The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21
SEALING IN THE ATLANTIC
Hardships of the Fisheries Off the
Newfoundland Coast
\ Valuable Catch Made in Brief
Period of Time-How the Men Live
Aboard the Stcnmers-A Substitute
for Olive OiI-I<ilIing OF the Herds

ST JOHNS. y. F.. April 2O-Not ever
the Klondille itself can be more tempting
than the seal fishery off the coast of New
foundland every spring. II is only few
weeks since the fleet of twenty seal ships
sailed for the ice foes, and already the
majority of them are home again. laden
to the matches Their catch aggregates
$4,000 seals, and the steamers still to re-
turn viii probably swell the total to near
ly 10000
These seals are worth in the market
here 81 80 each, on an average, or $4,000
in all. and when the oil and skins are
exported a profit of at least % per cent is
realized, so the total value of this year 5
catch win approach $4,000 of the total,
one-third, or perhaps $4,000, goes to the
seal men and laborers. the remainder re-
coupling the ship-owners very handsomely
for their venture.
The fishery as it is locally termed.
entails the greatest risks and discomforts
TO those engaged in it. The ships are very
small running from 200 to $50 tons. ana
they carry from 100 to go men each In
all, the twenty ships this year had i.2a'
souls aboard. one wonders how the men
are slowed away, but they are packed in
somehow, and seem to he proof against
all ordinary forms of illness. They sleep
where they can and eat what they can get.
Sufficient berth-room is supposed to be
available in the tween decks for each
man to spread a straw hammock, but,
under an Arctic temperature, the poor
fellows, scantily clad, as many of them
are. may be pardoned if they strew
themselves along by the boilers, and in
every other Granny where some warmth
is obtainable When the ship kills her
load of seals the men have to sleep and
live on deck Their pallets Of straw are
thrown overheard. their sleeping places
are filled with the all-important seals and
their clothes-bags are piled on the fore
castle Then the men huddle IN groups
about the decks until port is reached.
This year exceptional fortune awaited
the fleet They found the seals within two
days of leaving port, and the first ship
was back on the eleventh day after sail
ing For the week occupied in killing and
securing her load, the 245 men composing
her crew lived on sea biscuit and cold
water They were too busy to take time
for cooking in the days and too tired at
night. Every man on board was spurred
ON by the desire to get back to port the
first of the fleet.
What toll and endurance this involved
will be best realized when the fact is
borne in mind that the ships were off the
bleak coast Of Labrador. that the fields
of ice covered the whole ocean, that the
cold was away below zero, and that biz-
yards frequently swept the foes. while
the men ranged about the ice from sun
rise to dark. frequently falling into the
water. For the whole voyage. whether ii
occupies two weeks or six, the men never
change their clothing or wash themselves.
The whole company is packed every
night into space no larger than an ordi-
nary room, without light, ventilation, or
sanitary arrangements. and until this sea-
son every ailment was treated by the
ships steward-wbo usually pinned his
faith to two medicines, EPSON salts mixed
in a tin can, or black draught admins
tered by the cupfui.
No more unattractive occupation could
well be imagined, and yet il has charm
going to sea has had for boys I'm all ages.
Much has been written by Dana, Bullen,
and others of the discomforts of the
whaleship, but even they are insignificant
beside the filth of the sealer.
The objective is the young seal: it is a
baby of one month old. helpless, and al
most childlike in aspect. 1t is killed with
an iron-shod club and then cut open. The
skin has thick layer of fat attached and
the two are called the 'pelt" This is
torn away from the frame of the seal, and
when, as sometimes happens. the unfor-
tunate animal has merely been stunned
and not killed by the blow from the club,
its sufferings when It RECEIVERS denuded
of its coat, are pitiable in the extreme.
The pelts are thrown into the hold. The
oil from the fat and the blood saturate
the whole vessel. The men get covered
from head to foot with it; the ice plain is
splashed with the gore and smeared with
the oily trails that radiate in every d.
rection with the ship as a centre
The smell Of rancid seal flesh after a
week or so is such that no charnel-house
could compare it. All the work of hand
flffn he oil
ing the skins, and fitting out the vessels
is relegated to the south side Of the har-
Dor Of st. Johns, where no other business
is carried on.
A good seal fishery though. in spite of
these drawbacks, is heartily welcomed by
everybody. 1t reacts upon the other pur-
suits Of the colony, and. as IT opens the
spring, its success or failure influences
the outfit for the cod fishery. In a small
colony like this. with but 100000 in all, the
circulation of $4,000 or so within month
means a great deal, while the investment
of another $4,000 in the succeeding guar
ter in stimulating the codding industry
makes all the difference between conf
dence and dependency in our local af-
fairs.
Last year was an unusually good year,
and the total catch was $4,000 seals.
This spring il is almost certain that this
total will be exceeded, and the outfitters
are already talking of adding to the feet
for next year. Some Dundee and Nor
wegian whaleships are available, and the
collapse OF tndl INDUSTRY VIII cause lDeIn
to be sold cheap. Two, or even three,
additional boats may be got for next year.
which will give places to another loo
men.
More stringent regulations are called for
to prevent the slaughter Of immature
seals. The men are not supposed TO kill
them until they are well grown, when they
weigh forty TO forty-five pounds; but this
year the butchers got among the herds
TOO soon, and thousands of those taken
tipped the scales at only thirty pounds.
continuance of this would exterminate the
herds in a few years 1t is. therefore,
probable that the ships will be restrained
from sailing on March 10. the present
date, and kept back until the 18th. which
would give the seals two days more TO
grow, and they add about four pounds to
their weight daily.
American epicures will be surprised to
learn that seal oil, when properly refined
forms excellent olive oil" and is used
as such to large extent, no less than
100 tons Of last years product being sold
in Sicily for that purpose. Doubtless a
large proportion Of il was exported to the
United States as best Lucca oil" The
seal oil is also used instead of cod-liver
oil in some emulsions and other medicinal
preparations. But its main use is in max.
ing the best classes Of toilet soap. The
skins are converted into patent-leather
and kid gloves. The Newfoundland seal
Is not fur-bearing mammal. like its kim
dred Of Boring Sea, and consequently it
has no importance as subject for seal
skin sacks for ladies.
Old Gooseberry for New Ships.
Qrom the English Navy and Military Record)