East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-01-05

eannot Lap Milk-Raiscs Two
Only to Lose Them.
Wash hngton.-When Judson Thur
Bear. reaches Washington, the scien-
tists will probably hear some pro-
family and some valuable tips on the
nursing of fur seals. Thurber is the
foster father OF two seal pups that
are now about five months old, and
may claim rhe distinction OF being
the first person known to h story that
was ever able TO raise young seals OF
this KIND without the assistance of
the mother animal. Books have been
written and thousands of dollars have
been expended by scientific experts
in their efforts to persuade young
fur seals to live as orphans, but un-
iii Thurber OF the Bear appeared to
father and mother the pair he is now
transporting across the continent
from San Diego, all attempts have
proved fruitless. The baby seals have
all died.
In spite of the fact that Thurber
has undoubtedly been responsible for
the present existence of the two cubs
he is now caring for, the authorities
of the department of commerce and
labor, who act as guardians Of all fur
seaNs found in Alaskan waters, are
pretty certain to take them away
from HIM. The law is very plain on
the subject, and positively prohibits
anyone from coming into possession
OF young seals, The pair now under
ThurbePs charge were therefore only
loaned to him at best, and as he has
brought them through the dangerous
period of infancy to an age and
strength where they can feed them
selves, the department will be GER
tain to order the boatswain to give
them up. When that order is gwen
the language that may be expected
from Thurber will be of the most pic
turesque variety known on ship
board
Seals Are Tonguc-T1ed.
'"Thurber merely used common
sense and Kindness in his care OF his
CuUS, fdlu AdpldlH w Ollh VI thOos,
commandant OF the revenue cutter
Service. "In the first place, he dis
covered why no one was ever able
before his time to raise baby sea's.
They are tongue-tied and cannot lap
milk He performed the simple sur
gical operation of cutting what Is
known as the freedom OF the
tongues of his charges. and after
feeding them for a time with COM
mon nursing bottle until their tongues
ceased being sore, he taught them to
lap milk like a dog OF cat. Then he
was careful that they had their
daily bath of salt water and as they
grew older and stronger he changed
their diet. Now they will leap two
or three feet from the deck to reach
a fish suspended over their heads
"By this means he gives them the
exercise they need and keeps them
in fine, healthy condition. 1t remains
to be seen whether the experts of the
fish commission. who were instru-
mental in securing the order bringing
Thurber to Washington. VIII be able
to get anything helpful out OF his
testimony OF not. / believe that the
care that Thurber lavished on his
little cubs had as much TO do with
their coming through the critical
stage as the course of diet. Sailors
are the kindest hearted mortals in
the world. Thurber probably fused
around with the cubs during every
minute that he could call his own,
saye them remed es when they were
aling, brushed and washed them, ana
.,,othored, thorn generally, This
Kindness without doubt had much to
do with keeping them well and con-
tented.
ere Thurber can teach the govern
ment experts how to raise the young
seals without the care of their moth
ers, he will be the means OF saving
the lives of thousands OF cubs an
nuallv The reason that so many OF
the seals are dying off is due to the
fact that up to the present tine all
the motherless young die within
few days after losing their naturai
caretakers. The pelagic sealers VINO
are lowering around outside the three
mile limits of the Pribilon islanos'
viii tba mother seals and the young,
unable to prov de for themselves, die
bv hundreds. All efforts to rear these
tlttle orphans have failed to date. ana
naturally Thurber Is an OBJECT Oh
,orsiderable interest to the govern
mont experts. He'll probably be
pretty sore IL he has to give up nus
seals, but If they want them here as
they probably will, he'll have to give
.t.x,. ~