REPORT OF AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS. 363 



SEAL KILLING AT SEA OR PELAGIC SEALING. 



Pelagic sealing is carried on cliiefly by means Vessels ami crew. 

 of schooners, each'of which is provided with a 

 crew of twenty to twenty-five men and several 

 small boats for hunting. When seals are (^..^^-^^^^^roihuni- 

 countered the smrJl boats put out and the hunt- 

 ing begins. If a seal is seen on the surface the 

 hunter approaches it as quietly as possible, and 

 when near enough shoots it with the shotgun or 

 rifle ; but most seals are shot as they rise within 

 ranofe of the boat. When a seal is shot the oars- 

 man pulls toward it as rapidly as possible in the 

 hope of reaching it before it sinks. By the aid The gaff. 

 of an iron hook on the end of a light pole many 

 seals are secured after they have sunk below the 

 surface but have not yet passed out of reach. 

 Some of the sealing vessels use steam power, but 

 most of them depend on sails. 



Formerly, Indian crews were taken almost ^'''^'''' ^""^^'^ 

 exclusively, and the spear was used instead of 

 firearms, in order not to frighten the seals. This 

 method had the great advantage of securing 

 nearly all seals wounded. Now, both Indian and 

 white hunters are employed, and the use of the 

 spear has been almost wholly superseded by the 

 use of firearms. The shotgun is used more than 

 the rifle for the reason that fewer wounded seals 

 are lost thereby. 



