SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 115 



observed until tlie afternoon of the following day, when 2 sleeping seals 

 were sighted in latitude 57° 50' north, longtitude 173° 48' west. Five 

 boats were sent out. They returned at 5 j). ni., having taken no seals, 

 although 8 had been seen, but they were all " travelers." Heavy fog 

 and strong indications of the wind breezing up fresh caused the boats 

 to return earlier than they otherwise would. In the evening, the vessel 

 being hove to, several seals came close alongside. They seemed to be 

 A'ery curious to know what we were. All the .spears on board were 

 repeatedly thrown at them, but they had the good sense to keep just out 

 of range. Whistling had the effect of enticing them close aboard, but 

 the sight of a spear or two being aimed at them would cause them, 

 without any apparent eflbrt, to increase their distance by 20 or more 

 feet. 



The first seal captured by the Olseti Avas on August 4 in latitude 57^ 

 50' north, longitude 173° 48' west, the same position recorded on the 

 previous day. At 8.45 a. m. sail was made and at 10.45 the boats were 

 lowered, 2 "sleepers'' having been seen. The weather being foggy 

 the boats were soon lost to sight. The vessel was hove to, it being 

 much easier for the boats to keep the bearing of the vessel than for 

 the vessel to keep track of the boats. 



As soon as the boats had left, a hand line was put over in 70 foth- 

 oms of water. An hour's fishing resulted in 18 cod, the average 

 weight of which was about 12 pounds; the largest weighed not far from 

 30 pounds. All but 2 of the cod were in a healthy condition; these 

 2 had sores on their backs about the size of a half dollar, which had 

 eaten nearly to the back bone. This instance is especially mentioned 

 on account of the position of the sores. In both cases they were situ- 

 ated near the neck directly over the vertebra; they were as round and 

 smooth as if cut with a knife. 



Notwithstanding that the fog did not lift during the day, the boats 

 remained out until 9 p. m. The resuli of the day's hunt was 12 seals, 

 4 males and 8 females. One of the seals had previously been speared 

 in one of its flippers, as it was nearly severed from its body, showing 

 that the seal must have had a hard struggle to free itself. The largest 

 number of seals was taken by two boats, each bringing in 5; two other 

 boats captured 1 each, and the remaining two boats brought in nothing. 

 About 50 seals had b(^eu observed from the boats, the most of whicli 

 were awake. Only an occasional individual had been noticed during 

 the day from the vessel, the fog being too dense to see more than an 

 eighth of a mile. In no instance was the first seal thrown at captured, 

 and it was only after repeated attempts by each hunter that one was 

 hit. The excitement iiroduced by the desire of each hunter to be the 

 first to capture a seal, combined with the inexperience of throwing the 

 primitive weajjon, was no doubt the chief cause of the poor results. 

 The 8 females captured were all nursing seals: but little food was found 

 in their stomachs, and that was too much digested to determine its 

 character. 



On the 5th the wind and weather were not suitable for sealing, a 

 very fresh southeast wind prevailing, and in order to keep our position 

 the vessel was hove to under easy sail. A large number of seals was 

 noticed. They apparently had no fixed course, but would swim in one 

 direction a half a mile or so, and then turn and go in an opposite way. 

 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. Considering the state of the sea 



