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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (June 9, 1893)
JJfe and Habits of the Seal. S North American Review. The islands of St. Paul and St. rGeorge in Bebring eea, known as the' Pribyloff Islands, are a part at th Alasia purchase from Rus- . sia in 1867. '1 heee islands are the ; r only places inhabited by the seal iii the Alaskan Territory. Across Bering sea, near the Siberian coast, and distant' 750 miles due west, from the P.ribyloff Islands, are the Commander Islands, belonging to Russia, which are also inhabited by sealp. No other seaj colcmy of juny size exists in the North Pacific. ; The two herds inhabiting these widely separated groups of Islands never migle with each other on land or in the water adjacent to the is lands, but the herd maintains, and always has maintained its separate and diptinct existence. Thlere is m record of .the killing of a seal belonging to the Commander is- lands upon the isles of Pribyloff. The members of the two herds are jeadily distinguished, by their skins, that of the American seal ; le.'ng of finer quality and worth about twenty-five per cent more in the market. The difference is well established and fully recog nized, although its cause has never been ascertained. But whatever the cause, it must have operated manv eenerations to produce the marlrad dmerence In the am mals, which is conclusive evidence of the absolute separation of the two herds, and ice serves to identify members of each herd beyond pos sible question. Why the American seal should fliave Rejected these two remote is lands for its home, and no others, is not DOBitivelv known. Delight ing in fog, but unable to endure ice or sun, the animals have doubtless been influenced in their choice by the fact that the islands are almost continuously enveloped in fog from May to November; that they Vare free from too during the breed lhg season; that a large portion of their surface is covered by ledges of smooth, bare rook: and that their shores consist of gentle slopes, giving easy access ftom the water and making a beach on which the .young can live while learning to rim. The American seal has never been known to breed on any pthor land, and they occupy these islands for about eight months each year., The fur seal is sui generis. It is a warm-blooded, highly organized animal, classified with bears, dogs, cats, and other carniverous mam mal?. It a essentjally a land ani mal, it can and does at times. live in the water, but it is not a fis'n and has none of the character iSijiJost neiu&is allied to the whale Ihich also belongs to the family of f. begotten, born " and reared in , the water, and which perishes when removed from its native element, the seal is begotten, born, ana ireared on land, and bijt for its life on the land the species would become extinct. The period of eight months continuously. Dur ing this time the seals only visit the sea for short periods for food. Some of them do not leave the is land at "all, even for this purpose. The seal may, therefore, be ac curately described as a land ani mal, whose food is found in the sea. ' Summer is the breeding season of the seal. The animals are then "tion takes place. ' The per- fcestation is between "eje vet). J twelve months, during the pnd half of which the herds are A sea. The approach of its com pletion finds the mothers again re turning to the lands ready to give i it i . i . it Dirtn to tneir young as soon as mey - reach their summer home. Shortlv after the birth,, and while still nursing their offspring, they again become nreenant with the vounsr at will be born in the following season, ana tnis process or repro auction goes on year after year with unvarying regularity. During the winter months the seals of the Pribyloff Islands, male and female, old and young, make an annual excursion into the North Pacific Ocean south of Bering sea, and from this point they disperse) Vilely to the south and east Neither the extent nqr cause o: this annual dispersion is known But we know that it takes place each winter, and lasts until the late serine. Then the scattered animals, by art invariable instinct converse from all -directions, and gathering in one vast herd in the Waters of the North Pacific south of the Aleutian Islands, pass through the straits; between