SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 115 
observed until the afternoon of the following day, when 2 sleeping seals 
were sighted in latitude 57° 50’ north, longtitude 175° 48’ west. Five 
boats were sent out. They returned at 5 p. m., having taken no seals, 
although 8 had been seen, but they were all “travelers.” Heavy fog 
and strong indications of the wind breezing up fresh caused the boats 
to return earlier than they otherwise would. In the evening, the vessel 
being hove to, several seals came close alongside. They seemed to be 
very curious to know what we were. All the spears on board were 
repeatedly thrown at them, but they had the good sense to keep just out 
of range. Whistling had the effect of enticing them close aboard, but 
the sight of a spear or two being aimed at them would cause them, 
without any apparent effort, to increase their distance by 20 or more 
feet. 
The first seal captured by the Olsen was on August 4 in latitude 579 
50’ north, longitude 173° 48’ west, the same position recorded on the 
previous day. At 8.45 a, m. sail was made and at 10.45 the boats were 
lowered, 2 “sleepers” having been seen. The weather being foggy 
the boats were soon lost to sight. ‘The vessel was hove to, it being 
much easier for the boats to keep the bearing of the vessel than for 
the vessel to keep track of the boats. 
As soon as the boats had left, a hand line was put over in 70 fath- 
oms of water. An hour’s fishing resulted in 18 cod, the average 
weight of which was about 12 pounds; the largest weighed not far from 
30 pounds. All but 2 of the cod were in a healthy condition; these 
2 had sores on their backs about the size of a half dollar, which had 
eaten nearly to the back bone. This instance is especially mentioned 
on account of the position of the sores. In both cases they were situ- 
ated near the neck directly over the vertebra; they were as round and 
smooth as if cut with a knife. 
Notwithstanding that the fog did not lift during the day, the boats 
remained out until9 p.m. The result of the day’s hunt was 12 seals, 
4 males and 8 females. One of the seals had previously been speared 
in one of its flippers, as it was nearly severed from its body, showing 
that the seal must have had a hard struggle to free itself. The largest 
number of seals was taken by two boats, each bringing in 5; two other 
boats captured 1 each, and the remaining two boats brought in nothing. 
About 50 seals had been observed from the boats, the most of which 
were awake. Only an occasional individual had been noticed during 
the day from the vessel, the fog being too dense to see more than an 
eighth of a mile. In no instance was the first seal thrown at captured, 
and it was only after repeated attempts by each hunter that one was 
hit. The excitement produced by the desire of each hunter to be the 
first to capture a seal, combined with the inexperience of throwing the 
primitive weapon, was no doubt the chief cause of the poor results. 
The 8 females captured were all nursing seals: but little food was found 
in their stomachs, and that was too much digested to determine its 
character. 
On the 5th the wind and weather were not suitable for sealing, a 
very fresh southeast wind prevailing, and in order to keep our position 
the vessel was hove to under easy sail. A large number of seals was 
noticed. They apparently had no fixed course, but would swim in one 
direction a half a mile or so, and then turn and go in an opposite way. 
The wind continued fresh, with a rough, choppy sea until the following 
noon, when the fog which had come in during the night lifted and the 
wind suddenly subsided into a calm. The boats were put in readiness 
and sent out for an afternoon’s hunt. Considering the state of the sea 
