118 THE FUR SEALS OP THE PBIBILOP ISLANDS. 



moment tlie seals were ready to move <>u apparently refreshed. Continuous exertion is evidently hard 

 on them, but they quickly recover from exhaustion. As soon as the flock comes to rest for a few 

 moments' breathing, they begin to bite one another and push in an unconcerned fashion until they are 

 reminded by the absence of their companions that they must keep moving. 



The seals were not urged forward, but were allowed to take their own time. "When the herd 

 was brought to vest for a few minutes, the rear driver started them on by clapping his hands or by 

 rattling a stick on a rock. Our presence evidently urged the seals, and made the drive really harder 

 than it would ordinarily have been. The Aleuts seem to have a way of handling the seals that they 

 understand. 



A short distance brought us to the end of the grassy plain and into an area of ground filled with 

 embedded bowldeis. These were for the most part flat and worn smooth. It looked like hard ground 

 for the seals, but in reality they seem to get over it better than the flat ground. On the flat there 

 was constant crowding, while here the rocks kept the seals apart. The animals are really more 

 familiar with the rocky ground, their breeding rookeries with few exceptions being on the rocky 

 beaches. 



After passing over a slight ridge, where the passageway became narrowed by projecting cliffs and 

 where there was a good deal of crowding and scrambling, the drive left the bowlder-strewn path and 

 passed into a valley overgrown with tall Elymus grass and lying between rows of sand dunes also 

 grass-grown. The seals seem to be refreshed by the moisture of the grass, which was wet with dew 

 and rain. 



This grassy plain led into the top of the bowlder-set slope above Zoltoi sands, from w r hich the 

 earlier seals were driven. The seals passed down this slope without difficulty and came into the level 

 sand flat. Here the first really hard work of the drive began. The seals seemed to find their greatest 

 difficulty in walking on the yielding sand. Their flippers take hold of the rocks like rubber, but slip 

 back in the sand. No rocks prevented the animals from crowding. They stepped on each other's 

 flippers, became much excited, and seemed generally worried. 



But in a few minutes the sands were passed and the herd emerged into the grass-grown killing 

 ground. As soon as the seals came to a standstill, they seemed to forget their troubles. At once 

 they began biting, snarling, and blowing at one another as though nothing had happened. They 

 were then turned into the little lake beside the killing ground to cool off, and were herded up on 

 the bank to rest until their turn came to be killed. 



It Avas 5 minutes after 5 when the first herd reached the killing ground. The second arrived 

 three-quarters of an hour afterwards, having taken more time on the way. 



THE KILLING. 



After the seals have sufficiently rested and cooled off the killing is begun. The 

 large drove of animals is put in motion in the direction of the spot where the killing 

 is to begin. Two men close in on the moving animals and cut off a small pod of from 

 twenty-five to fifty, turning the main body back. This small group is driven up 

 within reach of a number of men armed with clubs. These "cull" out the "killable" 

 seals (3-year-olds, large 2-year olds, and small 4-year-olds) by striking them on the 

 head, allowing the noukillable seals (yearlings, small 2-year-olds, and all u wigged" 

 seals) to escape and make their way back to the sea. As soon as one pod is knocked 

 down, a second is cut out and driven up. This process is continued until the drove 

 is exhausted. 



THE ALEUTS. 



The operations of the killing ground are carried out by the Aleuts, under the 

 immediate direction of the native chief, who is in turn subject to the direction of the 

 agent of the lessees. The latter supervises the clubbing and indicates the proper 

 grade of animals to be selected. The drives are authorized by the agent of the 

 Government, and he is required to be present on the killing grounds to look after the 

 interests of the Government as the owner of the herd. 