these islands and make their way to gether to the Pribyloffs. In this annual return of the herds to the northward the older bulls assume the lead and reach the islands about May 5th. As they arrive they chose their positions on the rookeries, and there await the com ing of their mates. The cows, heavy .with young, follow them closely, the first arriving about June 10th, and by the middle of July the entire herd has reassembled on the is lands. In company with the well-grown bulla and cows come the younger , aniinals, the product of the herd during the past six years. The m!cs do not reach maturity un til eix or seven years of age, and! these males together with the yearling females take up their abode by themselves on what are known as the "hauling grounds," quite apart from the ookerie& xr breeding-places, none of the young males are al lowed by their elders to come up on the rookeries until they are fully matured, and not even then, except they are able jko overcome H in single combat some old bull, whose powers have been weak-j enedby age. They rnugt conquer their places, and with all alike, old arid young, the warfare of tha j rookeries means the survival of the fittest. For about four months the seal is nursed, receiving 'nothing but its mother's milk, which it takes once every two pr three days, and remain wholly on the land. The young seal cannot swim, and if thrown into the water would drown a strong confirmation of the fact that it is by nature a land animal. It begins to play in ; the surf when about two months old, and at the end of four months it has progressed sufficiently to seek its own food, but for a considerable time it remains a clumsy swim mer, Except the full grown bulls (which can. go t longtime without food) and the nursing young, all the seals feed in the sea during their residence on land. It is a terpetual coming and going, low far they go is not definitely known; but as they, can, alter a vear or two, swim from ten to twelve miles an hour, and as the motner seal is often away from one to two days', it is certain that they swim off as far as a hundred miles in search of food. Compelled to find food not only for hemselves but for their nursing "young, the mothers go into the sea far oftener than the other seals, and are therefore, most exposed to the attacks of poachers. The seal-iookeries on the Pribyloff Islands are the largest in the world. Here the business of breeding, . raising, selecting the male seals for slaughter at the age and season when the fur is most valuable; of curing, preserving. shipping, and marketing the skins, has been carried on for nearly ninety years, I his government, sq.on after acquiring possession assumed, by an express statute, the control and conduct of the business the treasury depart ment being empowered to pre scribe the number, age and sex ol the seals that may be slaughtered At the apnual round-up. which lasts from June to October, the kyoung males of irom two to nve years, whicn are still immature for breeding purposes, and hence known as bachelors, are selected for slaughter. At this age their fur is at its best, and brings the highest Drice in the market During part of the months of August and qeptember, however, the fur temporarily deteriorates, and no seals are slaughtered. No females are allowed to be killed upon the islands. All are K reserved for the increase of the erd, for it is upon them that the increase mainly depends. The cow bears but one calf a year, while a bull, as a rule, serves as many as fifteen cows in a, season, and may sen'e as many; as twenty or thirty. The killing of one fe male meansthe cutting off of one young seal a year from the natural increase of the herd during the natural term of the mother's life; while the- lulling of fourteen or fifteen'malea would involve no diminution of the annual increase. The seals selected for slaughter are killed in the open field with clubs, and the thousands of their companions in the immediate presence of whom the killing is done make no effort o rup away. The United States could, thus, in a single season, destroy everyone of the seals on the islands. The industry, as conducted by the government, is a scource of great profit. Its successful pros ecution requires large capital and great energy and skill. If the seal herds can he preserved for the next century under the con ditions that existed down to 1S85, it is a low estimate to place the value of these two islands at thirty millions of do)lars. V('lh the seal exterminated, they are ot no val.ue whatever., ' H5LIX HERALDINGS. IIrux, June 5, J893. V ar.a enjoying nice weather now, and the crop prospect is good. The wheat is growing rank but we will not cut it back as the Junction City farmer says he will do. We would like to cut it ahead about rflonth. 