On the Fur Trade, and Fur-bearing Animals. 327 
American martin skins there are a certain number which are beau- 
tifully shaded, and of a dark brown olive color, of great ul ne 
richness. 
_ Next these in value, for ornament and utility, are the sea means 
the mink, and the fiery fox. 
The fiery fox is the bright red of pie ; is more brilliantly pat a 
and of finer fur than any ns of the genus. It is highly valued for 
the splendor of its red color and the fineness of its fur. It is the stan- 
dard of value on the North Eastern Coast of Asia.* 
~The sea otter which was first introduced into commerce in 1725, 
from the Aleutian and Kurile Islands is an exceedingly fine, soft, 
close fur, jet black in winter with a silken gloss. The fur of the 
young animal is of a beautiful brown color. It is met with in great 
abundance in Bhering’s Island, Kamschatka, the Aleutian and Fox 
Islands, and is also taken on the opposite coasts of North America. 
It is sometimes taken with nets, but more frequertly with clubs and 
spears. Their food is principally lobster and other shell fish. 
_In 1780 furs had become so scarce in Siberia, that the supply was 
insufficient for the demand in the Asiatic countries. It was at this 
time that the sea otter was introduced into the markets for China. 
The skins brought such incredible prices, as to originate immediate- 
ly several American and British expeditions to the northern islands 
of the Pacific, to Nootka Sound, and the North West coast of Ameri- 
ca, but the Russians already had possession of the tract which they 
now hold, and had arranged a trade for the sea otter with the Koudek 
tribes. ‘They do not engross the trade, however; the American 
North West trading ships procure -~ all along the coast, from the 
Indians. 
At one period, the fur seals formed no Seamulersble item in the 
trade. South Georgia, in South lat. 55°, discovered in 1675, was 
explored by Capt. Cook in 1771. ‘The Americans immediately com- 
menced carrying seal skins thence to China, where they obtained 
the most exorbitant prices. One million, two hundred thousand skins 
have been taken from that island alone, and nearly an equal number 
from the island of Desolation, since they were first resorted to, for 
the purposes of commerce.} 
——eneonaraie 
* The fiery fox from Asia is known at the Leipzic fair, as the Padolian fox. 
t See Weddell’s voyage towards the South Pole. 
