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Photographic

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32X

54th Oonobess, )
Ut^ession. )

SENATE.

( Document 137,
\ Part 1.

EEPOETS

AGENTS, OFFICERS, AND PERSONS, ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY
OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

m BELATION TO THS

CONDITION OF SEAL LIFE ON THE ROOKERIES
OF THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS,

AOT) 10

PELAGIC SEALING IN BERING SEA AND THE
NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN,

•#^i;^-^

THE YEARS 1893-1895.

nsr TWO E»-A.Ra70.

X Part I,

lAvt n (with mspB and illustrations) contains results of inyestigationa
the direction of the U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Xlaheriaa.]

WASmNGTON:

OOYEBNMENT PBINTINO OFFIOB.

189G.

1^.

■ **>

i$i^^:''r

54th Congress, )
Ist Session. )

SEN AT K

Document 137,
Part 1.

R E P ( ) Pv T rt

AliKNTS, OFFICERS, AND PERSONS, ACTINIJ UNDKR TlIK AUTHORITY
OF THK SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

IN KKLATtoN TO TIIH

CONDITION OF SEAL LIFK ON THE IIOOKERIES
OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

AND TO

i'Ki.A(;ic si:alin(j in hkuing ska and thk

NORTH PACIFIC OCKAN,

TIIK VKAR^< 1 893-1 >^9.-i.

insr T-wo :b'J^:rts.
P A H T I .

[r.trt II (with iimpH niid .IliistratioiiH) ('outaiiia refiults of invcstigationn under
the direction of tlip I'. S. Cominissionor of Fish niid Fisheries.]

WASHINGTON:

OOVEUNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
l.S9(J.

ViU)

Let

Rep

Ann

Anni]

(

10
11
13

14
E:

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Letter from Secretary of Treasury transmitting reports to Senate ^"'l

REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY HAMLIN.

^^^ifVur'^eaf **°* ^'"'^^^^y ^- ^- Hamlin on Alaska 4

2. Salmon fisheries.......... " " -- •"»

3. Liquor " H

4. Fur-bearing animals ''

5. Land laws 9

Exhibit: Letter of instructions.. !.!!.! 11!..] " " |^

J. B. CROWLEY'S REPORT, 18W.

2. Schools. 12

3. Fuel... 13

4. Foxes " 13

5. Seals......;;;.' - 14

6. Driving of seals. 14

7. Specimen for Smithsonian lii'stitutYon K*

«. Guardmg rookeries " " " " " 1 '

Exhibit A. Census of natives, sL' Paulisland" " \l

B. Census of natives, St. George Island ' " " " \a

C. Report of St. Paul School " ;?

D. Annual statement of seals killed, St. PauVisland ol

F ^^^^"l ^*^*T?"* f •'^^^^^ ^^^^^^ St. George Island' o^

b. Receipts tor skms shipped "laim

G. Division money, St. George l8iandVl894 oi

H, Division money, St. Paul Island, 1894 . . . ; ; ; " " ZL

J. B. CROWLEY'S REPORT. 18!t5,

""""T' S^'""':^':^^ ^- ^^«"^«>'' «^-t i- -h-rge of seal islands . . 30

3. Expenditures 30

3. Coal ;;;;;;;;;; 30

4. Furniture for Government houses " '^^

5. Blue foxes 31

6. Marine guard '.''.'.. *^1

7. Specimen seals " - «^2

8. Killing of seals. 32

9. No difficulty to get quota ' '^'^

10. New killing grounds - -^4

11. Overdriving 34

12. Pelagic sealing '.[" 34

13. Excess of male life ;; '^'*

14. Deadpups 35

Exhibit A " - 36-37

Census of St. Paul " 37

Census of St. George " "<7

Physician's report •*!

CONTKN'IS.

Ht'lMH-t I'lii' IM»") (>{■ .1. 1!. ( 'luwlcv— (.'oiitiiiiK'il.

KxhilMt B ■

Seals i.illcd on St. Piinl. IS!).-)

Scalsl<illc.l oiiSt. (T('()rK(', IH'.).")
Exlnl)il (,'. Itt'ccii)ts lorskms .sliipji'd. . . .
D. Distribntion connuimitv fund.

I'UK<'

44
44
4.5

.liiSKI'll Ml'UKAYS KKl'oUr ON sr.AI,s. IS'.il.

