SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 129 
fog bank threatened to envelop us, and shortly after noon it came in 
thick, causing all the canoes to return, having obtained only 15 seals. 
On August 13 the weather was unsuitable for sealing, being cloudy 
and threatening; the wind fresh from the southwest and west southwest. 
In the morning we were in company with the schooners Triumph and 
Sapphire, of Victoria, the former having taken 500 skins and the latter 
450 skins. Captain Siewerd and the writer went on board of the Sap- 
phire. It had been noticed that the water about us was very dark in 
color, much darker than usual, and it had also been observed that in 
localities where we had taken the most seals the water had been the nost 
discolored. Captain Siewerd had on more than one occasion noticed 
that seals frequent water of this character in considerable numbers, and 
had noted the fact in his log. Captain Cox, of the Triwnph, stated that 
when in Bering Sea last year he got most of his catch in this locality, 
namely, latitude 54° 56’ north, longitude 168° 15’ west. He found seals 
at the commencement of the voyagein water very much discolored, and 
he endeavored to keep in such water as muchas possible. This experi- 
ment resulted in his averaging 126 seals for each time the canoes were 
lowered during the month of August, 1894. On the strength of meet- 
ing with such good success, he has been cruising this season on the 
same ground, and is now more convinced than ever that seal life is 
more abundant in discolored water than in clear water. Captain Cox 
attributed the poor catch of seals on August 11 to the great number of 
canoes roaming over a comparatively small area. On the day mentioned 
the Sapphire took only 68 seals and the Triumph 73. A few days before 
a large bull seal was captured by the Sapphire with twospears embedded 
in its body. 
On the forenoon of the next day (August 14) the weather did not bid 
fair for sealing, the sea being choppy and the wind fresh from the west- 
southwest. No seal life was observed until the middle of the day, when 
one seal was noticed asleep not far from the vessel, and so soundly that 
the flapping of the canvas did not disturb it. It was captured. Its 
stomach was empty. 
At 12.15 p.m. the weather began to show signs of moderating, and 
soon afterwards the canoes were lowered in latitude 55° 3/ north, longi- 
tude 167° 45’ west, where a number of seals were observed playing. 
The good weather was of short duration, however, the canoes returning 
by 3.15 p. m., a heavy fog having settled over the water. The white 
hunters did not come in until nearly dark, thus showing the difference 
between the two classes. The fog lifted in about an hour after the 
Indians returned, but they could not be induced to go out again. In 
several instances where Indians have become discouraged and wanted 
to return home they have, in order to accomplish their purpose, broken 
their spears and smashed their canoes, thereby breaking up the voyage. 
Previous to about two years ago there was no law in British Columbia 
regulating the conduct of Indian hunters on sealing vessels, and the 
result was that every possible advantage was taken of the situation. 
Under the law recently passed Indians are now held accountable as 
much as white men for the success of the voyage. 
The boats containing the white hunters brought back 4 seals, making 
the total number for the day 30, of which 14 were males and 16 females. 
The females were all adults, and with milk; the males were small, from 
3 to 4 years old. Only three stomachs contained food. In one young 
male’s stomach was found a number of squid beaks; in the stomach of 
S. Doe. 137, pt. 2——9 
