HUNTING AND THE FUR INDUSTRY. 131 



atmospheric precipitation makes the climate of these islands extremely unhealthful, and it is 

 exceedingly probable that but for the existence there of seal rookeries they would remain 

 uninhabited. The Tiulen Island adjoins the eastern shore of the island of Sakhalin and is as 

 inhospitable as the Commander Islands. 



At the end of April or the beginning of May the seals approach these islands; the 

 males come out on the shore, choosing spots for the establishment of the family and 

 defending them form being seized by others. By the end of May the females approach the 

 shore, and are enticed upon the selected locations by the males, each male absorbing ten to 

 fifteen females. 



A male that has reached full physical development is called on the islands s i e k a c h, 

 corrupted from the English «sea catch»; a young siekach with small withers is called a half-siekach, 

 one without withers, a kholostiakor bachelor, and so on. The chief constituent of the 

 catch is the kholostiak, two and three years old, which is taken at the time preceding 

 moulting, that is to say, from the beginning of June to the middle of July, although the 

 slaughter of the seals continues not unfrequently to September. According to Colonel Vo- 

 loshinov, who was sent by the Government to investigate the position of the seal industry, the 

 seals are killed as follows. Having found the spot upon which the flock of kholostiaks has 

 taken up its position, the inhabitants early in the morning run out to the seashore thus cut- 

 ting off the animals retreat and drive them with sticks further to the point where it is pro- 

 posed to slaughter them. The seals are so helpless that ten to lifteeu men can drive at once 

 almost the same number of thousands of the animals, and then even one or two men are 

 sufficient to hold a herd of five or six thousand seals in the drive. A group of twenty to thirty 

 head are cut out, and when those which are suitable as to sex and age have been ascertained, 

 they are killed by a blow on the head with a stick. The head bones of the fur seal are so 

 weak, that with one slight blow with a stick the animal may be killed on the spot. In a 

 few minutes on the place chosen for their slaughter a heap of slain, among which the mor- 

 tally frightened animals left alive on account of their unsuitability are seen writhing, with 

 difficulty finding their way to the sea. After finishing with one heap, a second party is di- 

 vided off, and then a third, and so on. In a short while thousands of bodies fill the place 

 of slaughter. Twenty men can easily drive off and kill a thousand seals in the twenty-four 

 hours. Simultaneously with the carrying on of the slaughter, another party of workmen 

 is employed in removing the skins and salting and packing them in rows in sheds. The pop- 

 ulation of the Commander Islands occupied in killing seals consists of extremely various 

 elements. It was formed from the workmen who were brought thither by the traders partly 

 from the continent of Asia, partly from that of America, while others chanced here accident- 

 ally. There are thus to be met with here together with Kamchadals and Aleuts, Yakuts, 

 Cossacks and others. 



On Behring Island the conditions of life are less severe than on Miedny, and therefore 

 the population on the former is twice that on the latter. The total population of both islands 

 does not exceed six hundred souls. On Tiulen Island there are no fixed inhabitants, men 

 coming there from Behring Island for the slaughter of the seals and, the work done, returning 

 home. During nearly half the year the island is thus left unprotected and then foreign vessels 



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