K('l)or! for \xu\. on s(;al life, of Special Agent .Joseph Mnrr.iy .

1. Cliniale . _ ...

'2. Seals, iiabits. etc _

:j. J)iiviii,t,'an(lldllinj^ .

4. Dead pupa _

."i. i)<'(n-ease ot seals, laek of male life not the caiiHe. . . . .

(i. l)ei)osition nf cln'ef of Coniniander Islands

7. Ciivnlar leiter. Dr. ('. Jl. Merriaiu

X. Re] (lies to letter of Dr. .M(MYiani_

!). }{etrospe(tiv(,' and ex])]anatory ....

10. I'ela^ie sealin;^ and di])louiaey

1 1 . I'elai^ic seaiiii.t;'. cdose Heasoii. etc

48
49

r)'2

•"), (')7

tt3

Hfi

its

10.3

III!

Ai'iM'.NDix lo .Mvun.w's i;':nii;r koh isnt.
Snl>,ie<'ts:

Pela,!.;it' .sealinu' •. I'^r.

Haliits and nianfi.i^enicnt of seals and peia.^ic sealin.u;

Habits and niaiia.u'enient ot' seals and rules of fur comiianios

Pribilof I'oola-ries .

Managi.'nienl of killin,:;' and pelayic soalin:.,' _

Miinajrenient on islands — pelagic sealin;;'.

Pela.nii' sealing-. Pri1 lilof ro( )kei"ies

Dead pui)s

Destrucrion of female seals IT"). lS|.-J4;i.'J():i.2(>7.

General seal s!cin imlnstry .._ ISO, ] So.

(huise of the l.,ouis Olsen iu Bering' Sea. by A. B. xMe.xander.

Decreiise of seals " 'JIT. '34s. ■,>70, '2:7. 2S;{.

Cause of decrease in seal herd

Increase of sealing- fleet.

Tables of seals killed on rookeries . .

Past and future of fur seal, by J(».seph Stanley-Brown...

Award of Tribunal of Arbitration

Letter transmittin.u; Elliotfs report to State Department.
Mr. Phelps's argument Ijefore Tribunal

ISO
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i:5()
141
14;!
14.5
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1(')3
•3(»I
20!t
liHi

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!i44
'37.")
:!01

;{20
;«o
:!4(t
:J47

hiih'.v to Dcjxhsifioiin.

Index of names of persons whose depositions, etc., in whole or in part, are
cited in the appendix to Murray's report for 1S94:

Abbev. C. A . . '... 250.383

Ackerly.J.C.S .._. 103

Adams, (ieorge 21H, 3."il . 2()3

Adair 3.10. 3(50, 30;i, 3i)l

Akat< )o - - 3S;i. 391

Alexaniler. A. B lOfi. 318, 3l(0, 383

x\lexandrotf, J 377

Allen . Dr _ 318. 358

Allis, W. C 335

Amei'ican Commissioners 317, 335, 339, 375

Anderson. A _ 307. 370

Anderson, C. H _ 335

Anderson. C. T _ 370

Anderson. Peter 348

Andricus. H. 248. 383

Apokshee. N _ _ _ 377

Armstrong, James _ _ _ . . 318

Armstrong. .John 234, 235

Artonianolf . Kerrick 145. 319, 330

!'»«<•

4;{
4a

44
44
4f>

l.s
41t
:<■>

(i2

,s;$

'.IS

lo:!

127. ISO

ll'.l

141
\V.\

. iir,
l.-)l

102
2i»l
20!)
1U(>
2s;}. :i:j8
;m

IS.-)

275
:i01
:{20

•.m

:i4«
;J47

are

.. 250.

283

103

18,251.

203

i0,20;i,

2i)l

.. 28;5.

291

18. 200,

283

277

.. 218

258

O0 1

35,23!)

275

.. 267

270

225

270

248

.. 248

,283

277

218

.. 224

,225

15.210

,220

CONTENTS.

