TAKEN AT YICTOKIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA. 337 



ammunitiou used: Curtis & Harvey's ^o. 6 grain, size 14, in kegs; 

 charge, 6 to 7 drams, and from 15 to 21 buckshot. 



The follo"s\ring is an extract from my note book during the nine days' 

 hunt in Bering Sea, from 23 to 31 August, in the wa- 

 ters about 40 to 50 miles from the entrance to Una- ^^^""7 °^ "!°® ^^y^[ 

 laska harbor, and 40 to 50 miles off Akutan Island, extract" £romI°^ ''*' 

 Aleutian chain, or from 150 to 200 miles from the Prib- 

 ilof Islands. 



Sunday, 23 August, wind light; misty; rain. 7:30 a. m., sighted 

 seals to west. Second boat lowered; killed one seal in sight of vessel. 

 First boat and canoe lowered; out all day, returning to meals. Eesult 

 of day's hunt: Second boat, one seal. Seals sx)orting round vessel; a 

 great many shots fired by boats. 



Monday, 24 August, clear weather; calmer sea. Boats and canoe out 

 all day from 7 a. m. (returning to dinner). Eesult : First boat, one seal ; 

 reported having lost two. Second boat, none. Indian canoe, one seal. 

 Total, 2 mediums; a great deal of firing heard. 



Tuesday, 25 August, rain in morning. Boats and canoe out at half 

 past 9 o'clock; out all day (returning to dinner). Result: First boat, 

 two seals reported, wounded and lost five; seals said to be shy and 

 wary, and not so numerous as formerly; attention called to cow seal 

 being skinned (which I had taken for a young bull). The snow white 

 milk running down blood-stained deck was a sickening sight. Indian 

 canoe, one seal. Total, 3 seals ; 2 mediums and 1 cow, 



Wednesday, 26 August, cloudy morning; seals floating round 

 schooner. Boats and canoe out all day. Result: First boat, 1 seal; 

 second boat, none; Indian canoe, 10 seals; total, 11 seals; 8 cows in 

 milk, and 3 medium. Skipper in first boat blamed the powder. Second 

 boat said it was too heavy and clumsy for the work. Skipper reported 

 having wounded and lost 7, and the men in second boat 9 ditto, 10 in 

 all. Skii)i)er said seals not so numerous as formerly, more shy; also 

 blamed the powder. Evidently a great deal of shooting and very few 

 seals to correspond. 



Thursday, 27 August, seals to all appearances very scarce, species 

 being exterminated, so to judge from the skipper's remarks. Weather 

 fine and clear. Boats and canoe out; returned at noon, consequence of 

 rough sea. Result: First boat, 1; second boat, none; Indian canoe, 2 

 seals; total, 3 seals. Again in favor of Indian spear. Powder blamed 

 again. Tired of such excuses. So tar have not found one word of truth 

 in anything I've heard previously about open sea seal-hunting. 



Friday, 28 August, rain and heavy sea in morning; cleared in after- 

 noon ; boats and canoe out in afternoon ; returned at 6 p. m. Ko skins, 

 although a great deal of shooting going on. First boat reported hav- 

 ing wounded and lost three seals; blamed powder. Poor powder. It 

 takes, judging from the number of shots fired, about a hundred to se- 

 cure one seal. 



Saturday, 29 August, ship's cook brought down from deck a large cow 

 seal at 40 yards rise. Boats and canoe out all day ; fine, clear, balmy 

 weather ; Aukatan Island in sight. Result : First boat, three seals ; 

 second boat, three seals; cook, from deck, one; Indian canoe, ten; 

 total catch, seventeen seals, greater proportion cows in milk; horrid 

 sight, could not stay the ordeal out till all were flayed. A large num- 

 ber reported as wounded and lost. According to appearances, slaughter 

 indiscriminate. 



Sunday, 30 August, fine clear morning; hazy towards Akutan. At 

 6 o'clock a cry " Here's the cruiser" to the eastward. Boats and canoe 



2716— VOL u 22 



