FUR SEALS. 155 



be used in rougli weather, if necessary ; or if a seal, after being sj^eared, can not 

 be managed with the line in hand, a buoy is "bent on," and the animal is allowed 

 to take its course for a time. Its efforts to escape, by diving repeatedly, and 

 plunging about near the surface of the water, soon exhaust the animal somewhat ; 

 and when a favorable time is presented, the spearman seizes the buoy, hauls in the 

 line until within reach of the seal, and it is captured by clubbing. But, generally, 

 the line is held in the hand when the spear is thrust into the seal ; then the pole 

 is instantly withdrawn, and the canoe is hauled at once to the floundering creature, 

 which is dispatched as before described. Indians from the Vancouver shore fre- 

 quently start in the night, so as to be on the best sealing -ground in the morning. 

 This locality is said to be south-west of Cape Classet, five to fifteen miles distant. 



Frecjuently, during the early part of the day, in the spring months, fresh 

 winds come from the eastward, causing a rough, short sea in the whirling currents 

 about the mouth of the strait. At such times these seal -fishers, or hunters, squat- 

 ting in their canoes — which have a skin buo}^ lashed on each side of the bow — 

 present not only a comical, but perilous appearance, the}' l)eing continually drenched 

 with salt water by the toppling seas, and the canoes making as great a diversity 

 of bounds and plunges as do the seals themselves. 



In Behring Sea, the islands of St. Paul and St. Greorge are now the main resort- 

 ing places of the Fur Seals, although in former years Copper Island swarmed with 

 these periodical visitors ; considerable numbers were also inhabitants of Behring 

 Island, as well as several of the more isolated points in the Aleutian chain. The 

 Aleutians, under the directioil of officers of the Russian- American Company, were 

 employed in taking the seals. Under the judicious management of the Russians, 

 the animals did not decrease in numbers, and, to a certain extent, they became 

 tamed, for they returned periodically to the islands, and brought forth and nurtured 

 their young ; and it was the custom to drive thousands of them inland, that their 

 capture might be more easily accomplished. The loud moanings of the animals 

 when the work of slaughtering is going on beggars description ; in fact, they 

 manifest vividly to any observing eye a tenderness of feeling not to be mistaken. 

 Even the simple-hearted Aleutians saj' that "the seals shed tears." 



Our observations about the mouth of the Strait of Juaii de Fuca lead us to 

 believe that the unusually large number seen in the vicinity during the past two 

 years are a portion, at least, of the great herd that resort to St. Paul and St. 

 George. One reason for this conclusion is, that no adult males are found with 

 them. This would naturally follow the careful course adopted by the Russians of 

 sparing the females, in order to propagate the stock. Moreover, this female herd — 