1 lie sick child ot v. u zeiger is still very low, but we hope that by careful nursing and the BKillful treatment of Dr. Griawold, it will soon recover. J. II. Ross and Trof. Austin leader of Austin's band of this city went to 1'en.dleton today. FranK and Elmer Richmond and Jas. Ross have returned from trip to Idaho. It seems as if the bjys have enough of that country. Quite a number of our church gjing people attended church in Have constantly on hand a full line of farming implements i3 IE, G!-OI?.3yC-A.3, your city Sunday,, there being no i services here. Hereafter, Rev. W. VV. W. Brannin will preach at t-biJ place on the first and third Sun days .of each month. The band boys are wonting hard now; practicing three times a wee Their object is to be one of the best bands in Eastern Oregon, ana we believe they will succeed. The . tunnel in the Pendleton paint mine is in about 80 feet. Since the worxing of this find as a paint deposit, acd when in about 70 feet, a peculiar formation of' rock was found, such as is usually fou&d in opal mines. The work of sinking into the fce4wck is now going on, during the process of which quite a number of good ODals have been found, and of various colors, upon the advice of an opal expert, they will sink through this bedrock, where, if expectations are realized, the rich opal rock will be found. Notice for Publication. Land Office at La Guanine. Obi May VI, m. Notice 18 hereby given that the following- named settler has filed notice of bis Intention to make n rial Droof in buddoi of bis claim. and that Raid proof will be made before the uouniy (jierK or uinamia uouniy, at renuio- ton Oregon, on June win, isia, viz: Charles MeLeas. Hd No. 5192 for the 8 X N Ji and lots 13 See 1 tp 4 N R 84, E W ftl. He names the following: witnesses to prove his continuous residence noon and cultivation of. said land, viz: Lawrence Hutchinson, of Ferris and Cass Cannon, of Athena, Ore, A, Clever, Register. weston, ure.. ana namuei n, uroves, ivouerv Watch Repairing Dona t peaeonable Rates and --SatisfactionGuarnteed' ! DRESSMAKING Of every description neatly Executed - We do our Cutting by the J k SYSTEM. Mrs. Post & Mrs. Richardson, Main St., Athena. - : THE ATHENA LIVERY STABLE J. M. SMETIIERMAN, Prop'r. (Secceesor to J. A. Nelon.) KOrjE BUT FIRST-CLASS CICS AND SAE TEAH. STOCK BOARDED gY THE DY WEEK OR IY10HTH. mii Corner Fourth & Current, Athena. C. L. SIMMONS, MANUFACTURER OF (! (Tt If U V uv. 0 And dealer in yood, Sand, etp. MONEY To Loan on Improved Farms, Property at Low Rates. Can get Money In less time thn anyone Else can get it. I HAVE For sale a number of Choice Farms, including One of the best farms in Uma- tilla County, TTvyq miles from Athcna, A. NUMBERS- pf choice Residence Lots , In Athena, on easy terras.. I WRITE Insurance in the fallowing Leading Companies: London and Lancashire, Lion, Imperial, Caledonian, Liverpool, London & Globct and the Continental, the Great farm Company. T. D. IIARPEIl, A!hfJ?t Oregon. and vehicles, carts, Buffalo Pitts Thresh ers, Hodge-Haines Manager, -- A Bargain. I have a 32-jnch Advance" sep arator, a 12 horse pow.er Anvfl trac tion engine, 4wiCijc, cook house, tanss, forks,, fork rojiesrrrvery- thing com pleter-rbr iale at a bar gain. On time, or will trade for Athena town property, lhe above rig is complete in every detail; won't cost $20 to put it in the fieid. Come and see me. My reasons for gelling is that I have a .combine machine and haye no use for the engine, gepajratorj, tc. 1 also have a quantity of baled hay choice ' wheat hay that I will sell at f 10 person. , r T. PAGE GILMAN : :' Writes Mortgages. Wri tes Deeds. Writes Insurance. Cpal For Sale ! The Atliena Flouring Mill Company hoye been appAlnJed sole ajrenfs on the Uae of the 0. 