59 



ari'anged for the purpose. Fast imbedded in the vast and seemingly 

 limitless fields of ice, the crews disperse in every direction in search of 

 seals, which are ver}'- inactive, and are generally easily caught. They 

 are killed with fire-arms and with clubs, and olten while asleep. Oc- 

 casionally the large ones resist. The moans of the young during tlie 

 slaughter are piteous. 



The flesh of seals is unfit for food, and they are only valuable for 

 their fat and skins. The common method is, to strip oft" the skins and 

 fat together, and to carry these parts to the vessels, leaving the remainder 

 upon the ice ; but when the weather or other circumstances will not 

 permit this, the carcass is transported whole, and the valuable parts are 

 stripped off subsequently. Seal-catching closes towards the end of 

 April. The most fortunate vessels make two voyages in a season. 

 After the arrival of the vessels in port, the fat is separated from the 

 skins, cut into pieces and put into vats, where, by the warmth of the 

 sun, the oil oozes out. The skins are spread and salted in piles, and 

 when properly cured, are packed in bundles of convenient size. 



In the whole circle of human employments, few or none are more ex- 

 citing and perilous than the catching of seals. A storm of sleet and 

 snow in the night is terrible, and the stoutest hearts quail. While the 

 vessels are absent, the greatest anxiety prevails in the ports of departure, 

 and the most distressing rumors prevail : at times, a full month elapses 

 before the arrival of a single vessel, and every imaginable cause is as- 

 signed by alarmed families and friends for the delay of tidings from the 

 sealing-gi'ound. Northeast gales drive the ice towards the shore, and 

 frequentl}'' produce fearful disasters to both life and property. In 1843 

 the loss of vessels was very considerable, and several entire crews per- 

 ished.* Some vessels were wrecked m 1849. 



The year 1827 was uncommonly prosperous. Forty-one vessels 



* A similar disaster occurredi n the spring of 1852. The first account of it was as follows : 

 " The steamer Osprey, from St. John, Js^ewfoundland, April 23d, has arrived at Halifax, 

 with accounts ot the wreck of between fifty and sixty vessels in the ice, in the gale of April 

 20th. The Newfoundland papers state that the loss of life has been considerable, but how 

 great is not known. A list of eighteen vessels lost, with full cargoes of skins, is given, one of 

 which had five of her crew drowned, and another two. In many cases, as the vessels drifted 

 towards i he ice, the crews deserted theai and escaped to the shore. In some cases the aban- 

 doned vessels have been taken into port. 



" Hundreds of the crews of the wrecked vessels are said to be on Richard Island, Bonavista 

 bay, in a state of destitution and starvation. The Assembly of Newfoundland has requested 

 the governor to appropriate £300 for their relief, and four or five vessels would sail to them 

 as soon as the wuid would permit. A vessel had arrived at St. John, which reported that 

 upwards of one thousand shipwrecked sealers had reached Greenford, but the number is proI> 

 ably exaggerated. 



" The disaster is said to be nearly equal to that at Prince Edward Island last year." 

 A Newfoundland paper of later date says : " Smce our last .several sealers have arrived, and, 

 for the most part, with good trips. On Saturday arrived the Coquette, Captain Joseph Hou- 

 lahau, who was sent round by the government to the reHef of the shipwrecked men at Greens- 

 pond. We leai-n that Captain Houlahan's mission was quite a providential one, the poor cast- 

 away fellows being in extreme destitution when he arrived. It is therefore consoling to reflec-t 

 that, in all probability, many a life has been saved by this measure of the govennnent. Capt. 

 Houlahan landed a hundred men at Catalina, and brought about two hundred and fifty on here. 

 We understand that the Harbuiger, which was also sent round to Greonspond with the Co- 

 quette, had proceeded in her search further to the northward. All reports agree that, but for 

 the heavy weather, which has caused such destruction among the vessels, this spring's catch 

 of seals would be one of the largest ever known. Even as it is, we understand the average 

 catch at this time is equal to that of last year." 



