Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-18

the sealing season tho men
are packed like sardlnes aboard ships,
In the ratio OF one man 60 three tons
OF registered tonnage, and here they
may remain for one week or eight,
with ventilation. sanitation, and ordi-
nary creature comforts at a discount
Rarely can they wash, still more rarely
can they change their clothes; and
when the ship is loaded the seals are
packed into their quarters, and they
have to lie about the decks day and
night, no matter what the weather
until port ~ reached. Consequently
they return black with coal dust, shin
Ing with seal fat, and odoriferous from
the mass OF fat and meat which fills
every ships hold.
HARPs AND HOODS
The seals are OF two vareties-harps
and hoods. The former are so-called
from a mark on their backs like Tyre
the latter from a cow-like appendagc
on their heads, which they can initiate
when angry. and on which blows can
be rained without injuring them. The
harps are mild and inOffensiVe, fire.
quent neld-ice. and yield the better oil.
The hoods are fierce and wary, prefer
pack or hummocky ice, and are the
less valuable of the two. They are be-
leved TO go north In the autumn-the
harps to the vicinity Of Hudson Bay
and the hoods to Davis Strait, and to
mate on the foes there. as these latter
form with the advent Of winter On
this ice about the latter part OF Feb
ruary, the mothers deposit their young
the baby seals CARRIED In pure white
fur which conceals them from enemies
The parents FISH for and feed them,
and a. the youngsters grow their coats
become creamy, gradually darkening
rs they take to the water. They
grow about four pounds heavier daily.
and about the middle OF March are in
prime killing condition, as they can
display a rich layer OF fat and are still
too immature to start swimming.
The sealing fleet leaves ST. Johns
on March IL. as a rule. and the ice
foes bearing the herds are usually then
| on Belle Isle Strait. scattered among
tho mighty masses Of frozen crystal
| spread over the North Atlantic. The
seals are found in immense herds
| stretching beyond the range OF vision,
| and the slaughter is on scale un-
| equalled In any other industry In the
| world The young seals, which yield
/ the softest skins and the finest OIL are
| chiefly sought. and, being quite helpless
| are killed by blow from an lron-shod
| club, being then disembowelled, and
| the "pelt"-the skin and adhering
| masses OF fat-separated from the
carcass (which, having no value. Is re-
tectcC), and dragged TO the ships. Tho
| greatest kill Is between March is and
| 80, within which fortnight probably
/ $50, 600 seals are slaughtered After that
the young ones take TO the water, and
/ the product Of the next months quest
Is obtained by chasing the stampeded
seals among the foes with boats, or by
cruising about with the steamers and
shooting them as they swim to and
fro IN the watery lanes caused by the
spring winds breaking up the ice.
OFTEN THEY WILL FIGHT.
The maternal instinct OF the mother
seal Is such that she will fight for her
offspring and die with II, but the faith
crs are less considerate. and Will dis
appear through their blow-holes into
the water on the first sign OF danger
H. however, a dog" hood finds his re-
treat cut off he viii prove an ugly GUS