SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 125 



over several times, stop suddeuly to scratcli themselves, and stand 

 upon tlieir heads with their hind flippers about 2 feet out of water. 

 They repeatedly performed this operation. When quite near them one 

 of the seals lifted its head up, but the sight of the vessel caused no 

 alarm. Having no boat to lower or spear to throw, a loud noise was 

 made by shouting and beating upon a tin can. This did not have the 

 efl'ect of frightening them, but a light thump on the rail of the vessel 

 caused them to dive instantly, and when next seen they were about 

 200 yards away. Pausing to look at the object which had frightened 

 them, they then swam rapidly away in an easterly direction. 



From the above it would appear that seals are ordinarily but little 

 frightened by the presence of vessels, provided they are to leeward of 

 them. Had w^e been on the windward side the seals would have taken 

 alarm almost instantly, and would either have dived or swam rapidly 

 away. 



At 1 p. ra. a heavy fog bank appeared in the northwest, and shortly 

 afterwards the canoes and one boat returned. The other boat had evi- 

 dently gone astray, but as the weather was smooth no great anxiety 

 was entertained for her safety. Forty live seals were brought on board, 

 20 being males and 19 females. All the females except 2 were with 

 milk. Their stomachs were mostly empty. 



Through the night the weather continued foggy. Early the next 

 morning, August o, a sharp lookout was kept for the missing boat, and 

 also for seals. No attempt had been made to lower the canoes although 

 the sea was comparatively smooth. The light fog which hung over the 

 water, in connection with the fact of the missing boat, caused the 

 Indians to hang back. At 7 a. m. a sleeping seal was observed under 

 our lee close aboard, but not in a position to detect us by the sense of 

 smell. A canoe was soon launched and started in pursuit, but the short, 

 choppy sea made it somewhat difiicult to capture it. In calm weather, 

 or at times when there is only a light wind stirring, a canoe in approacli- 

 iug a seal is generally paddled directly from the leeward, but in a 

 choppy sea, such as prevailed on this occasion, an Indian always 

 approaches side to the wind, Avhich brings the canoe in the trough of 

 the sea and prevents it from making any noise that would disturb the 

 "sleeper." 



About noon the missing boat returned, bringing the skins of 2 seals, 

 1 male and 1 female. 



At 1 p. m. another sleeping seal was observed close under our lee. 

 In ninety-nine cases out of a liundred a sleeping seal will awaken when 

 a vessel is close to it to windward, but not so with this individual, for 

 it slept on wholly unconscious of danger, and was easily captured. At 

 this time the weather showed signs of clearing, and soon afterwards the 

 canoes were lowered. The vessel continued jogging to the westward 

 under sealing canvas. One vessel was in sight. Three hours later the 

 canoes began to return, the wind having increased in force, accompa- 

 nied by a choppy sea, which prevented seals from sleeping. They were 

 reported scarce, and the few taken bore out this statement. The day's 

 hunt amounted to only 13 skins, G males and 7 females. Four of the 

 females were with milk. Two of the males were quite large, about 5 

 years of age or over, the others from 3 to 4 years. Very few seals had 

 been observed from the canoes, and those noticed awake were traveling 

 to the southwest. 



In the morning of August 4 the weather was foggy and the wind 

 northwest and moderate. White hunters would not have hesitated 

 about going out in this kind of weather, but the Indians indulged in 