Ill

ludi'x nf iijiini's nf persons, etc. — ( 'ontinueil. l'ii«''

Av.'iv, CliarUs 2«0.2H:!.'J!tl

Ayoii'ki'c, Adam 251 , 277. 2M3. ■.'•.»1

iia<icii-l'((\V(!ll. Sir (jeor^e. 2i»l)

Mall. ( U'ln-^e 208, 270. 201

Hariies, M 127

Baroiiovitih. J 220, 20(l. 2H3. 201

Bates. ^lanrict; . . 251 . 277. 283

Holiiow. ( 'hades J . . . 244

Beiiilt. William . 203

liemiet t. \V. C 251 . 20M. 277. 2s4

Beiisdii. I-: 251 . 2(1H. -277. 2S4

BtMisi 111. M 240. 251 . 2.H 1. 2!tl

Hejisoii. William 203

Beviii''t(Hi.ll.S 1S2.1S5

Bliediier. Bernlianl 24s,esi,20l

Bunde. Neil 210.251.203

Fioiidtcr.s 2.S0

IJowa-ehui) 25N,277.2!)1

Bradlev. ,1. A 24S.'>7U.2S4

Bradley. T . . 204. 2S4. 2iil

Bremian. William 27 1 . 2H4

Brown. Henry 24(t. 2M4

Brown. Peter" 25s. •.>(;(). 204. 277. 2S3. 284

Brown. ThomuH 24s.','51. 201

Bryant. Cliarle.s 23(i

Biiterin. K 21<i.220

Buynitskv. S. N _ 230

('aila])0, L 284.201

(;ami)l)ell. Charles 200. 204. 2H4

Canetak. I . 277

L'antwell, J. C 227. 291

Carlhcnt. J. L 240. 271

Cathcnt. Captain 210

Chalall. Charles 251.204.291

Charlie 277. 292

Chickanoff, V .... 27S,284

Chin-koo-tin, S .... 247.278,284

Christiiinsen, J 251 . 2H4. 292

Church, Peter 2 17. 251 . 271 . 2S5. 292

Circus Jim 27S.292

Claplanhoo. James 2.58. 27S. 285

Clark.H.N 227,239

Clark. William 251.27H.292

Clan,sen, C. 210. 210. 292

Clausen. D .. 208.271

Clement. John C 251.271.285

Cohen. M.. 24s. 285

Collins. P . . 24S. •,)S5. 292

Coulson.W. C 151.215.227.200

Cox, Leander 227. 230. 248. 208. 271

Culler, Louis .2.52.204

Dahtlin, Charles _ 200. 285. 292

Dal^arduo. James. 24s. 2()0, 292

Dalton. J 204, 292

Dardeaii. A 211. 285. 292

Dardean. J 259

Davis. Frank 2!). 204. 292

Davis. Jeff • 278

Deimis. J 293

Dick. Hooniah 2(>1

Dishow, George 210. 285. 293

Dohrn. John _ 252

Dolan. Richard . . 252. 29:',

Douglas. J. H 220. 22S. 240. 247. 2(i4

D\ittv.P 239.204. 2H5

Duncan. William 200. 271 . 293

Echon 2S5

CONTENTS,

Index of names of persons, etc— Continned. Pftxi*-

EllabuHh 2r)(». L'78

Elliott. H. W - 104

Erskine, M, C ^'2H, 24». !i(i8. 'JTl, ',>8r)

