KILLING. 255 



seals as they were directed by the "boss" to kill, and the remaining 

 ones were driven aside and allowed to find their way hack to the water 

 at will, which they usually did shortly alter being set at liberty. 



The work of seal-killing is done by the Aleutian inhabitants of the 

 seal islands under the immediate supervision of 

 the superintendent for the lessees and his assist- H. R. Mclntyre, p. 54. 

 ants. The natives are directed by their chiefs, 



who are either chosen by themselves or appointed by the Treasury 

 agent in charge. The force of natives is divided into gangs of 20 to 30 

 men, each gang being led by an assistant superintendent and native 

 chief, and comprises the proper number of "clubbers," "rippers," and 

 "skinners." 



During the seal-killing season the men turned out to their work about 

 6 o'clock a. m. Each man in the gang is assigned 

 by the chief to his appropriate part of the H. H. Mclntyre, p.m. 

 work. If the force comprises say twenty-two men, 



the most inefficient one will be designated as - herdsman " to watch 

 the drove and keep it as near the workmen as practicable; five of the 

 most active, athletic young men are detailed as " clubbers," of whom 

 two are called " drivers," it being their duty to cut off from the drove 

 small detachments or " pods," of from forty to seventy-five seals and 

 drive them up to the killers. If the drove contains a considerable num- 

 ber of adult bulls, or the seals are tired, or the day warm and humid, 

 the " drivers " have the most laborious part of the work. Next, one 

 boy is detailed as " stabber," five as " flipperers," and the remaining 

 ten, those who are most expert in theuseof their knives, as " skinners." 



The clubbers are each armed with a turned hickory club, 5 feet li 

 inches long, of best, straight- grained wood, like an exaggerated base- 

 ball club, and a sharp pointed hook, similar to a stevedore's cargo 

 hook, which he carries in his belt or boot leg. The stabbers and flip- 

 perers have double-edged knives 6 or 7 inches long, and the skinners 

 ten or twelve inch single-edged blades; and each man a small, fine- 

 grained oil stone, of which he makes very frequent use, finishing the 

 sharpening process on his own palm or the seal's Hipper, for the edges 

 must be as keen as razors to effectually do the work. 



If the drove contains more than a few hundred seals, a portion of it 

 is cut off and brought to within about 75 or 100 feet of the place where 

 the first "pod" is to be killed. The drivers srep quickly along the 

 flanks of the drove at several feet distant from it. and approach each 

 other from opposite sides at a point to detach 50 or 00 animals. These 

 are driven directly to the clubbers who have been previously instructed 

 by the assistant superintendent what class of seals they are to kill and 

 where they are to begin operations. At the word from the chief the 

 blows fall in quick succession, a single blow upon the head of each seal 

 designated being always sufficient to completely stun him, and usually 

 to fracture his skull. Those remaining are carefully looked over by 

 the assistant superintendent, such of the doubtful ones killed as he 

 may direct, and the remaining ones driven to one side and allowed to 

 return to the water at will; or,' after a few hours, if any remain about 

 the field, a boy is sent to head them toward the sea. The (lubber's 

 sharp hooks are now stuck into the noses or flippers of the fallen seals 

 and they are dragged apart and laid singly as closely together as con- 

 venient for the skinners. This is very necessary, because, if left in a 

 heap as they are slain, the heat at points of contact quickly loosens the 



