INTRODUCTION OF FIREARMS. 337 



If all the seals were taken as they were by the Indians in former 



years, by spearing, their destruction would be 



nothing near as great as it is. If the spear dart Isaac Liebes, p. 453. 



touches the animal but lightly he goes oft with a 



slight wound and quickly recovers, while if it fairly penetrates his body 



his capture is reasonably certain, for the spear is attached by a line to 



the canoe and the seal can not escape. Unfortunately, a great majority 



of the seals are now killed with guns instead of spears. 



About seven years ago they commenced to hunt seals with rifles, and 

 lately they use shotguns. Very few Indians that 

 go from Pachenah Bay or Neah Bay use guns. Moses, p. 309. 



METHOD. 



VESSELS, OUTFIT, ETC. 



Page 189 of The Case. 



The following statements here made in relation to open-sea sealing 

 are based upon my own observation, and also 

 upon information I received from conversations c. A. Alley, p. 186. 

 with forty or fifty men engaged in open-sea seal- 

 ing in Bering Sea. The average size of the sealing vessels is from 25 to 

 50 tons, and the number of the crew varies from 10 to 20 or 25. A ves- 

 sel is fitted out with about 4 to 6 boats, or 6 or 8 canoes. The white 

 hunters used either a Winchester rifle or a double barreled shotgun, 

 and a gaff with a shaft 4 or 5 feet long. The Indians use a toggle- 

 headed spear, with a shaft 7 or 8 feet in length. Each boat has a 

 rower and one or two hunters, and is also provided with a compass, 

 small amount of provisions, ammunition locker, seal knives and a short 

 club. The boats, on being lowered from the vessel, provided the water 

 is fairly smooth, go toward all points of the compass, and I have found 

 them as far as 6 miles from the schooner. 



In hunting seals the white men use an otter boat manned by three 

 men — the hunter, boat-puller, and steerer. The 



favorite weapon is the shotgun, and rifles are but a. b. Alexander p. 355. 

 little used. The ISTo. 10 Barker gun is preferred, 



and the usual charge is 5 drams of powder and twenty-one No. 2 buck- 

 shot. 



I first sailed in 1891 in the vessel N. E. Paint, Bisit, master; had six 

 boats, with three men to each boat. The hunters „. . 

 used shotguns. * * * H. Andntius, p. 3U. 



On January 27, 1892, I went seal-hunting again as boat-puller on the 

 Labadore, Whitly, master. She carried three boats, three men to each 

 boat, all white men. 



I furnished my vessels with rifles and shotguns, and each vessel 

 carried from three to seven boats, with three men 

 to the boat, a hunter, boat-puller, and steerer. Wm ' Bendt > P- m - 



22 B s 



