126 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
eonsiderable unnecessary talk and paid no attention to a few scattering 
sleeping seals that were observed among patches of seaweed. It was 
only when an occasional glimpse of the sky was seen through the 
clouds and fog, and indications of good weather were plainly visible, 
that the Indians showed a disposition to hunt. At 10 o’clock all the 
boats went out. Atthe time of lowering two other sealing vessels were 
in sight. During the absence of the canoes no seals were observed from 
the vessel. although floating seaweed was plentiful. 
The canoes returned early in the afternoon, on account of a heavy 
fog bank which suddenly shut down. Only 16 seals had been taken, 8 
males and 8females. Their stomachs were entirely empty, which would 
seem to indicate a scarcity of surface fish in this locality. One of the 
hunters spoke the schooner Annie OC. Moore, which reported having 
taken 65 seals, a comparatively poor catch, considering that the weather 
had been fairly good. 
The following day (August 5) the weather was not suitable for seal- 
ing, owing to fog and mist most of the time. The wind was from the 
west-southwest to east-southeast, gradually increasing from a gentle 
to a fresh breeze, accompanied by a sea sufficiently choppy to prevent 
seals from sleeping. One “sleeper,” however, was observed from the 
vessel and captured. 
On stormy days a lookout is kept by the hunters, and the one who 
first sees a seal is entitled to stand in the bow of the canoe as spears- 
man. At such times three men go in a canoe, the weather usually being 
too rough for one man to manage it. No selection of canoe is made, 
the most handy one being used, and also the first spear that can be 
gotten hold of. 
In the afternoon we stood to the east-southeast 18 miles, and during 
the night to the south by west 17 miles, sighting Unalaska Island on 
the morning of the 6th. The weather was stormy and blowing a mod- 
erate gale from southeast, with falling barometer. The noon observa- 
tion placed us in latitude 55° 01’ north, longitude 168° 07’ west, which 
showed that we had been in a strong southerly current for the past 
twenty-four hours. Later in the day we ran 19 miles on a northwest 
course and hove to on the port tack under a two-reefed foresail and 
fore-staysail and trysail. In the evening we passed close to the 
schooner San Jose. During the night the wind hauled to the south- 
west and decreased in force to a very fresh breeze. At times during 
the following day the sea was very rough, not wholly due to the wind, 
but caused by a strong current running to the southward. At noon 
the fog and clouds cleared enough to enable us to get an observation— 
latitude 54° 56’ north, longitude 167° 27’ west. In the afternoon we 
stood to the northward at a rate sufficient to offset the effect of the 
current. Late in the day we spoke the schooner Walter L. Rich, which 
had taken only 65 seals. She had been cruising to the westward of our 
present position, near the 60-mile zone, and while in that region had 
seen but few seals. 
Toward evening two young seals played about the vessel for some 
time. They were enticed quite near by whistling, but not close enough 
to spear. It is only rarely that seals are speared from the deck of a 
vessel. The young will often approach very near and play about, some- 
times for an hour or more, but keeping out of reach. Occasionally, 
however, their curiosity overcomes their customary prudence, and at 
such times they are generally captured. 
In the morning of August 8 there were indications of clearing weather, 
with rising barometer and an occasional clear spot in the sky. A dozen 
