210 
IN EOKBIDDEN SEAS 
of the hotels, but soon had to leave it on account of 
his drinking habits. He then went to another, whose 
proprietress was a lady with a past and of much 
notoriety. One evening he appeared in the dining¬ 
room in his shirt-sleeves; the lady remonstrated. He 
went to his room, and a little later a shot was heard, 
and he was found dead, with a revolver bullet 
through his head. 
We had lowered boats over forty times for otters, 
pulling some 600 miles, and getting but seventeen. 
We had also something over 200 seals—a very poor 
catch for the time we had been out. 
Early in October I made preparations to sail for 
Bering Island, to keep my promise with our native 
friends there, and take the things they had asked 
for the previous year. A quick run up saw us off 
the small rookery on the 10th, about four o’clock in 
the afternoon. The wind being favourable, we stood 
close in to the shore, gave the signal agreed upon, 
and waited, hauling our staysail to windward, and 
allowing the vessel gradually to drift off. We could 
see several thousands of seals hauled up. Some 
natives came out of their houses, but they did not 
give the proper signal in reply, nor did they show 
any signs of coming off to the schooner. Once more 
we stood in and went through the same tactics. My 
old shipkeeper was much excited at seeing so many 
seals, and wanted to lower a boat and go on shore ; 
he said he was not afraid. But that I would not 
allow; I advised him to wait. Again we stood in 
and repeated our signal, when out marched twelve 
men armed with rifles, and took up positions behind 
an embankment. I told the old man to lower a 
boat and go on shore if he liked ; but, needless to 
