124 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
were put over here and fishing carried on for two hours, resulting in 
the capture of 22 cod and 4 halibut. 
Early in the afternoon, with a ight wind from the eastward, we worked 
toward Cape Cheerful, which, the next morning (August 1), bore south- 
east 25 miles, the fleet by this time being considerably scattered. At 
9 a. m. 2 sleeping seals were observed, and shortly afterwards the vessel 
was hove to and the canoes put over. Each hunter among the Indians 
was anxious to secure the first skin, a superstition prevailing that he 
who kills the first skin at the beginning of a cruise will be attended 
with good luck during the remainder of the season. No time was lost 
in getting the canoes in the water, as a number of other vessels in sight 
had already lowered their boats. After the canoes had gotten about 2 
miles ahead, the vessel followed in their wake; and as the day was clear 
they could be seen for a long distance. Occasionally a sail would be 
seen to lower, which indicated that the canoes were among seals. 
Before entering into a discussion of the details of my observations it 
may be well to state that the positions of each day’s catch will be found 
in appended Table No.1, the same corresponding with those given in 
the vessel’s official log. The noon position each day is shown in Table 
No. 2, in which is also recorded the direction and force of the wind, 
the barometer reading, and the temperature of the air and water. 
The temperature of the water was taken 5 feet below the surface. The 
material found in the stomachs of seals has been labeled with reference 
to the noon position. 
In the afternoon we passed numerous patches of seaweed and kelp. 
In a few instances seals were seen with their heads and flippers thrust 
up through this floating material. Occasionally they would dive and 
swim a short distance, soon returning to the surface, however, rolling 
over and over in the tangled seaweed, but sometimes stopping in their 
play on the alert for danger. When on sealing ground, hunters always 
carefully inspect floating seaweed, and, as aruie, if there are seals about, 
they are almost sure of finding one or more in each large patch. Late 
in the afternoon we passed close to such a patch, covering a considera- 
ble area, in which 6 seals were playing. They paid no attention to the 
vessel, although within 100 yards of them. A hunter with a shotgun 
could have captured 2 or 3 of the number, and an Indian with a spear 
would have secured at least 2. 
At 5 p.m. the canoes returned with a catch of 42 seals. Three of 
the males were about 5 years old, all the others of both sexes being 
from 2 to 4 years old. Their stomachs were nearly all empty, a few con- 
taining some material, which, however, was too much decomposed to be 
identified. The hunters reported seeing but few seals asleep, and these 
appeared uneasy. Most of those observed awake were finning. No 
great body of seals had been noticed, and in such pleasant weather, if 
there had been many on the ground, 18 canoes and 2 boats could have 
picked up 100 or more. This number of boats, traveling, as they do, in 
a path from 10 to 15 miles wide, must necessarily see nearly every seal 
within that belt. The few seals seen traveling to-day were going toward 
the northwest. 
The chief of the tribe reported hearing the discharge of firearms a 
short distance to windward of his canoe, but he could not tell to what 
vessel the boat belonged. 
The next day, August 2, the boats were lowered at 7 a.m. The 
weather bid fair for a successful day’s hunt, the wind being north- 
northwest and light, and the sea smooth. In the early part of the fore- 
noon we jogged close to 3 seals playing. Frequently they would roll 
