THE SEA OTTERS. 73 
ready for market the lucky owner considers himself en- 
riched to the value of ten or fifteen blankets. The flesh of 
the otter is eagerly devoured by the Indians as a choice 
article of food. The mode of capture between Point Gran- 
ville and the Aleutian Islands varies with the different 
native tribes inhabiting that coast. 
About the Aleutian Islands, the natives, dressed in their 
water-proof garments made from the intestines of seals, 
wedge themselves into their bidarkas (which are constructed 
with a light wooden frame, and covered with walrus or seal 
sking*), i and as it were plunge through the surf that dashes 
high among the crags, and with almost instinctive skill reach 
the less turbulent ground swell that heaves in every direction. 
Once clear of the rocks, however, the hunters watch in- 
tently for the otters. The first man that gets near to one 
darts his spear, then throws up his paddle by way of signal ; 
all the other boats form a circle around him at some distance ; 
the wounded animal dives deeply, but soon returns to the 
surface near some one of the boats forming the circle; again 
the hunter that is near enough hurls his spear and elevates 
his paddle, and again the ring is formed as before. In this 
wise the chase is continued till the capture is made. As soon 
as the animal is brought on shore the two oldest hunters ex- 
amine it, and the ore whose spear is found nearest its head 
is entitled to the prize. The number of sea otters taken an- 
nually is not definitely known, but from the most authentic 
information we can obtain the aggregate is two thousand six 
hundred ; valuing the skins at fifty dollars each, amounts to 
the sum of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. 
Whether these most valuable fur animals have decreased 
in numbers within the few past years is questionable. The 
hunting of them on the coast of California is no longer 
*These * bidarkas, or skin-boats,” from twel fe 'cording 
as they may be made for one or two persons, the greatest width — about ety 
inches, and depth ayer inches. In these frail crafts the natives go fro 
to Sanak Islands to hunt the sea otter, a distance of one hundred and rune 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 10 . 
