148 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



with a rare combiuatioii of horrible noises and demoniacal gesticula- 

 tions until tlie tirst frenzied spurt and exertions of the terrified crea- 

 tures so completely exhaust them that they fall panting, gasping, prone 

 upon the earth, extended, in spite of their huge bulk and powerful 

 muscles, helpless and at the mercy of their cunning captors, who, how- 

 ever, instead of slaying them as they lie, rudely rouse them up again 

 and urge the herd along to the house in which they have been keeping 

 this watch during the several days past. 



The "corral." — Here, at this point, is a curious stage in the pro- 

 ceedings. The natives drive up to that Webster house the 25 or 30 or 

 40 sea lions, as the case may be, which they have just captured — they 

 seldom get more at any one time — and keep them in a corral or pen 

 right by the barrabara, on the flattened surface of a sand ridge, in the 

 foUoAving con)ical nmnner: When they have huddled up the " pod " 

 they thrust stakes down around it at intervals of 10 to 30 feet, to which 

 strij)S of cotton cloth are fluttering as flags, and a line or two of sinew 

 rope or thong of hide is strung from pole to pole around tlie group, 

 making a circular cage, as it were. Within this flimsy circuit the 

 stupid sea lions are securely imprisoned; and though they are inces- 

 santly watched by two or three men the whole period of caging and 

 penning which I observed, extending over nine or ten days and nights, 

 passed without a single effort being made by the "seevitchie" to 

 break out of their flimsy bonds; and it was passed by these animals 

 not in stupid quiescence, but in alert watchfulness; Avrithing, twist- 

 ing, turning one upon and over the other. 



By this method of procedure, after the lapse usually of two or three 

 weeks, a succession of favorable niglits will have occurred and the 

 natives secure their full ciuota, which, as I have said befoi-e, is 

 expressed by a herd of two or three hundred of these animals. 



Preparation and method of driving to the village. — The 

 complement filled, the natives prepare to drive their herd back to the 

 village, over the grassy and mossy uplands and intervening stretches 

 of sand-dune tracts, fully 11 miles, preferring to take the trouble of 

 prodding the clumsy brutes, wayward and obstinate as they are, rather 

 than to pack their heavy hides in and out of boats, making in this 

 way each sea lion carry its own skin and blubber down to the doors 

 of their houses in the village. If the weather is normally wet and 

 cold this drive or caravan of sea lions can be driven to the point of 

 destination in five or six days; but should it be drj^ and warmer than 

 usual three weeks and even longer will elapse before the circuit is 

 traversed. 



When the drive is started the natives gather around the herd on all 

 sides, save the opening which they leave pointing to the direction in 

 w^hicli they desire the animals to travel ; and in this manner they escort 

 and urge the " seevitchie" on to their final resting and slaughter near 

 the village. The young lions and the females being much lighter 

 than the males, less laden with fat or blubber, take the lead ; for they 



was leading the van, and at that moment, down upon him, despite his wildly ges' 

 ticulating- arms and vociferous yelling, came a squad of bull "seevitchie." The 

 native saw instantly that they were pointed for the water, and in his soimd sense 

 turned to run from under. His tarbosar slipped upon a wlimy rock awash, he fell 

 fiat as a flounder just as a dozen or more big sea lions plunged over and on to his 

 prostrate form in the shallow water. In less time than this can be written, the 

 heavy pinnepeds had disappeared, while the bullet-like head of old Luka was 

 quickly raised, and he trotted back to us with an alternation of mirth and chagrin 

 in his voice. He was not hurt in the least. 



