Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-25

to leave me my sawed-off revolver, which I
still retained. The arguments he had used
cosent now. AS to the second point. I,
finding the sun Unexpectedly strong. re-
turned from the cove for my hat. and so
overheard the following between Thrackles
WHAT'S to keep him from staying
aboardr' cried Thrackles, protesting.
well, he might" acknowledged Handy
Solomon. land then are we the worse of?
You amt going to make a boat attack
against Old Scrubs, are your
Thrackles hesitated.
you can kiss the Book on it. you amt"
went on Handy Solomon easily. nor me-
nor Pulz, nor the Greaser, nor the Niger,
nor none of US all together. We've had our
dose Of that. Well, II he goes aboard and
stays. where are we the worse of? asks
you that. But he won't. This is watts go
in to happen. Says he to Old Scrubs. Sir
the men needs you to bash in their Heads
Bash 'em in yourself says he. that's W at
you're for And II he should come ashore,
wat could he do? I asks you that. We
amt disobeyed no orders dooly delivered
We're ready to pull halliards at the word.
No. let him go aboard, and II he peaches to
the Old Man, why all the better. for it just
gets the Old Man down on him."
How about Old Scrubs
Don't you believe none in luck?" asked
Handy ts Solomon
well. so do I. with wat that law-crimp
l rowed out to the Laughing Lass very
thoughtful. and little shaken by the plaus-
tble argument Capt Selover was lying
dead drunk across the cabin table l did
my best to Waken him, but failed. took a
score Of cartridges-no more-and departed
sadly. Nothing could be gained by staying
aboard: every chance might be lost Be-
Sides. an opening to escape in the direction
of the laboratory might offer-I as well as
they, believed in luck judiciously assisted.
In the ensuing days l learned much of
the habits of seals. We sneaked along the
cliff tops until over the rookeries; then lay
fiat on our stomachs and peered cautiously
down on our quarry. The seals had become
very wary. A slight jar, the fall of a peb-
BILE, sometimes even sounds unnOticed by
ourselves, were enough to send them into
the water. There they lined up just out
side the surf, their sleek heads glossy with
the wet. their calm, soft eyes fixed unblink-
ingly on u.s.
1t was useless to shoot them in the water;
When, however, we succeeded in gaining
an advantageous position, it was necessary
to shoot with extreme accuracy. A bullet
directly through the back Of the head would
kill clearly. hit anywhere else was prac-
tically useless. for even In death the ami
mails seemed to retain enough blind in
stinctive vitality to nop them into the wa
ter There they were lost
Each rookery consisted OF one tremendous
bull who ofhciated apparently as the stand
ing army: number of smaller bulls. his
direct descendants; the cows and the pups.
The big bull held his position by force of
arms. Occasionally other. unattached, bulls
would come swimming by. On arriving OPP
posite the rookery the stranger would ut
ter a peculiar challenge. 1t was never re-
fused by the resident champion, who
promptly slid into the sea and engaged bat
tie. If he conquered, the stranger went on
his way. If. however. the stranger won,
the big bull Immediately struck out to sea,
abandoning his rookery, while the newcomer
swan in and attempted to make his title
good with all the younger bulls. 1 have
seen some fierce combats out there in the
blue water. They gashed each other
deep
You can see by this how our hunting was
never at an end. On Tuesday we would
kill the boss bull of a certain establish
ment. By Thursday, at latest another
would be installed.
I learned curious facts about seals In
those days. The hunting did not appeal to
me particularly. because it seemed to me
useless to kill SO large animal for so
small a spoil. Still, II was means to my
all-absorbing end and / confess that the
stalking. the lying belly down on the sun
warmed grass over the surge and under the
clear sky, was extremely pleasant. While
awaiting the return of the big bull often we
had opportunity to watch the others at
their daily affairs, and even the unrespon-
sive Thrackles was struck with their al
most human intelligence. Did you know
that seals kiss each other, and weep tears
when grieved?
The men often discussed among them
selves the narrow, dry cave. There the
animals were practically penned in. They
agreed that q great killing could be made
there. but the tmpossibility Of distinguish