Eshon 3TN

Ffiirchild. (ieorge ^17. '2r,2, -Mi

Falconer, S _ ''M, 2'.\i>

Feenv, F. F 349, 368, 37 1 , 3H."», 3i»!{

Fcodor, V 378

Fof^al. George 3(M), 3()8. 371

Foster, Charles ;{46

Foster, William 371

Fowler, C. L 338

Frank 353, 378

Frank. Chief 3fi(). 378, 308

Frank. Luke 3«8. 379. 393

Franklin, L. F 308. 373. 393

Eraser. A 183, 188, 193

Fratis. John 340

Frazer. Thomas 3«8, 373, 385

Frazer. William . . 2't'i, 385

Funcke. Ed. W 2r)2, 3(i8. 373, 393

F vf e, John 304

(ieorKe.Chad . 3G0. 379. 385, 393

Cxibson.C ..., 385

Gibson. Charles. 379

Gibson. Th ,'«4

Gibson. Thomas _ 349, ^L j

Glidden. H. A. 335. 340

(+olf . C. J 141 . 330. 339

Gonastnt . . .... 349. 379. 386

(Tondowen. James 349, 379. 386. 393

Gould A.J... 373.386

Grady, George 368

Greenleaf . E. HI 310. 353, 360, 394

• Gregoroff.N 379,386

Griffin. A _ 310.394

(iriffin.J 386

Griffith , W . P . . 360. 368

Gryuies, A . 394

Gry mes. James 349

Grynies, Joseph 340

Guild, A.J 394

Haldane. H 353.369.379.386

Hannon, M 353, 286, 394

Hansso7i, A 330

Harms™. H 253. 373. 294

Harrison. J. 311. 249. 386

Hayikahtla. S 394

Hays. J. M.... 273,294

Hayward. J 311, 373

Healy, M. A. 315, 320, 349, 264, 286

Heilbronner. M 240

Henriques, J. A 276

Henson. William 269, 394

Hentz. E... 182

Hereford. W.S 330,330,376

Hermann,W... 386

Hodgson, N 317, 265, 286, 394

Hoffman, A. J 253.372,294

Hofsted.E .. 247.272,394

Hogman. C. H 269,294

Hogue, C.J 230,272

Holm.O 253,286

Hooper. C.L... 138,173,213

Hotham, Rear- Admiral 209

Hughes,E - 230

Irving, Alfred 253,361,365.379,395

CONTKNTS.

286. 294
15. •,>72. 294
272, 294
269, 294
230, 272
253, 286
8,173,213
. 209
. 230
5.279.295

IikIcx 111 ii;tiii(>s of persons, etc. -

Isaac, Williiim

Isaacson. (jj

Islika

.1(1

-Continued.

261»,

lacobi

.la'Jiicson. J

.loluison. Frank

.Tolius(.n. J 21 1 . 253. 2S6.

Jolinsoii. Jack 279.

Jolinson. Selvviah 259.

Joliiitin. J 253, 279. 2H6,

Kaliiktdav. P ~'47, 253, 279.

Kashcvaroff, P 279,287,

Kasliwa 253. 2H().

Kas( .(,h. J . . 253, 2N().

Kcan. .Tames 265.

Kcniicdv. .Tames 253. 265.

Kctlins(W'k. M 253.2H(»,

Kiciiiaii. ,T 214. 249. 253. 265. 269. 273.

Kiiiiv-Hall. F. R - 254. 265. 273.

Kiiik()oj,'a 2.S0,

Klaiiancck, C - - 261. 2.S0,

Kl( ptiackct. .Tames - - 249,

Kohoorotf, S

Kooko. R 254.280.

Kotclioottcn. .T ...

Kowiiicct, ,1 247.287.

Krcl.s. C. F. E -

Knikotr. N

Kiishcn. A . - 220, 231 . 241 ,

Kvam. Olaf .-

Lachcck. (i 247, 28U. 287.

Lachcek. .T .

Lainji:. A .-

LaiiiiiMon & Co -

Lavender. A. W

Lawson. E. N
Lenard. L. M.
Lcnnan. .1, E. .
Liebcs. (t

354, 265. 27;'.. 2H7
217

LifOu's. H - 177.

Liebcs. I 177.220.249.

Liehes. S

LiKlitlumse. J 259. 2.so.

Lindahl.C 273.2^7.

Lortin. .T ... .261.

Littlcjolm. E. W - 273. 287.

Lorn,'. W. H... .. 247.254.273,

Loud. A. P 143. 221. 231 . 246. 249,

Lowe.Thomas 280.

Lntjens. Charles _ 254. 273.

McAlpine. G. 254. 288.

McClennen, Charles E

McDonald, ,T. D _ 254. 273, 288,

Mclntyre, H. H 129, 221 . 231 , 238. 241 . 27(). 344

Mclsaac, William 254. 273, 286,

McKean. James 254, 273,

McLane. D

McLanu;hlin, William ^ 25."), 273,

McLean. A 265. 269.

McLean. D 255, 274.

McManus. R. H _

Madden. Thomas 255,

Maitland. Edw. _ 255.

Malowansky, J 221.232.241.249.259.

Maloy, J 274,

Mandregin, N

Maronev. Pat 255. 259. 266.

I'litfC.

269
272. 29.'5
279
212,295
295
273
29.'i
29.'i
286
295
295
295
287
295
295
296
290
296
'2S7
2.S7
287
280
279
287
231
298
237
231
276
296
296
257
263
184
246
287
241
296
249
276
287
177
29(>
296
296
296
296
265
296
296
297
177
297
346
297
288
214
297
274
297
213
297
288
28g
297
233
297

265.

CONTENTS.

