26 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



the oil dripping down their faces and over their garments. 

 The skins, yet warm from the body, are discharged into 

 capacious salt-houses, and salted down for the time being. 

 This treatment is continued for some time, and after the 

 application of heavy pressure they are finally tied into 

 bundles of two skins, securely strapped, and are then ready 

 for shipment. 



" The following is the process by which these skins are 

 prepared and dressed in New York. When the skins are 

 received by the furriers, in the salt, the latter is washed off, 

 and the fat removed from the inside with a knife, great care 

 being taken that no cut or uneven places are made in the 

 pelt. The skins are next thoroughly cleansed by being 

 stretched upon beams and dried. After the drying process 

 they are soaked in water, and thoroughly washed with soap. 

 After this the fur is washed again, the pelt being kept 

 moist, and the workmen pull out the long hair with the 

 assistance of a dull knife. This operation, a very delicate 

 one, is repeated several times, until nothing but the soft fur 

 remains. The skins are then dried again, and moistened 

 on the pelt side, and shaved until a firm, even surface is 

 obtained. Then follows the process, a slow and tedious 

 one, of working, drying, and softening the skins by treading 

 them with bare feet in a hogshead, with fine sawdust to 

 absorb the grease. In dyeing, the liquid is put on with a 

 brush, the points of standing fur being carefully covered. 

 The skin is then pulled, so as to make the points touch 

 each other for some little time, and partially dried. The 

 dry dye is removed and another coat applied, and the same 

 process is repeated a number of times. A few of the coats 

 of dye are put on heavily, pressed down to the edge of the 

 fur, from eight to twelve coats producing a good colour. 

 The skins are then washed again, and cleansed with saw- 

 dust." 



In the neighbourhood of Yerimo the fur seals were 

 exceedingly numerous ; in whatever direction the eye was 

 turned they might be observed, sometimes singly or in 



