Sealing In The Antarctic

It was with the produce of seals that we were destined to fill our ship, and till February 17 we were literally up to the neck in blood, says a writer in the Popular Science Monthly. All the sails are stowed; the captain sits in the crow's nest from early morning till late in the cvc-ning: the two engineers, relieving one another. take charge of the entines; the cook or the j stewiird is on the lookout on the deck or on the bridge: and the doctor takes the helm. unless he can manage to get Bway in the boats, in which case some other noncombat:;r.t has to take his place - all the rest are away af ter J der. Now a full boat is rnaking its way to the ship. We steam toward her. As $te near the engines are stopped and she glides along-side. The cook or the steward rushes from the lookout, the doctor from the wheel, one working1 the steam winch and the other unswitching the skins, while the boat's crew s%vallow a hasty meal. The boat being unloaded, they are off again for ' another fill. The greatest rivalry exists between the boats' crews, each endeavoring to get the greatest load for the day. Another boat is seen approaching, and away we go again. dodging this piece of ice. charging that piece with our sturdy bows. boring away where the ice lies closely packed: rounding this berg and on to the next untill we reach the boat, which is down to the gunwale in the water, with its crew eautious. their OBrs as they lie crouched upon their bloody load. Su it groes on from day to day. Hay is made while the sun shines. and the pile of skins and blubber rises high upon the ship's (leek. Then comes a gale of wind. accompanied by fo;j sleet and snow, and we lay to undcr the loc of ii Mveam of ice or a berg, The doek becomes busy with life. the blubber is "made off" and put into the tanks and the skins are salted. When the gale is over, at the i'inl of two or threedays. the next few days of 0:1 'm weather are again taken udvantage of in the boats. Thxis the period of gales and calms which altérnate in this part i of the world come in quite conveniontly for sealmg-, the produce obtained in the calm weatlier being "made off" during the gales. We never experienoed mucli swell, being sheltered by tlie land. uur work lying only ;i little east of Erebus and Terror Gulf.