312 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



THE KILLINa. 



Killing was already begun when we reached the ground. The Zoltoi seals, which 

 had come in about 3 o'clock, having rested in the meantime, were killed first. 



The larger pods of seals were in turn separated into smaller ones containing from 

 20 to 50 each. These were driven up one after another and the killable ones culled 

 out by clubbing them oq the head. Those too small or too large to kill were allowed 

 to escape and were driven into the water. Some of these, released on the eastern side 

 of the peninsula early in the killing, had already made the circuit of the Eeef and 

 were again hauled out on Zoltoi in time to be included in the second herd driven in. 



The blow with the club on the head renders the seal instantly unconscious, and 

 before the animal recovers it is bled by being stuck to the heart. The skin is at once 

 taken off and thrown upon the grass to cool, the carcasses being left to rot on 

 the field. The killing is under the immediate direction of the agent of the company 

 and the native chief and iu the presence of the Treasury agent. By a judicious 

 division of the labor the various processes connected with the killing and skinning of 

 the seals go on at once, and in a few minutes after the last seal is clubbed the skinning 

 is completed. 



The total number driven this morning was 1,919, of which number 1,070 were 

 rejected and 849 killed. Of the rejected seals 522 were too small and 548 too large 

 to furnish skins of the requisite grade. 



Prom what has been said of the carcass- strewn roadways of the drives and the 

 terrible effects of over-exertion on the seals, we were prepared to see greater 

 evidence of exhaustion and to see the animals drop by the wayside to be killed and 

 skinned there. Not a seal died by the way, and in half an hour the herd had 

 apparently entirely recovered from the effects of the drive. 



The morning, however, was favorable for driving, the fog continuing and shutting 

 out the sun. It is when the sun shines or the morning proves close and warm that 

 the seals suffer. The sun seldom appears during June and July (the average for these 

 months being less than a full day of sunshine in ten years), when the driving is done, 

 and little difiSculty is experienced. 



ZOLTOI SANDS. 



On passing Zoltoi Sands on our way to the Eeef at 11 o'clock, about 300 bachelor 

 seals, yearlings and wigged 4 and 5 year olds, were found hauled out and sleeping on 

 the sands and under the edge of the bluff', from which early this morning everything 

 was driven up to the killing ground. The rejected seals must have already swam 

 around the Eeef and back to Zoltoi Cove, for they were turned off' on the eastern side 

 of the neck. 



Two half bulls, each with a cow, have taken up their places at the angle of the 

 cliff where the Zoltoi bachelors haul out. They hold their own pretty well. The 

 cows are small and have no pups. One of these must be killed to determine whether 

 or not they are virgins. This class of seals we have not yet been able to find. There 

 are 2 other half bulls, each with a little cow of the same description, up on Zoltoi 

 sands, at the edge of the sleeping bachelors. The bulls act like true bulls, holding 

 their ground and keeping the others off fairly well. The cows seem very affectionate. 

 But both cows and bulls are more timorous than grown animals are. 



