Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-06-27
HABITS OF THE GAME ON THE
GREENLAND ICE FLOES.
HOW THEYER CAPTURED
Present Season Promises Well for the
Newfoundland FIeet-VaIue of the
Catch-The Home of the Seal
Very Profitable and Exciting vo-
cation.

| hope, which vessel was lost a few
days ago III the Gulf Of st. Lawrence
the seal catch Of the present season
promises to be a most profitable one
for both owners and crews. But the
confirmation of this prediction will moi
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 a full cargo
when the ice foe in which she had
been caught swept her up on a rocky
ledge, which soon knocked holes in
her bottom, and she became a total
wreck. The cartain reported that the
northern bays along the coast of
Labrador were packed with ice foes
and that the hurricane weather caused
heavy seas to sweep over the ice
fields for several days, which made it
impossible for the hunters to leave
their ships. When the weather should
abate the sealing would be 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 Green
land and it's waters, said to a New
York Sun reporter:
mo one can appreciate the method
of seal-catching and the excitement
attendant upon it so we'll as those who
have had the experience. Despite it's
dangers the excitement and uncer-
tainty of the chase make it the most
attractive kind of sport; hence many
join in it for no other reason than the
sport.
'You will understand that the seals
of Baffin's bay and Smiths sound
are not the fur seals of Bering sea;
they are known to commerce as 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 to-
ward the coast of Newfoundland
ct is 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 ice, which may be five
which and under canopy OF snow
she will build a dome of a diameter
larger than the hole.
con 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 it will be ready to take
care of itself Of course there are
other seal holes made clear
through the ice, up which the seals
jump and land on the ice. But they
rarely go more than few feet from
this hole or run the risk of the hunter
getting between them and it.
The native Eskimo invariably takes
his dog with him to hunt the seal.
The dog, however, only scents the
igloo, and then the master watches
motionless. sometimes a day or more,
for the seals blow. When he has thus
located the igloo to a certainty the
hunter will thrust down the spindle
of steel spear to find through the
snow the breathing place, perhaps an
inch or two in diameter; then, with
drawing his spear the native strives it
again unerringly a couple of feet into
the seals head
'The animal will at once dive and
run out the full length Of so 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 en-
larged with an ice chisel. Should it
be the first seal Of the season the wo-
men are not permitted to touch it,
not even to press out the oil; but
they are sent for the carcasses of all
others, to bring them home, cut UP the
blubber, press out the oil, etc.
''The sealing season of the New
foundland fishermen begint about the
first of March and ends about the last
of May, and it is not intrequent that a
sealing steamer will make two voy-
ages in season, and upon rare &C.
casions three. I have known some of
these vessels to take from 1900 to
$4,000 seals in a catch, especially the
Neptune.
"The Importance Of the product is
shown in the tact that in a good sea-
son, like that Of 1899, the owners of
the vessels have made an aggregate of
close to a million dollars. Even in a
poor season the catch will run up to
more than half million dollars. The
owners of the sealing vessels furnish
all the boats, sealing equipment, pow
der, shot and provisions, and in re.
turn are entitled to one-half the catch
the crew of hunters taking the other
half The masters of the vessels re-
ceive a percentage of the owners
share in lieu of salaries.
There are four different species
Of seals caught in the polar regions
the square f1ipper, the hood, the harp
and the native seal. The square
1ipper is the largest Of the seals nam
ed, and the native is the smallest, but
neither is so much sought for as the
others. The young native seal is con
sidered by the Eskimos as pleasant tt
the taste as any description Of salt
water bird known to them.
THE harp seal derives its name
from white lines and marks on it!
back resembling closely the harp
| The hood seal is the most difficult t,
| catch, for he is not only ferociou
animal. when attacked. and possessin,