The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-08
SEAL HUNTING
IN GREENLAND.
Present Season Promises Very
Well for the Fleet.
THE SPORT IS VERY EXCITING.
Skins and Oils The Product Sought and The
Value Runs Into Great
Big Figures.
THE SPORT IS VERY EXCITING.


rev of the sealing steamer Hope, which
ressel was lost short time ago In the
Gulf OF St Lawrence. the seal catch OF
the present season promises 10 be a most
pfoitable one for both owners and crews.
But the confirmation OF this prediction
VIII not be made until the return of the
fleet: rather, the close OF the season.
about the last OF May.
The Hope had a catch of 5000 seals,
with good prospect of fun cargo, when
the ice foe I'm which she had been caught
swept her up on rocky ledge which soon
Knocked holes In her bottom and she be-
came "A total wreck
The captain reported that the northern
bays along the coast or Labrador were
packed with the ice foes and that the
hurricane weather caused heavy seas 10
sweep over the ice fields for several days,
which made IL Impossible for the hunters
10 leave their ships.
When the weather should abate the
sealing would he resumed. and there
was every prospect of "A big catch.
A gentleman connected with one OF the
recent Arctic expeditions. who made a
study Of the mineral and natural history
departments of Greenland and its waters,
said TO New York Sun reporter:
seal-catching and the excitement attend
ant upor IL so well AZ those who have
had the experience. Despite its dangers
the excitement and uncertainty OF the
chase make IL the most attractive kind OF
sport. hence many join m IL for no other
reason than the sport
s'You will understand that the seals OF
Baffin's bay and Smiths sound are not
the fur seals OF Behrfng sea- they are
known TO commerce the hair seal.
Their birthplace Is In the Arctic ocean,
but the ice fields on which they see their
first daylight are drifted down by the
Polar current toward the coast of New
foundland
1T IL interesting TO study the habits OF
the seal family and TO watch them In the
hunt. The seal igloos. or houses are of
peculiar construction. The mother will
make a perpendicular hole through the
tee which may be FIVE feet or more in
thickness. on top o< which and under a
canopy Of snow she Will build a dome OF
= diameter larger than the hole.
HOMES OF THE SEALS.
"On the platform under the dome the
seal will bring forth her young. and here
the infant seal will remain until the snow
has melted the ice and snow covering.
thus destroying the dome. when 1t will
be ready TO take care OF itself.
'Of course thers are numerous other
seal holes made clear through the ice,
UP which the seals jump and land on the
ice. But they rarely go more than a few
feet from this hole run the risk of
the hunter getting between them and IT.
THE native Eskimo invariably takes
his dog with him 10 hunt the seal. The
dog, however. only scents the igloo and
then the master watches motonless.
sometimes a day or more, for the seals
blow
when hs has thus located the igloo
10 a certainty the hunter will thrust
down the spindle of steel spear 20 find
through the snow the breathing place.
perhaps an inch or two In diameter, then
withdrawing his pear the native strikes
IL again unerringly a couple of feet into
the seals head
THE animal will at once dive and rur
out the full length of fifty feet of hide
line attached TO the spear at one end and
the other end held by the native
Then the seal will become exhausted
and is drawn back through the hole
which the hunter has enlarged with an
ice chisel.
should IL be the first seal OF the
season the women are not permitted TO
touch IL. not even 10 press out the oil (;
but they are sent for the csrcasses of
all others, TO bring them home, cut up
the blubber. press out the oil. etc
''The sealing season or the Newfound-
land fishermen begins about the LIST OF
March and ends about the last OF May,
and II is not infrequent that sealing
steamer will make two voyages In n sea-
son, and upon rare occasions. three. [
have known some Of these vessels 10 take
from il.o00 TO $4,000 seals In catch,
especially the Neptune.
THE Importance or the product is
shown IN the fact that in good seasol.
like that of 1899. the owners Of the vessels
have made AN aggregate OF close To "A mill
lion dollars Even in a poor season the
catch will run up TO more than half a
million dollars.
.'The owners OF the sealing vessels fur
nish all the boats. sealing equipment,
powder. shot. and provisions. and IN re-
turn are entitled 10 one-hslf the catch.
the crew or hunters taking the other half.
The masters OF the vesseis receive per-
centage OF the owners snare In lieu of
salaries
DIFFERENT SPECIES OF SEALS.
There are four different species Of
seals caught In the Polar regions. the
square iipper. the hood the tlrp, and
the native seal.
''Thes quare fiipper is the largest OF the
seals named. and the native is the small
est, hut neither Is so much sought for as
the others. The young native seal rs con-
szdered by teh Eskmos as pleasant %
the taste as any description of salt water
bird known 10 them.
<'The harp seal derives its name from
white lines and marks on It's back re-
senbfng closely the harp.
The hood seal Is the most difficult "a
catch. for he is not only ferocious ami
NAL when attacked. and possessing mar.
yelous vitality. but when hunted he viii
initiate his hood-the thick pocket with
which he envelopes his head, from which
he derives his name-and IL is 30 thiCh
and hard as 10 bc impenetrable by either
spear OF bullet
"A blow on It's head with n club viii
have no more effect than would "A similar
blow upon stone wall but blow bach
of the ears or on the throat Will readily
bring him 20 submission. ~
"The hood seal Is the most eagerly
souxht for, from the fact OF Is gree
quantities of fat and because both NAL,
and female are so fond OF the baby sea
shat invariably whole families are foun,
either on the fcs or In the igioo and arr
readily corraiisd and killed.
"Aii seals have their young carly IN
March. but other spccies than the hoo'
ere art 20 leave their young when hant
"a ~~fIf f.Ls so fho hafers IN,