The San Francisco call., 1910-06-19

TONGRESS is just now worried
about conditions existing in the,
= queerest of its colonies-that on
the Pribilof islands in Bering sea Here
dwell 1000 families, consisting each of
q male and 80 wives, TO say nothing OF
the children. The head Of each OF
these families is a valiant old warrior,
who keeps his women folks by giving
constant battle TO all comers, and adds
to their number by dragging others
away from his neighbors by the hair of
the head. so TO speak.
The government is aware of this ru-
dimentary manner Of life. even to its
minutest details, but. instead of dis
couraging ii, as might be expected at
first thought. its polygamous tenden-
cies are exaggerated by government
supervision, and every assistance pos
sible is given 10 its further develop
ment. II is not the polygamy that is
bothering congress. but the fact that
the numerical strength of the colony
is decreasing year by year.
of course, the members OF the colony
are not human beings in the full ac-
ceptance of that word, but Of all the
animal kingdom their home life ap-
proaches most nearly that of man. They
are the fur seals of Alaska. those con-
tributors of the most comfortable gar
ments worn by man, and producers of
sS.OO0,OOo that has gone into the ma
tional treasury since the acquisition OF
the far northern territory. They are
the precipitators of delicate relations
between the nations, for they are
killed miscellaneously on the high seas
They are of world interest. for this iso-
lated herd furnishes the greater part of
the sealskins Of the world, and my lady
of quality everywhere is largely de-
pendent upon them. But above all they
are an element Of animal life, the de-
tail of which is least known TO the gen
eral public. and yet most highly devel-
oped toward a manlike community life
The Pribilof islands are the only
home Of the fur seal. They are 1000
miles as the crow flies from Seattle.
PA miles from the nearest frozen coast
OF Alaska, and consist Of a group of
two islands some by u miles in ex-
tent and three nearby rocks Though
the seals roam half the northern Pa
cilc during certain seasons of the year.
the homing instinct always brings them
to the cliffs Of this barren desert island
for the rearing Of their young. and all
the cunning of man has proven unavail-
ing in attempts to colonize them else
where Their manner OF life is a ro-
nance in itself
The seals are expected home at this
season of the year. The herds have
been absent through the winter, feed
ing far to the southwark and waxing
fat and strong. Even the northern
coast OF California has witnessed their
playful antics. With the advent of
summer some great bull seal is seen
. by the waiting government agents to
climb from the waters Of Bering sea
and lumber laboriously to a very def
mite spot on the rocky beach. Here he
IaHs into a month long sleep, a time
Of restful preparation for the great
battles that are before him. Other
bulls OF a similar nature and age soon
follow, and likewise scramble upon the
beach and fall asleep They are care
ful, however, not to infringe upon the
territory Of the bulls that have come
earlier, for each of these has drawn
about himself an imaginary line. and
whatever comes within this is In danger
OF precipitating q grapple to the death
For, when the old bulls climb upon
the beach and lie down to sleep, they
have staked out a claim, and woe be
10 the creature that attempts TO in
fringe upon their rights.
The selection Of these claims is in
--Tr--
strategy, for each is to be the seat of
a harem which is to be maintained
only so long as the master is able to
give battle to all comers and remain
supreme. The SCARED old veterans of
many wars acquire the best positions
because they are able TO go and take
them. These are beach fronts strewn
with jagged rocks. Other comers select
sites for their harems that have ad-
Nantages next in Importance, and their
maintenance Of these depends upon
their ability TO defend them against
bulls Of lower grade that aspire to
them. This grade establishes itself
back Of the first tier and back of that
may appear another and yet another.
Ihese claims are sQuatted upon in much
the manner IN which the new conner in
the west enters a homestead and holds
II down, the best being selected first
and those remaining going TO subse-
r----N 81 . y sAASr OA4g mere the Only law
is that OF ability to fight
The bulls sleep on their rights for
month or six weeks. Often no female
arrives until the middle Of June. These
find their lords and masters sleeping
inoinerently, each on the spot that he
occupied the year before. If he has
been displaced by some bull who has
fought and vanquished him, this new
lord is due the allegiance that the
year before belonged TO his predecessor.
The COW climbs softly out of the water
and takes her place beside her lord
and master. Yet other members of his
harem appear and take their places
within the imaginary circle that the
bull has drawn about him. There IS
no coercion on his part, and no at
tempt TO influence the COWS in taking
up their homes. Yet the latter are
loyal, or they remember the discipline
of the previous season and fear the
anger OF the bulls.
Within a few hours Of the arrival
OF the cows the pups are born. The
nomenclature Of COWS and pups is some
what confused and not logical withal
but so they have come to be called
With the birth OF the young the interest
~ the bull in his family is greatly
increased. While previously he had no.