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SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 199 



Is was noticed; they were frequently seen playing about, sometimes 

 on the crest of a wave, and then in the hollow of a sea. They seem- 

 ingly had no fixed course, but would swim in one direction a half a 

 mile or so, return and go in an opposite way. It is more than likely, 

 had the wind been blowing a strong gale, they would all have been 

 bound in one direction. The wind continued fresh, with a rough, choppy 

 sea, until the following noon, when the fog which had come in during 

 the night lifted and the wind suddenly subsided into a calm. The boats 

 were put in readiness and sent out for an afternoon's hunt. Consider- 

 ing the state of the sea and the time of starting, a fair afternoon's work 

 was done, 19 seals being landed on deck by 8.30 p. m. Fifteen of the 

 number were cows and 4 males. Only 6 had food in their stomachs. 

 Every hunter reported seals numerous, about half of the number being 

 asleep. They slept in ounchesof 6 and 8, and when aroused from their 

 slumber were very tame, but owing to the inexperience of the hunters 

 with spears in a comparatively rough sea, the successful throws were few 

 and far between. Had the hunters been provided with shotguns instead 

 of spears, it is pretty safe to say that a hundred or more seals would have 

 been nearer the day's catch. To be compelled to see seals escape that 

 could easily have been killed with a shotgun brought forth from both 

 hunters and boat crews loud and imprecatory language upon the heads 

 of all those who were instrumental in prohibiting the use of firearms in 

 the Bering Sea. These men had not been used to seeing their prey get 

 away so easily, and to them the sight was more than exasperating. 

 During the absence of the boats a large number of traveling seals had 

 been seen from the vessel and also an occasional " sleeper." One of the 

 latter was observed close aboard a little on our lee. It evidently was 

 sleeping soundly, for neither the slatting of the sails nor the blowing 

 of the fog horn had the effect of awaking it, and it was only when the 

 scent of the vessel reached its nostrils that it showed signs of life. 

 After being fully aroused it did not exhibit any great signs of alarm, 

 but played about not far off for some time. It seldom happens that a 

 seal will show such indifference to its surroundings as this one. The 

 captain and mate said they had never in all their experience seen a seal 

 so tame. The general opinion on board was that it was due to there 

 being no firearms used or hunting. allowed in the Bering Sea for the 

 past few years that caused the seals thus far observed to show so little 

 fear of man. 



The highest catch for any one single day was taken on the 7th. The 

 day commenced with a gentle breeze from the south, and a smooth sea. 

 A light fog hung low over the water which prevented the boats from 

 being seen more than 20 yards. At 8 a. m. the last boat shoved off, and 

 they were not seen again until evening. Noon position: Latitude, 58 

 30' north; longitude, 173 56' west. In the forenoon hand-line fishing 

 was carried on. The depth of water here was 60 fathoms. Six good- 

 sized cod were caught in quick succession; 2 males and 4 females. 

 Their stomachs were well filled with food. In the stomach of a large 

 female was found an octopus ; it had been recently swallowed, as its skin 

 showed no discoloration. Cod were abundant; we could have filled the 

 decks in a day's fishing with a single line. The abundance of cod may 

 have been the cause of seals being plentiful in this region. In the 

 evening the boats all returned nearly at the same time, bringing in 34 

 seals, 30 of which were females. Twenty-four of the number had food 

 in their stomachs. The material, however, was finely masticated, and 

 hard to identify, but a portion of it looked very much like the flesh of 

 cod. If a portion of the food was cod, the question arises, did the seals 



