STOMACHS OF SEALS EMPTY. 299 



erly direction. lu tbe early part of the day the barometer began to fall, the weather 

 became threatening, with the wind east and sea rough. At 10 a. m. wore ship and 

 jogged to the southeast under snug canvas, wind a moderate gale from the east-north- 

 east. From daylight until dark more seal life had been observed from the vessel 

 than at any j^revious time since entering Bering Sea. Our attention was esj)ecially 

 attracted to the chai-acter of the water, which had the appearance of being filled with 

 minute surface life. Birds were numerous, and an occasional whale was in sight. 



During the next three days stormy weather prevailed, the wind being east-north- 

 east and blowing from a moderate to a strong gale; the sea was heavy most of the 

 time. On the morning of the 7th the wind had subsided to a moderate breeze. During 

 this long spell of boisterous weather seals were frequently observed, some playing 

 and others traveling in a southwesterly direction. Birds were plentiful most of the 

 time. At noon on the 7th we were in latitude 56° 22' north, longitude 171° 50' west, 

 and it was quite evideut that we had encountered a strong northwesterly current. 

 At 8 p. m. wore ship and stood to the southeast so as to give the 60-mile zone a wide 

 berth. A vessel cruising near this line without getting an observation for several 

 days, and having no means of knowing the direction of the current, is very apt to be 

 from 30 to 40 miles out in her reckoning. 



At 6 a. m. on September 8 the hunters were making i^reparations to lower, the 

 sea being smooth and a light breeze blowing from the eastward; the weather was 

 cloudy. At 10 a. m. the hunt was interrupted by a heavy, damp fog. Ten seals had 

 been obtained — 7 males and 3 females. Five of the former were between 4 and 5 

 years old; the other two were very small, about 1 year old; the females were all nurs- 

 ing cows. The stomachs of these seals were nearly all emi)ty. Only a few of the 

 hunters saw seals, and according to appearances there were but few in this locality. 

 Two of the boats rowed and sailed fully 15 miles each without encountering a single 

 one. Fish and other surface life were correspondingly scarce. As our position — lati- 

 tude 56° 35' north, longitude 172° 20' west — placed us very near the bank, the scarcity 

 of seals was surprising. 



While a number of the canoes were waiting alongside to be hoisted on board a 

 small seal came up in our wake, apparently attracted by the blasts of the fog horn 

 and remaining unconscious of danger until one of the canoes had closely approached 

 it and the spear had been poised for striking. It was captured. 



At 3 p. m. we made all sail and stood to the southeast. Shortly after this the 

 fog lifted for a short time and an observation of the sun was taken, placing us in 

 latitude 56° 32' north, longitude 172° 45' west. 



The next morning we had made 50 miles in a southeast direction; the weather 

 was pleasant, the sea smooth, and the sky periodically clear. A few seals were 

 noticed early in the day. At 9 a. m, the presence of 3 seals, supposed to be sleeping, 

 prompted two hunters to launch their canoes, but they dived just as the spears were 

 being thrown. The appearance of seals, however, acted as an incentive for all the 

 canoes to go out, but they soon returned in consequence of fog. Nine seals only were 

 obtained, 4 being males and 5 females. Although fish were reported jumping, nothing- 

 was foixnd in the stomachs of these specimens. 



In the night we had worked to the east- southeast, and in the morning we were in 

 latitude 55° 50' north, longitude 171° 49' west. At 5 a. m. a sleeping seal was speared 

 close to the vessel; its stomach was well filled with food, consisting apparently of 

 Alaskan pollock. At this hour the weather was very foggy and the Indians were not 



