500 OFFICIAL liEPOKTS. 



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

 ^ . , . manned by white men and properly fitted for remain- 



mg' at sea m ail weathers. JMany or these schooners 

 are part of the Bering Sea fleet. There appears to be no fixed rate of 

 compensation for the crews of these vessels, eacli owner makes his own 

 bargain. The hnnters are paid by the skin. The master, as a rnle, is 

 paid by the month at $75 or $100, althongh some receive a sliare of tlic 

 catch. Many of the larger vessels carry two mates, who receive $00 

 and $45 i)er month, respectively. The cook receives $50 or $00, accord- 

 ing 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 GO cents per skin without montlily pay. The vessel furnishes 

 Ibod, and, it is said, feed the men fairly well. The hunters live in tlie 

 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 



Sealing oats. ottcr boat, as it was fii'st 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 imj)ress me as being in the hunter's 

 way and altogether inconvenient, but they are invariably used. Al- 

 though 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 imijortance. 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 



dnected by the hunter by word or sign. Each boat is 

 " "^ ^'""^' furnished with two shotguns, and many in addition 



carry a Winchester rifle. Only the best breech-loading shotguns are 

 used. The 10-gauge hammerless Parker is a favorite. The charge is 

 4 to 5 drams of powder and 21 No. 2 or 28 No. 3 buckshot in brass 

 shells, ])aper shells being kept in the boat absorb moisture, swell up, 

 and will not enter the gnu. 



In getting <mr sealing outfit in San Francisco I bought paper shells, 

 but soon found that they would not answer the purpose, for this reason, 

 the gnus and ammunition are generally furnished by the vessel, but 

 some hunters prefer to use their own guns and to prepare their own 

 ammunition. The larger vessels carry six regular boats on deck, and 

 a boat hoisted at the stern, which in moderate weather and when seals 



are near the vessel is used by the master. In Aveather 

 oc e o sea ing. gi^ijtable for Sealing, all boats are lowered aboiit a. m., 

 to give them an opportunity to separate and get well aAvay from the 

 vessel before the seals begin to sleep. If there is a breeze, sail is made 

 at once; if not, oars are used, the rowers bending to their oars with a 

 will, while the hunter stands erect in the bow of the tiny craft, his gun 



in hand, scanning the sea carefully in every direction, 

 _ jndiscrimimito kill- |j^,,^(. ,^p,^j^ ^j^^ dcstructioii of any seal that fate might 



throw in his way, whether old, young, male, or female, 

 it matters not to the hunter, he is paid so many dollars for a seal skiu, 



