Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-21
LAPS AFTER SEALS.
Russis's Rock cries Are Now Free 10
the Pirates.

II Is nh Ill wind that blows no ono
good luck. and this year will be har-
vest time for the seal poachera The
Russian gunboat Mandjur which pa
trolled the coasts of the Russian seal
Islands last summer and seized twelve
Japanese senling schooners. Is safely
tied up at Shanghai. disarmed, dis
mantled. dismemberpd hulk only.
The Korietz. that made a cruise or two
looking for pelagic sealers. is heap
Of twisted iron at the bottom Of Che
mulpo harbor. and the seal poachcr is
happy. Now may he raid the rookeres
on Copper and Robin islands and loot
the storphouses, if be will shoot the
timid sen otters. whose pelts arc worth
1000 gold dollars each and often more,
and rejoice and make big money while
the Russians are otherwise engaged.
The rich mine. the great storehousc of
adventure and exciting deeds wrapped
up in the seal poacher's calling. has Mt
last been little opened mp. Years ago
seal hunting and seal poaching was
great business. and a little fleet Of tall
masted Schooncrs used to make Hako-
date and Yokohama their home ports.
They would clear away. ostensiby to
trade in copra in the south sea islands.
and end up in northern waters, where
the seals swim and the fogs lie low all
summer.
1t was JOY and spice of life for these
sealing schooner crows to raid the rock
cries on the we'll guarded Russian is
lands. If the attempt succeeded they
could sail away from the senling
grounds with a full catch. II the Rus
slams discovered them schooner and al.
were confiscated and destroyed and
the adventures were sent off 10 work
In the salt mines or do other hard gov
ernmcnt labor in Siberia.
There must be a shipload Of docu.
ments somewhere in the state depart
ment at Washington relating to the
claims Of native born and naturnlized
American citizens for damages from
the Russian government The state dc
partment never pushed those claims.
since the most of the claimants lad
only received their just dues ami fully
deserved all that had been done to
them
One skipper cherished and nursed his
grudge after he had experienced se,i-
son of Russian mines and prisons and
had made his escape. ie reappcarci
In Yok ohama with n new schooner
loaded II with champagne and delica-
lessen stores and sailed boldly away to
the Russian station in the Comman-
dorski islands. He asked only for wa
ter to make some repairs. and as thor
ough search revealed no sealing appa
ratus. no weapons or nets, they lot the
agreeable rover rest awhile, watching
him closely. however
One nlght-the shippers birthday,
perhaps-there was feast on board
and champagne flowed Ike water In
honor OF all the Russian officers who
were guests. While this went on afloat
the sChooner's crew were ashore treat
ing the rest of the inhabitants Of the
seal island to fiery drinks. and when
vodka and whisky and other mixed
iIuS ubu ODlIt kIlelT WOTk 'N' crew
forced the doors of the storehouses and
carried the neat bundles Of sailed skins
to their waiting boats and slowed them
away In the schooner's hold. Then the
sleeping visitors were rowed ashore nd
laid comfortably on the sands. and the
pirate ship sailed away with the great
est catch Of all known seasons The
skipper retired from sealing and took
10 tanner pursuits on shore in the open
ports, as he could well afford to do
after that haul.
He IS known still TO the cider resi-
dents as the pirate king, and one Of
ten wonders If the local rnces and stock
market and the dinner coat every night
In an electric lighted club can make w
for the cool. salt smell of the sea. the
believing seals In the fog and the
sound Of the gunboat on patrol steam
ing around in the mist in search Of the
poaching sealer.-Tokyo Cor. Kansas
City Times.