The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-05-10

of mighty and indiscriminate slaugh-
ter. Today this wanton killing has
been stopped, and the United States
gov eminent is in entire control OF the
industry of these islands, where be-
fore it received royalties from pri-
vate source.
The Pribilof group consists OF two
volcanic rocks about thirty miles apart,
situated in the heart of the Berlng
sea. St Paul, the larger is no more
than thirty-twO square miles in extent.
During the breeding season the sun sell
dom penetrates the dense mists that
enshroud the islets. At the time they
were discovered, in 11S6. they were I'M
inhabitated. Today there is popu-
lation of about five or six hundred,
mostly of Russian ancestry, who sub
sist mainly on the returns incident 10
the sealing industry. When the United
States acquired Alaska from Russia
there were 100000 pinnipeds on the
Pribilof group. There was no APP
preciable diminution in their number
until 1856. when pelagic sealing began
to be extensively practiced. In 1891
they had decreased to 100000. Aft
er that the decrease became SO mark
ed that last year the United States gov
eminent, Russia, Japan and Great
Britain entered into an agreement pro-
viding that pelagic sealing (the kill
ing of female seals) on the Pribilof is
lands should be abolished. There were
less than 200 600 seals recorded i'll the
last official report of the islands.
SEALS FIERCE FIGHTERS
During the early days of May the
mature seals begin TO arrive on the
islands. and for several weeks the
males of the species engage in fierce
battles for position upon the rookery.
proximity to the water determining de-
STABILITY. In these comlats many
seals are killed or manned SO that they
die. The females arrive about a month
later. The bull doesn't leave his sta
ton an hour during the entire season.
but remains for three months. neither
eating nor drinking, but subsisting
solely upon superfiuous fat, with which
he is provided on his arrival.
The most important element in seal
| life on the rookerieS consists of the
minated specimens. for il is from their
ranks that the entire supply of skins
! is secured The fur of the bull after
the sixth year is Of no commercial
value
The bachelor seals, as they are call
ed. Go not attain the development nee
essary 10 admit Of their forcing and
maintaining r es for themselves in
the rookeries until they are over six
years old. To enter the area pre-
empted by the breeding seals is GER
tain death 10 the bachelor seals.
The movements of seals in water are
very rapid and graceful. On land they
are very different. The body is con
tracted by an upward bending of the
| spine and SO thrown forward by d
series of jerks. and they manage tC
cover the ground far from slowly in
this way. Cine OF the chief peculiari
ties of the seal is the hexibiiity of the
spine. A strange habit when wild i.
the swallowing OF large stones without
any apparent reason for SO doing
Under the terms of treaty signed
by the United States. Great Britain
Japan and Russia. which is now in eff
feet. the future of the seal industry Is
assured. The life of the treaty is fif
teen years. and the nations concerned
believe il will operate to enlarge the
seal herds