4 W. T., lor the Koslyri coal, abd have made arrangements whereby two or three threi ter a car load lot and the came car cn be farmers livine at ainerem .unions may p iff at ilrl.tifuki1 at different stations for conven ience, without any extra charges, anaencaper thon wo vr ottered before. Coal will also 1 be sold In afty quantity, at the office of the mill In AtbyK w f . ,' ; f ATHENA MQQ- " . :- Prorprletof The Athena Cjub RQQms Fine Cigars a Specialty. ATHENA RESTAURANT . Mrs H a bdin, Proprietress. H. P, Milles, Manager. Main Street bet. Second and Third. Can be recommended to the pub lic as first-class in every particular. Xone bat White Help Employed MEALS AT ALL HOURS. DAY OR NIGHT. Suppers for Special Occrsions .' - i HELS 5 C. ' -THE- COMMERCIAL Livery, Feed Sale Athena, - - Oregon. The best Turnouts in Umaiijla CountyTtck" hoarded" hy '" X , . Dy, , Wee$ qi onth. Special attertiQI given, to Coromer c$ travpler?. Give jne ca' : . G.M. FROOME. - TIIE - ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL J:W. Freest i Sea, Props- Tha Only First-Class Hotel in tha City. Iu4 the Obly on that caa acoemmodaU contuierviai men and traveler. 1 HE ST. NICHOLS HOTEL. Cm be ivceni mended for it clean and ell vtiitrtKted rooms, ia wbioh will be found rythiuir congenial rlie'diniog room ate under the supervision ( pf Mrs. Froome and the tabl is sup- j piled with the fcfst the market affitrda. ATHENA, OREGON. Headers, New Deering Binders .and Mowers, Columbus Buggy Go's - .A-ljIb-enxa., Down Wltil ligli Prices HT THE FDfv killM ALL GOODS On - The Lowest largui. Buckley Lumber Gomp'y -DEALERS IK- ALL KINDS OF Doors aRI Moulding, Yard Near 0 & W. T. Railroad Depot, Athena, Oregon j . R. L. MASONRY Mausger. FRANK BEAL, proprietor. FRESH IV1EAT aolicit thi patronage of the public and eats at the lowest price John Qiltjif. ARE U GoinR tg buy any Household Furniture? IF Be surc It pays Do not be influenced by what our opponents may Bay to from coming to see our goods. Come and Bee for yourselves. ry a fall ftrid. complete stock of Furniture, wall paper and underta ing goods. . - Disease commonly comes on with slight symptoms, which when neglected increase ., in extent and gradually grow dangerous." B.KV": TAERiPAriSTABULES 'y'".". IW tVVT. Hip ant Tn&v! Ragulata ihe EASY L t. I ISM ONE GIVES RELIEF. ORflPASW 0 Buggies; Racine Co's . Hacks, the celebrated Wide-.tire Bain wagon. Oregon. ARE SOLD LUSyiBER, SASH ALWAYS o HAND in return will give yon the best of fresh F$ANK BEAL. Dan Gilli SO Call on us ande et fiu Prices before eoing elsewhere to gall on uss tep We you car GILLIS BROS. tak RIPAFiS TABULES RIPAHS TABULES TB RIPANS TABULES Sjrsism and Presarre tie Health, TO TAKE - JQUICK TO ACT SAVE MANY A DOCTOR'S BILL. Sold if Drags Everywhere. J 1 A J. L. JL '3. JL i VJLJL il."H"l AIL s ARE Qragcrs Some o them -The Co-Operatlve Store, air r-ls lu tin Interests of-i very one CLARK WALTER, Manager,. CHAS. C.SHARP, Successor to N.. A. Miller, PAINTER & PAPERHANGER Estimates on all Wstx Furnished. House painting, Decorating, Papejr Hanging a specialty, Car riage Painting. p HOTOGRArilS! PHOTOGRAPHS Photographs in Every T TLB . -rr Call on n: -, WAITS, THE BOSS PHOTOGRAPHER, aweeeoser fe Csnumlaics. Main St. Athena. Coppying and Enlarging, Viewing at cm? o liable rates. Call aud see him. Cox, McRae & Co., Plera In- HARDWARE ' r And FARMING IMPLEMENTS RUSIIFORD WAGONS, GATE CfTY HACKS - ' v VOODS HARVF.9T1MR MAfl?' IHERY, AhD EXTRAS OF 1 ALL Call and Get Prices. COX, McRae & Co, Athena NIW PAINT SHOP J. P, Jons & Co. PAMIRS, PAPER HANGERS AND DEC0BAT3S3. HOUSE AND SO PAINTING. ALL PDS OF PAINTING. CARRIAGE WORK, SATISFACTION CU AEKATEEQ ' PRICES LOW. phop on Main Street, - Athena, Ore OMAHA, KANSAS CITY, ST, PAUL, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, ' AND ALL POINTS EAST. II0TRHAI1D SOUTH ... Time Table of Trams: Passenger. N 8, from Athens to Spokane and Interme diste points, leaves - 7:48 s m No 6, from Athens to Portland and Intermed iate points, lsves - - 8:OTpm freight: No 41, from Pendleton to Spokane, 1 pares. Athena - - (-.46 p m No A from Spokane to Pendleton, leaves Athens . ' - - 1:30 p m PULLMAN SLEEPERS, COLONIST SLEEPERS, RECLINING CHAIR CARS; and DINERS ... Steamers Portland to San Francisco every 4 Days. TICKETS JO For rates and general Jnformion call on A. R. Bradley. Depot Ticket Agent, Athena, Oregon. V. 11. HURLBLT, Asst. Gen. Pas. AgL i Washington St rortlaad, Orejon M E L 8 4JLP TO