The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-05-09

ACaiCiS-
Male fur seals, "buiIs." are po-
tygamus. gathering around them ~
many wives 40 they can control IN
the .rookeries" along the shore.
These family arovps, forming the
unit OF rookery life, arc called
.harers." and sxersoe 30 seals 20
the group. The bulls mature when
seven years old. weigh 300 70 400
pounds, and are six feet long. The
Sow weighs only about 30 pounds
and bears her first young when
three years old.
Lively Youngsters
The bulls arrive at the rookeries
early In May. pick out the sites
for their harems. and await the
coming OF the cows. which begin
arriving gradually early In June. are
seen in the great numbers In July,
and gradually depart toward the
close OF the season In August. TAX.
ing with them the pups" born In
the early summer. They are eager.
after the manner OF the young. for
a sight OF the world.
Ue tOuk. my HAAHA4NA WIN H@''
been active ones for these young
seals, who have had many things
to wonder over and much TO learn
during the periods their mothers
were off at sea foraging for food.
Swim 1t Six Weeks.
At six weeks they frat surprise
themselves with the knowledge
that they can swim almost as well
as their elders. and when winter
threatens them along In November
they plunge away In great droves.
with their parents az pilots. for
the unknown southland. In an.
other month they are delighting
throngs OF tourists Mt the Cliff
House and Tapping playfully over
the rocks and bars OF numerous
California coves and bays.
The journey south In more or
less direct: the return in spring
Is slow and gradual. the herds leis-
urely following the coast lines.
even yenturing into the byways OF
Puget Sound. where often on
quiet spring days enterprising
young seals, their curiosity
aroused. follow rowboats for miles
The herds from two little Rus
sian-owned Islands. known az the
Commander group, lay their course
for the south Japanese coast. when
they depart for the winter.
The slaughter. which goes on all
summer. Is simple but appalling
Twenty-Five or 30 swarthy ma
tives, armed with clubs. stalk like
shadows through the dim light or
midnight and approach the quiet
herds out on the rocks
Killed In Droves.
Like flock of sheep the crea-
lures are aroused and driven In
/ land in droves of two or three
I thousand For the most part only
the young males--two. three and
/ four years old--are In this army
going to its death. This convenient
arrangement In made possible be-
I cause these bachelors" ms they
I known, herd by themselves. Be-
cause OF the seals polygamous ten
/ denotes 20 out of 30 males may
7 be slain without extinction threat
eninR the race.
| Slowly the great drove. with
many flaps and clumsy movements.
goes inland. Their skulls are like
egg shells. a moderate blow with
a club and they drop. The work
goes on. the Indians performing
their task rapidly. stolcally and
steadily Seals too young and
small and the few mature bulls in
the herd escape.
| Almost Az soon ms an animal
drops a skilled workman begins re-
moving the skin, which, with 9th
ers, Is packed into bundles and
shipped away TO London where
they are prepared for the fur
\ market.
Gliding away In their canoes
from the bays OF Vancouver Island
and the vicinity of Cape Flattery,
Indians generations ago attacked