546 THE FUR SEALS Ol' THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



One hundred skins weighed in lots ol" 10 each in tlie salt house gave an average 

 of 7.8 pounds i)er skin for the killing. 



I visited Lukanin and Kitovi in the afternoon. Under the cliffs at the former 

 rookery a young water hull made a dash ui) through the harems as if to gain the rear 

 of the rookery. He was attacked by all the bulls within reach, but was iH)t stopped 

 until he cann^ ann)ng the idle bulls in the rear. He nearly escaped through tliese, but 

 his courage failed and he turned again for tlic watei', getting torn and bitten by all the 

 bulls ill tiie way. At the water he was luirdly al)le to stand. Tiiis tiling occurs nearly 

 every day on some rookery. The peculiar thing about it is the stupidity of these 

 young bulls, not only in attempting to break through in this way but also in not seeing 

 that half the exertion necessary to retrace their course would carry them to safety. 

 They seem to start out with an utter disregard for consequences and becoming 

 discouiagcd they know nothing but to return the way they came. 



During the excitement occasioned by an episode like the above the harems are 

 more or less disorganized. Several cows have left their own harems to enter others. 

 A small harem of 2 cows, behind a large one, loses 1. She proliably goes back to the 

 place from which she was stolen. The bull seems to be much excited about her loss 

 and in a few minutes makes a raid on the big harem, carrying oU" a cow. The owner 

 attacks him, catching him under the fore tiipper and tearing him frightfully. He 

 holds to the cow and gets her safely to his harem. The blood runs down his fore 

 tiipper in a stream and in a few minutes he has made the rocks for a space of ti feet 

 square red with his blood. 



DlOrAUTtlEE OF COWS. 



Many cows in all the harems today are re.stless and plainly desirous of going 

 into the water. The bulls are constantly rushing about to prevent them. They are 

 gaunt and thin. When anything engrosses the bull's attention elsewhere they slii) 

 away. One has just gone in. She spends a few minutes looking about and i)laying 

 in the water, then swims off along down shore. 



A cow left the same harem, but i)assed into the adjoining one to avoid a young- 

 bull on the water's edge. She passed into a third harem, neither bull paying any 

 attention to her. Finally she went into the sea. 



During a tight, in which the master of the large harem from which these 2 cows 

 left was engaged, 3 other cows started oil' together. One got off to sea without 

 difflculty. The secuul took refuge in a small harem near the water to escape a water 

 bull and has been held a prisoner by the bull. The third was caught by a vigorous 

 young bull without cows and held in an angle between two rocks. She is lighting 

 hard but not making much progress. The bull has torn her in several [ilaces. He is 

 bound she shall not escape. After tighting with her for half an hour and completely 

 tiring her out he is now copulating with her. This would seem to be a case of rape, 

 pure and simple. The cow still continues to struggle but it is imi)ossible for her to 

 get away. Yesterday Mr. Lucas and I witnessed a case of copulation where the cow 

 seemed wholly unwilling but could not escape. 



A wet cow comes in fiom the sea calling, as if looking for her [mp. She does not 

 find the ])Ui) during the time she is wati^hed. She is not gravid, and must be one i)f 

 the eaiiier cows returning from her tirst trip to sea. 