Iii(l(>\ of uaiiics (if iHTsons. (?tc. — Continued. I':i;,<---

.ALiUtiii. Chiivles _ -J.V), '^SO. vM»T

Martin. W.E 1S2

:\Iason. Fn«(l .' 'JC.il. 'JSS

Mason. H . . _ •-'.">.-). 'jss. ',>(»?

Matliason. T -JSS. 'JitT

Mclovcdotr.- A _ . 1 7 7. -J-J'.'. ',':!■,'. ',>;!:!. '.':iM. -j I'J. 'J-iT

Mclovidnv. S '-':i:!. '^'IJS. 'jso

Mill. Amos -r^r,. -^m

Mincr.E ,

Miner. (J. E .. 2'

Morcan. Frank 2").-.. -JfU, •,>(«>, 274. 'Jh

.Morgan. T. F ir)3, 288, 2;W. 242, 24(;. 247

Morris, .lohn. . .

Morris. M . .

Morton. J. M

^[oS(!S .. . . ...

Moss. M

:SIonlton. J. H

Mowatt. Tlionms

Mnrrav. .losepii . K"

Nashtaii 24!». 2^1

Natch. S _

v;.).)
288
2i)7

2.-.(!.2i»8
280. 2N8

OOi)

2.")(i,2(i(i. 2S1.2it8

-.. l21l.2.'t(). 2(51

. 22.). 242

210

222. 284
•jSH. 2it8
2."")ti,281

Nathlan. Dan . 2r)t». 2S1 . 28S. 21)8

Necliantako 281

Noeshkaith. J 2S1.288.2!»8

Nelson. N. . 2r)0,2()(i.2(>!».2T4.2SS,2!)8

Nt'ttlclon. S. R 284. 242

Newman, A . 222

Niebanm. (i. 228. 225. 28X. 242

Noves. L.. A 181. 228. 284. 201

Nikla-ah 281

OBrieji. .John... 2.*)0.21)8

( Uiv(>r. X. T 25(1. 2M. 2SS. 2!t8

Olsen. John 25(),2(i(!.2()i)

( )Isen. Peter 281

Oslv 25().2(tl.288

( )tis. H. (I. 242

Parker. William 250, 2<5(t, 27(5. 2«.t8

Peters. .n. Charles 212. 2Wi. 270, 280. 298

Plielan. .lohn J 245

Poland. H - 188

Porter. E. P 212. 2(l'i. 274. 208

P(n-ter. W.... ... . 2119

Rav. William P 173

Redpath, J. C 18(5, 215. 228. 284, 242, 200, '27ii

Rice, (Tcorfj^e 183

Rol>.>rts. W 247. 250. 20(i. 289

Rondtns ... 299

Rvaii.A 250,281.289,299

Ryan. T. F 248. 207

Savers. A. . . 201 , 274

Scriliner. li. F . 225. 2 '8

Shepard. h. (i 218, 240. 250. 289

Sh( irt . William . 250. 299

Hhnck V. Jack 250. 28 1 , 289

Shnltka. C 282,289.299

Whyha. A 281

Siiiies. Peter 250.299

Simson. A ... 299

Sinf,my. M . . 257. 2n1

Sitka. Jack. 257. 28! . 289. 299

Skowl, Thomas 257. 281 . 289. 299

Sloan. James 207.274,299

Sloss, Leon 228, 285. 239, 299

Smith, Fred 2(57, 28t». 299

Smith, J. W 201 . 289

Smith. William H 257

•}, 280. 2\)~

isr>

•.'(>'.». '.'SS

."), 'jss.v'itr

s. 'J f.>. ','4:

:', •,>:is. -.'SO

'.'.-).->. -JiiS

•J.V)

2" I 2HS

4.'> .'2'.)7

i7.2:v ^;4

1 1, •.>.■")(•. 261
22.). 242
210
;5.222.2!{4
S1,2S,S.2!»S
2.-)ti,2.si
>!).2,ss.2i)8
281
SI 288.2J>8
74. 2SS, 2!)8
2:M.242
222
2.").2:{><.242
2:i. 2:54. 2(51
... 281
2.")('.. 208
:4.2S8.2it8
■)(», 2l>(). 2()i)
281
")(). 2(11. 288
242
(It;, 27(1. 2»8
7(>,2SH.298
24.^)

.- 18;5

i<;.

