358 METHOD. 



the eyesight of the hunter keen, and his knowledge of the habits of 

 the fur-seal perfect. If but one seal attempted to follow the route 

 usually taken by the seal herds, I doubt if it could escape capture, so 

 thorough is the watch that is kept for them. Until recently the old 

 bulls that inhabit the breeding rookeries have not been killed by the 

 hunters, as the skin is of no value; now, however, a use has been found 

 for the old bull, its skin brings the same price as any other, and it is 

 being hunted and killed with the rest. They are found in large num- 

 bers off Yakutat and the vicinity ot Middleton Island. The American 

 schooner lloinj Dennis, previously reported by me as taking old male 

 seals of Yakutat, arrived at this place a lew days since with over 1,600 

 skins, having taken about 1,000 since we spoke her on the 23d of April 

 between the points named. Of these I am told that many were very 

 large old males. The breeding females, pups, and young males are 

 hunted and killed from the time they reach the coast of California until 

 they enter Bering Sea, and the older males and old bulls that inhabit 

 the breeding rookeries are being killed upon their feeding grounds in 

 the Alaskan Gulf. 



With this condition of affairs existing in the Pacific Ocean, it is easy 

 to understand that no amount of protection to the fur-seal in Bering 

 Sea will prevent their becoming extinct in a few years. They must be 

 protected in the Pacific Ocean also, or the day of the fur-seal is num- 

 bered. 



The sealing on the coast of California and Oregon is done by schoon- 

 ers manned by white men and properly fitted for remaining at sea in 

 all weathers. Many of these schooners are part of the Bering Sea 

 fleet. There appears to be no fixed rate of compensation for the crews 

 of these vessels; each owner makes his own bargain. The hunters are 

 paid by the skin. The master, as a rule, is paid by the mouth at $75 

 or $100, although some receive a share of the catch. Many of the 

 larger vessels carry two mates, who receive $00 and $45 per month, 

 respectively. The cook receives $50 or $60, according to the size of 

 the vessel; the hunters receiving from $3.50 to $4 per skin this year. 

 The boats' crews, called boat-pullers and boat-steerers, receive $25 to 

 $30 per month, or 25 cents per skin, and $15 per month, or 60 cents 

 per skin without monthly pay. The vessel furnishes food, and, it is 

 said, feed the men fairly well. The hunters live in the cabin with the 

 master. Their duty consists entirely in shooting seals. They have 

 nothing to do with the working of the vessel and do not even take off 

 or salt skins of the seals caught by themselves. The boat in general 

 use by the sealers is what is known as an otter boat, as it was first used 

 by the sea-otter hunters. It is from 18 to 24 feet in length, sharp ends, 

 with rounded bottom, and easy, graceful lines to enable it to go through 

 the water with as little noise as possible. The boat is fitted with two 

 pairs of short oars or sculls and two sails. A mainsail, which is fitted 

 to hoist and lower on the mast, and a jib. The latter impress me as 

 being in the hunter's way and altogether inconvenient, but they are 

 invariably used. Although they cruise under sail a great deal, the 

 hunter has a prejudice against the centerboard, and very few boats are 

 fitted that way. It is claimed that the centerboard makes a noise, and 

 in approaching a sleeping seal silence is of the first importance. A 

 boat's crew consists of three men, the hunter who stands forward, the 

 boat-puller who sits amidships and pulls, and the boat- steerer who 

 stands or sits near the stern of the boat facing forward and pushes and 

 steers the boat with the sculls at the same time, as directed by the 

 hunter by word or sign. Each boat is furnished with two shotguns, 



