fine style, they sailed
forth. After a walk of half an hour they
reached the Government lands on which
the lighthouse and signal station is To-
Gated, and began the descent to the wa
ter'S edge. A part of the way was down
rickety ladder, placed there by some
adventurous fisherman, but long out OF
use. This is thirty feet long, and below
the rocks are as treacherous as the lad
der, only small shelves projecting to al
ford an unsatisfactory toothold. Win
pockets filled with ammunition and rifles
strapped to their backs the men care
fully worked their way down the face of
the cliff, a high gale threatening to dash
them to the depths below every moment.
The descent required fifteen minutes, but
at last a safe footing was obtained near
the water, close to one of the small reefs
around which the seals had to pass on
their way from the fishing grounds on
the south reef to the rookeries. The hunt
erS crouChed behind a small rock to be
sheltered from the wind, but not from the
spray and Spume of the sea, which
dashed over them with every roller of the
Pacific.
AS the sea lions passed by their appear
ance at the surface was met with sharp
report of one or both rifles. Where the
shots were instantly fatal the large
beasts stretched out on the water without
a movement, but where the bullets failed
TO find the vital spot the commotion was
terrific. The wounded creatures would
below, thrash and founder violently,
spouting great streams of blood, for the
animals are very full blooded, and
wounded sea lion will redden the sea for
yards around. 1t is safe to say. that not
one of the wounded escaped, their very
exertions accomplishing all that the bull
let's failed in. Besides, one of the rifles
shot half metal jacketed soft pointed bull
let's that to expand az on coming in contact
banded points tore great holes, that
drained the blood very rapidly.
The procession that swan to its death
was varied. Great bulls that weighed
from one ton to ton and a half, large
COW seals with yellow bodies, spotted
leopard seals, black barking seals and the
half-grown of all kinds afforded targets
for the hunters.
Many of the killed went to the bottom
at once, and the few that died with air in
their lungs fioated out to sea, so that
will ever annoy the people along the
shore. AS the run along the cliff de-
creased it was decided to make an on
slaught upon the rookeries proper. Gain
! ing point about $50 yards from the rock
cries, for the hunters could get no near
er, stand was taken upon point or
IOChS III luil view VI the Del1OWlllSs Dd1 n
ing beasts. The rifle sights were run up
for the required elevation and large
quantity of cartridges were placed so as
to be handy for fusillade. There were two
objective points to be covered. On one
ledge, twelve feet from the water lay
basking in the sun about seventy-f1ve sea
lions. A little further to the left was
rough rock upon which rolled and tum-
bled many more. Scarcely a foot OF the
rocks but were thus covered.
Are you ready? asked Wilson. Turn
loose'' The two rifles spoke together.
Then the reports of the two alternated,
the sharp crack of the SmokeleSS powder
arm contrasting strangely with the louder
bang of the black powder rifle. 1t must
have been that the gale was so strong
that the reports were faint to the ears of
the sea lions for it took them several
minutes to comprehend that death was
swinging his scythe among them; But
! they were soon alarmed by the belloWlIig
and barking of the wounded and by the
rolling of the dead from the rocks. Then
| with a rush the whole herd tumbled into
the breakers and disappeared. This gave
an opportunity to replenish the nearly
empty magazines, which. by the way, had
been emptied and filled once since the
shooting began. Even at that great dis
lance the deadly effect of the bullets was
to be seen. Large patches OF blood APP
reared upon the surface of the water,
marking the location of dead or wounded.
The number of these will never be known,
for as stated the swift ocean currents
soon carried away the helpless and de-
funct
No sooner were the magazines of the
rifles replenished than the frightened