SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 125 
over several times, stop suddenly to scratch themselves, and stand 
upon their heads with their hind flippers about 2 feet out of water. 
They repeatedly performed this operation. When quite near them one 
of the seals lifted its head up, but the sight of the vessel caused no 
alarm. Having no boat to lower or spear to throw, a loud noise was 
made by shouting and beating upon a tin can. This did not have the 
eflect of frightening them, but a light thump on the rail of the vessel 
caused them to dive instantly, and when next seen they were about 
2u0 yards away. Pausing to look at the object which had frightened 
them, they then swam rapidly away in an easterly direction. 
From the above it would appear that seals are ordinarily but little 
frightened by the presence of vessels, provided they are to leeward of 
them. Had we been on the windward side the seals would have taken 
alarm almost instantly, and would either have dived or swam rapidly 
away. 
At 1p. m.a heavy fog bank appeared in the northwest, and shortly 
afterwards the canoes and one boat returned. The other boat had evi- 
dently gone astray, but as the weather was smooth no great anxiety 
was entertained for her safety. Forty-five seals were brought on board, 
26 being males and 19 females. All the females except 2 were with 
milk. Their stomachs were mostly empty. 
Through the night the weather continued foggy. Early the next 
morning, August 3, a sharp lookout was kept for the missing boat, and 
also for seals. Noattempt had been made to lower the canoes although 
the sea was comparatively smooth. The light fog which hung over the 
water, in connection with the fact of the missing boat, caused the 
Indians to hang back. At 7a. m.a sleeping seal was observed under 
our lee close aboard, but not in a position to detect us by the sense of 
smell, A canoe was soon launched and started in pursuit, but the short, 
choppy sea made it somewhat difficult to capture it. In calm weather, 
or at times when there is only a light wind stirring, a canoe in approach- 
ing a seal is generally paddled directly from the leeward, but in a 
choppy sea, such as prevailed on this occasion, an Indian always 
approaches side to the wind, which brings the canoe in the trough of 
the sea and prevents it from making any noise that would disturb the 
“sleeper.” 
About noon the missing boat returned, bringing the skins of 2 seals, 
1 male and 1 female. 
At 1p.m. another sleeping seal was observed close under our lee. 
In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a sleeping seal will awaken when 
a vessel is close to it to windward, but not so with this individual, for 
it slept on wholly unconscious of danger, and was easily captured. At 
this time the weather showed signs of clearing, and soon afterwards the 
canoes were lowered. The vessel continued jogging to the westward 
under sealing canvas. One vessel was in sight. Three hours later the 
canoes began to return, the wind having increased in force, accompa- 
nied by achoppy sea, which prevented seals from sleeping. They were 
reported scarce, and the few taken bore out this statement. The day’s 
hunt amounted to only 13 skins, 6 males and 7 females. Four of the 
females were with milk. Two of the males were quite large, about 5 
years of age or over, the others from 3 to 4 years. Very few seals had 
been observed from the canoes, and those noticed awake were traveling 
to the southwest. 
In the morning of August 4 the weather was foggy and the wind 
northwest and moderate. White hunters would not have hesitated 
about going out in this kind of weather, but the Indians indulged in 
