ON THE VILLAGE KILLING GROUND. 339 



ME. CLARK'S NOTES. 



The drive this morning was from Zoltoi Sands, tbe Reef, Kitovi, and Lukanin. 

 The seals from Zoltoi Sands were already sufficiently rested by 4 o'clock, so that 

 killinj; began at that time. 



Upwards of 500 were killed at the edge of tbe ground on which the former 

 killings took place. The rejected ones went back to the sea on the east side. In the 

 lirst i)od turned off was a cow, the mate of the one shot on Zoltoi 8ands a day or two 

 ago. She is said to be the tirst female seen in a drive the present season. She caused 

 the clubbers considerable trouble, being very tierce and unmanageable. 



At 7 o'clock work was suspended for breaktast and tlie various pods of the seals 

 were driven into the lake to cool off and then rounded up on the shore to rest. After 

 breakfast the scene of the killing was changed to a i)oiut nearer the lake to shorten 

 the distance, the weather having turned out warm. The escaping pods were now 

 allowed to return to the sea at the village angle of Zoltoi Sands. Later on another 

 shift was made to the shore of the lake. Some of the pods went oti' to Zoltoi, but 

 most of them swam the length of the lake and crossing the neck entered the sea at 

 the cove in front of the lagoon. 



Some of the yearlings, of which there was an unusual number, were examined to 

 ascertain whether or not the yearling females herded with the yearling males, but 

 all were found to be males. 



Two seals were found with shot; one contained ordinary buckshot and the other 

 two irregular slugs each as large as two grains of buckshot. Agent Crowley turned 

 over 1.3 buckshot which had been taken from the seals at the Northeast Point killing 

 on the 21st instant. 



The seals seemed more irritable and fierce this morning than at the former 

 killings. The percentage of littl(^ fellows was very much greater, and these, while 

 showing all the fierceness of the older ones, had less appreciation of necessity of 

 getting away, and were therefore harder to manage. One little fellow seemed 

 determined not to be driven off. He remained through the killing of two pods and 

 fought all the time. He then ran back to the herd and was brought up a third time 

 with just as much tight in him as ever. Finally he forgot himself long enough to get 

 out of range. 



Frequently these yearlings would return several rods, leaving the escaping pod 

 and taking up their places among the dead. They are quite as difficult to handle as 

 the half bulls. One little fellow seemed bound to remain on the killing ground, and 

 when one of the clubbers took him by a hind tlii)i)er and threw him several yards into 

 the row of dead carcasses he immediately started back, but in the meantime part of 

 the pod had been worked oft and he turned back and went oft' with the escaping ones. 



One yearling received a blow on the nose while the killing was going on at the 

 lake shore. After a good deal of hesitation he entered the water, but came swimming 

 back to the point from which he started as though dazed. His nose was bleeding 

 and it was thought it might be necessary to kill him. But when it was iinally decided 

 to do so he turned sharjdy about and swam oft' to join his companions as if nothing 

 had happened. 



A half bull was stunned by a blow on the nose and lay apparently dead for a few 

 minutes, then recovered and seemed willing to light it out. He was with difficulty 



