East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-11-17
CRUELTY OF SEAL HUNTING.

Among the fashionable furs for
several seasons sealskin has been con-
| spicuous by its absence, and there is
no doubt that the wane of its popular
| ity can be traced to mans inhuman'-
ty. This is rather a startling state
ment, but facts point to the truth of
1t. The wholesale and indiscriminate
slaughter of these gentle and HARM
less animals has. in the course of
years. had its effect; the method pur-
sued by the British government alone
being sufficient to ultimately exter-
inmate the fur seal
1t may not be generally known that
what is called the fur seal is, prop
erly speaking. the sea bear, and is
probably more nearly related to the
bear than to the true seal. A note
worthy item is that the short, soft.
! thick fur. which in the process Of
dressing, must be removed.
There are two methods employed In
the hunting; one, referred to above.
as pursued by the British government,
being the open sea, or peIagic, sealing.
The animals are killed by spearing
them as they lay peacefully sleeping
on the water. The raids" are made
in the breeding season. and the males
do not feed during that time but
when the puppy seals are about a week
old the mother ventures out to sea in
search of food. After feeding. she
lays asleep on the water, and the seal
ers steal upon her and end her life.
The pups left on the land are too
small and feeble to care for them
selves, and they are simply allowed
to starve to death on the frozen snow.
During the nineteenth century the de-
struction Of breeding females, literally
by the millions. sadly depleted the
herds, and practically exterminated
them in southern waters. whence
came the most valuable skins. They
have, for some time, been protected
by the government and pelaGic seal
ing in northern waters is limited as to
time, place and manner, while only IL
censed sailing vessels are permitted to
engage in fur sealing.
While the British method eliminates
the reproductive class and is cruel in
its results, the Americans. who kill
on land and select only the bachelor"
seals, are far more barbarious and
inhuman in their killing. The land
drive" in itself untold suffering for
these animals. fitted with no feet for
dry land and compelled to hitch along
with a great strain on the lumbar re-
gion, is the least of the cruelties prac-
ticed in the killing. Many drop by the
waysde during the drive" and are
left to die, the skins Of all such har-
ing no market value.
The hunting season IS very short,
as the animals are prime" for only
2s to 80 days. Consequently every
thing is done in great haste. The
drive" which extends over miles of
rough, stony country. from the sea to
the vicinity of some village, is hur-
ried and inhuman. They are allowed
to rest occasionally, and again at the
killing grounds, but for purely COM
mercial purposes, for If killed while
overheated and in a state Of exhaustion
| the fur would be valueless. The next
step Is to marshal them in a long col
umn of from three to five abreast and
drive them between men armed with
heavy clubs, and as they pass their
| skulls are crushed. The great rapid
! ity with which this work is conducted
prevents the certainty Of instant death.
and as they are cast aside in great
piles, many lie there suffering.
The poorer class, the Scared, and
those whose fur is not in good condi-
tion, together with the breeding seals,
are allowed to find their way back to
sea