Douglas Island news., 1911-05-17
interview With a Seal Hunter

Interview With a Seal Hunter
 1 had sometimes heard of the cruel ties of seal. hunting in the far Northern waters. l had imagined the seal hunter to be in appearance and manner the very personifcation of cruelty-a per son who delighted in fendishness, the very thought of whom would cause one to shudder. So it gave me no slight surprise, when about to obtain brief interview with a wealthy retired seal hunter. to observe that far from being sach as l had imagined, he possessed a polished, aristocratic appearance. The sternness in look and manner seemed more acquired than innate.
 Born in the "Land of the Midnight Sun," he had crossed the Atlantic thirty times, and had followed the oc cupation of seal Hunting for some years. He talked of the ocean and the denizens of it's waters with the famili- arity of au inlander who converses of cities and towns and their inhabitants. A certain disquiet was noticeable in his manner, as if the recolIections were painful 10 him. His gold had not been easily earned, as his conscience no doubt could testify.
 Said he, in speaking of the manner in which the seals are killed ''The young ones are killed with bikes, the older ones with guns. The old seals put up a terrible fight for the young. The young ones have a most human cry. Mama, MamaP they seem to say. The words have an almost uumislakable plainness.
 1t is wonderful sight to see the glittering ice thickly strewn with the living seals.
 "Many time have sat down and held the little seals and petted them. They are very responsive creatures. And then, to think l had to turn around and kill themP
 "Yes," in reply 10 my inquiry, "they are skinned alive while struggling in death agony.
 "Seveu or eight thousand young seals and four or five thousand old seals make a cargo"
 The climax of this young seal hunters remaI ks surprised me more than any thing he had aid, for his tone revealed a certain sympathy and kindness of heart. Had he but followed these promptings they might have made him champion, not murderer of the dumb. It also showed that he, like many others, had followed the terrible trade of seal hunting Qot because of a delight in cruelty, but because of "the money there was in it."
 "Poor little things" said he, tits all done for fashion. Fashion creates the demand and suppose it must be sup. piled"
 The conversation was upon the deck of the Lusitauia. The waters of the At lantic with their world of mystic life surged below. "The voice of the Lord was upon the waters"
 Then there flashed before me two pie, lures: one the softly.lighted, exclusive fur store with its.customers passing to and fro in smiling excitement of pur. 'rhase; the other, the eXpanse of North, ern waters with revolting, sickening cruelties, even glimpse of which would cause one 10 close ears and eyes and to moan with horror.
 Alas, that there should be direct connection between the two scenesl
 The cries of the murdered seals are in response to the call of perverted fashion which is not an abstract thing but which is composed of individuals, each one auswerable to God for cruelty to the dumbI
 But the Love that fashioned all liv ing things of earth and sky and sea the "Love that "Slnmb bers not nor sleeps" is keeping watch and is bring ing nearer and nearer those glorious years of earth when cruelty shall be an unknown wold."-Our Dumb Aui- maIs