FUE SEAL HAULING-GEOUNDS. 99 



when I again searched for them in 1874. Similar passages existed, however, on several of the 

 large rookeries of Saint Paul ; one of those at Tolstoi exhibits this feature very finely, for here the 

 hauling-ground extends around from English Bay, and lies up back of the Tolstoi Eookery, over a 

 flat and rolling summit, from 100 to 120 feet above the sea-level. The young males and yearlings 

 of both sexes come through and between the harems, at the height of the breeding-season, on two 

 of these narrow pathways, and before reaching the ground above, are obliged to climb up an almost 

 abrupt bluff, which they do by following and struggling in the water-runs and washes which are 

 worn into its face. As this is a large hauling-ground, on which, every favorable day during the 

 season, fifteen or twenty thousand commonly rest, the sight of skillful seal-climbing can be 

 witnessed here at any time during that period; and the sight of such climbing as this of Tolstoi 

 is exceedingly novel and interesting. Why, verily, they ascend over and upon places where an 

 ordinary man might, at first sight, with great positiveness say that it was utterly impossible for 

 him to climb. 



Hatjling-geounds on the beaches. — The other method of coming ashore, however, is the 

 one most followed and favored. In this case they avoid the rookeries altogether, and repair to the 

 unoccupied beaches between them, and then extend themselves out all the way back from the sea, 

 as far from the water, in some cases, as a quarter and even half of a mile. I stood on the Tolstoi 

 sand-dunes one afternoon, toward the middle of July, and had under my eyes, in a straightforward 

 sweep from my feet to Zapadnie, a million and a half of Seals spread out on these hauling-grounds. 

 Of these, I estimated that fully one-half, at that time, were pups, yearlings, and " Holluschickie." 

 The rookeries across the bay, though plainly in sight, were so crowded, that they looked exactly as 

 I have seen surfaces appear upon which bees had swarmed in obedience to that din and racket 

 made by the watchful apiarian, when he desires to hive the restless honej'-makers. 



The great majority of yearlings and "Holluschickie" are annually hauled out and packed 

 thickly over the sand-beach and upland hauling-grounds, which lie between the rookeries on Saint 

 Paul Island. At Saint George there is nothing of this extensive display to be seen, for here is 

 only a tithe of the seal-life occupying Saint Paul, and no opportunity whatever is afforded for an 

 amphibious parade. 



Gentleness of the Seals. — Descend with me from this sand-dune elevation of Tolstoi, and 

 walk into that drove of " Holluschickie " below us; we can do it ; you do not notice much confusion 

 or dismay as we go in among them ; they simply open out before us and close in behind our tracks, 

 stirring, crowding to the right and left as we go, twelve or twenty feet away from us on each side. 

 Look at this small flock of yearlings, some one, others two, and even three years old, which are 

 coughing and spitting around us now, staring up in our faces in amazement as we walk ahead; 

 they struggle a few rods out of our reach, and then come together again behind us, showing no 

 further sign of notice of ourselves. You could not walk into a drove of hogs at Chicago, without 

 exciting as much confusion and arousing an infinitely more disagreeable tumult ; and as for sheep 

 on the plains, they would stampede far quicker. Wild animals indeed ! You can now readily 

 understand how easy it is for two or three men, early in the morning, to come where we are, turn 

 aside from this vast herd in front of and around us two or three thousand of the best examples, 

 and drive them back, up and over to the village. That is the way they get the Seals; there is not 

 any ''hunting" or "chasing" or "capturing" of Fur Seals on these islands. 



"Holluschickie" do not fast. — While the young male Seals undoubtedly have the power 

 of going for lengthy intervals without food, they, like the female Seals on the breeding-grounds, 

 certainly do not maintain any long fasting periods on land; their coming and going from the shore 

 is frequent and irregular, largely influenced by the exact condition of the weather from day to day; 



