XL-OBSERVATIONS DURING A CRUISE ON THE DORA SIEWERD, AUGUST- 

 SEPTEMBER, 1895.^ 



By A. B. Alexander. 



Pursuant to instructions from the Hon. Marshall McDonald, United States Oom- 

 missiouer of Fish and Fisheries, to secure passage on a pelagic sealing vessel for the 

 purpose of making a cruise in Bering Sea, with the object of gathering information con- 

 cerning the pelagic habits of fur seals, the methods emi)loyed for their capture at sea, 

 their food, the proi)ortion of each sex represented in the catch, etc., I left the Albatross 

 at Unalaska, the middle of July, 1895, to await the arrival of the sealing fleet. Subse- 

 quently accommodations were obtained, through the kindness of Capt. H. F. Siewerd, 

 on his vessel, the Dora Siewerd, a schooner of 100 tons register, and one of the largest 

 in the fleet. She carried 18 canoes and 2 boats, and a crew of 30 Indians and 9 white 

 men. As two Indians go in a canoe, the .spearsmen and boat steerers were equally 

 divided. 



The writer went on board the Siewerd in the evening of July 27, but owing to 

 stormy weather she did not sail until the moining of the 31st, getting under way in 

 company with 27 other sealing vessels. The wind being light we were obliged to 

 anchor ott' Ulakhta Head, Hand lines were put over here and fishing carried on for 

 two hours, resulting in the capture of 22 cod and 4 halibut. 



Early in the afternoon, with a light wind from the eastward, we worked toward 

 Cape Cheerful, which, the next morning (August 1), bore southeast 25 miles, the fleet 

 by this time being considerably scattered. At 9 a. m. 2 sleeping seals were observed, 

 and shortly afterwards the vessel was hove to and the canoes i^ut over. Each hunter 

 among the Indians was anxious to secure the first skin, a superstition prevailing that 

 he who kills the first skin at the beginning of a cruise will be attended with good 

 luck during the remainder of the season. No time was lost in getting the canoes in 

 the water, as a number of other vessels in sight had already lowered their boats. 

 After the canoes had gotten about 2 miles ahead, the vessel followed in their wake; 

 and as the day was clear they could be seen for a long distance. Occasionally a sail 

 would be seen to lower, which indicated that the canoes were among seals. 



Before entering into a discussion of the details of my observations it may be well 

 to state that the positions of each day's catch will be found in appended Table No. 1,^ 

 the same corresponding with those given in the vessel's official log. The noon posi- 

 tion each day is shown in Table No. 2,^ in which is also recorded the direction and 



' Reprinted from Seal Life, Pt. II, Senate Doc. 137, 1895. 'Here omitted. 



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