New-York tribune., 1903-07-05
SEALING OFF LABRADOR.
Cre1os Are Victims of Chance
Suferings They Endure.

St Johns, n. F., June 30.-The seal hunters OF
the Labrador Coast, numbering four thousand
men, from twenty steamers. have returned
to port after the most successful season in re-
cent years. so far concerns the catch, and
with fewer fatalities among the men than usual
Though many believe this TO be the most dan
gerous industry in the world. this year there
were only three deaths and half hundred men
badly frostbtten- The overshadowing fear Of
great catastrophe did not true this year
There is more than the usual lottery in this
hunting for seals which, by the way, are not
valuable fur seals like those of Alaska. The
profits for which the men risk their lives, the
ship owners their property, and the outhtters
their supplies, depend entirely on chance the
chance of striking the seal herd on the drifting
fields of ice and of getting the cargo Of hides
and fat TO port in safety.
The catch is divided into three equal shares:
One for the owner Of the ship, one for the store
keeper, who outfits il and supplies the men with
clothing for the cruise. and third for the crews
This year every one, from owner 10 galley boy
IS happy for the ships came back with iull
cargOes. This means that the owner realizes
dividend Of from 30 to 30 per cent on his invest
ment and the outfitter doubled his venture Of
goods Of the men who manned the steamers
the captains made perhaps $1,000 each' the
engineers about $500, the mates and masters OF
each
But suppose it had been poor year, as II
often is Perhaps the ship is lost in the ice In
that case the men are lucky if they get home
with their lives. They get absolutely nothing.
The owner seldom has his ship insured and the
outatter puts the entire cost of supplies into the
profit and loss account
Often the ships miss the seal herds, and come
home with no cargo. There is one instance on
record when each man of the crew received only
one penny each for the cruise Last year even
whole crews had to be sent to their homes at
the expense Of the Colonial Treasury. The out
filter must take his risk with the men and the
owner for he is prevented by law from carrying
the account over 10 the next year.
The vessels of the sealing feet leave st. Johns
on March 10 The law does not allow them to
sail previous to that date. and they steam away
to the northward with all possible speed. They
are in search Of the ice fields which are drifting
south under strong currents. and on which the
mother seals climb to raise their young. The
sealers are small steamers. ranging from 300 to
800 tons and carrying from 120 to 25O men.
Their holds are filed with coal at 81 a ton, the
tween decks with provisions. and the crews are
ouartered in a forecastle under the bows, into
which they are packed like sardines.
All OF the ships are in search Of the main
herd which often numbers half a million seals.
There is great rivalry among the shippers to
reach the main herd ahead Of the Others and
to the yictors belong the spoils Seals aheadE
is the cry which comes down from the 'crow's
nest" 20 excite the entire ship. AS soon as the
ship can get alongside the butchery begins
The hunters are armed with a stout steel shod
club called "gaT." with which the seals are