Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-01-21
JAPS AFTER SEALS.
Russis's Heokertes Arc Now FREQ -
the Pirates.

BUnnt2u he0kcTbch Akc WV ~
the Pirates.
II Ia an III wind that blows no ono
good luck, and this year will be har'
vest time for the seal poachers. The
Russian gunboat Mandjur. which pa
trolled the coasts Of the Russian seal
islands last summer and seized twelve
japanese sealing schooners, Ii safely
tied up at Shanghai. disarmed. dis
mantled, a dismembered hulk only.
The Korietz, that made cruise or two
looking for peiagic sealers, Is a heap
of twisted iron at the bottom OF Che
mulpo harbor. and the seal poacher 10
happy. Now may he raid tSe rookeries
ON Copper and Robin islands and loot
the storehouses, II he will. shoot the
timid sea offers. whose pelts are worth
200 gold dollars each and often more.
and rejoice and make big money while
the Russians are otherwise engaged.
The rich mine, the great storehouse OF
adventure and exciting deeds wrapped
up In the seal poacher's calling. has at
last been a little opened up. Years ago
seal hunting and seal poaching was
great business, and little feet OF tall
masted schooners used to make Hako-
date and Yokohama their home ports.
They would clear away. ostensibly 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.
II was Joy and spice OF life for these
sealing schooner crews to raid the rook'
cries on the well guarded Russian Is
lands. II the attempt succeeded they
could sail away from the sealing
grounds with a full catch. II the Rus
slans discovered them, schooner and all
were conflscated and destroyed. and
the Adventures were sent of to work
in the salt mines or do other hard gov
eminent labor In Siberia.
There must be shipload OF docu-
ments somewhere in the state depart
ment at Washington relating to the
claims of native born and naturalized
American citizens for damages from
the Russian government. The state de-
partment never pushed these claims.
since the most OF the claimants had
only received their Just dues and fully
deserved all that had been done 10
them.
One skipper cherished and nursed his
grudge after he had experienced sea-
son of Russian mines and prisons ana
had made his escape. He reappeared
in Yokohama with new schooner.
loaded it with champagne and deiica'
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 let the
agreeable rover rest awhile, watching
him closely. however.
One night-the shippers birthday,
perhaps-there was feast on board
and champagne flowed like water In
honor OF all the Russian officers, who
were guests. While this went on ahoat
: 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
fluids had done their work the 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 and
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
to tanner pursuits on shore In the open
ports. as he could well AFFORD to &c
after that haul.
lie Is known still to the older resi-
dents as the pirate king, and one OF
ten wonders II the local races and stock
market and the dinner coat every nigh
in an electric lighted club can make uT
for the cool. salt smell OF the sea. tn
believing seals In the fog and thu
sound Of the gunboat on patrol steam
ing around In the mist in search OF thu
poaching sealer.-Tokyo Cor. Kansai
City Times.