274.2!)8
2i»»

12, 2(1(1, 27«

18H

.Id. 2(1(1. 289

299

389, 299

24;$. 2(17

2(11.274

22.-).2':{

|il,2.')(i.2S9

2.")(1. 299

r)(1.2S 1.289

2,2S!».299

281

2.')U.299

299

. 2.-.7.2H1

1.2S9.299

1.280.299

17.274.299

{.-). 239, 299

, 289. 299

2(11 . 289

. . 2.-) 7

CONTENTS.

vri

Iiuli'x i)t' linings of pei'souis. etr. — Continued. I'il,'.-.

Soroii. E. W --- .. 2s;i.2!i0

SoowoDsch . 270

Wtauip. W. (.'. B _ .. is:i

Stiinlrv -Brown. J l.">7. 219. 224. 22(1. 2:!(1, 2:iO

Stt'iilM'ns. Cvriis _ 2.");. 2? I. '.MIO

St.'vntVls. K. 11_ . 177

Slirkland. .1 . .<lnia 2."»7. 2(17. 2M». :i00

Snndvall, (I 275

Swai 1 1 . ,1 . A ■:r,o. ;;()0

Hwaii. .laiai's (t 155

'i'anin'r. ( 'aptain ~ 217

Tanner. Z.L.. 2:1:1.247

Tavlor. \V. B 22::. 2 18

Tmclnnann. E. .-. is I. 2 18

Templed. H 2:i9

• Tli.'nias.W. - 2:.:.2r:>.289

Tlioini)son. A. W - - 2:.0

Tldkahda vnald<ee. M 248. 282. 2n!», :;(I(»

Tlaksatan . C - 2oO. 2^2. 2'^li. :III0

T..lniaii. J. C - 22:5.257. 2:0. 2S9

Tieadwell. (I. H 178

Trearslieit . P. 290

Tu1tl('. IV 2:5:), 270

Twi .n.u;k\v;dv 282

Tvsiiui. .lolin - - 2.~)7, 2.")lt. 2(17. 2.'<2

minian. S 178

Unalai ini. J . . _ 248. 257. 2S2. 29o. :!(Ml

Usher, (leorge 2.");. 2!M).:i(li)

Verbeke, F.'. _ 2S2

Wai^ner, C. T J 1 7S, 22tl

Walton . U 218. 257. 2r5. 2!Ht. :!Olt

Wank, ( 'harles 2 ts. 2S2. 200

Wasldiurn. M. L . . 221. 2."iO,;500

Wassernian. E . 2.")7

Watkiiis 2N2.:i(li>

Webster. Daniel 147, 221. 2:5.".. 2 |:{. 2*!;. 2;o

Wecken.ineseh 2S2

Weittenhiller. P. S 2 IS. 2.1s. ■,>;.-.. .Mm

White. ( 'iiarlov 2.59. 2(11 . 2S2. 200. ::(M)

White, M ■ _ _ 214. 2.18. 270. 275. 2:7. 200. :!(»(>

Wieiiuvt, William . . ITS

Williains. Billv 25s. -jS-.'. :i() |

Williams. ( '. A . 1 70. 2 J4

Williams. .los.D 170. iso

Williams. T. T 180, 248. 2.18. 2.10, 2(11. 2(12. 2(l:i. 2(.7

Williams. W. H 174 . 22 1 . 2:i<l. 2il7

Wilson. Kred 2.1s. 2S2. 200. :!()!

Windmiller M 170. Iso

Wisp( 10 . _ 2.10. 2S2, :)(i1

WoodiMiir. J 2(1?. 200

Wooskort , M '. 2S2, 200

Yahka k . 2s:i

Yelka t eh V. B 2.1s. 'JOO. :inl

Yethnow'. H '.» 2s:i.20O, :!()l

Yohansen. A . . 2-ls. 200

Yonns,'. P 228, 2.s:5. 20(». :{0I

YtnniK, \y 2.18. 2s:5, 200

Ynlla. H 28:5. :5(»1

Zamniett.ti 20(t

Zolnaks. Thomas 2.58. 2.19, 28:5. ;!01

.ibsKPH MURRAY'S REl'ORT. IHIC,.

Annual rejiort I'or 1895 ot Joseph Murray, aKei»t for the protection of the '

salmon lisliei'ies of Alaskii JMO

Litpioi' and snninf;l'i"i-- - Ills

Destrnction of },Mme-fowl ef{>?s 360

VIII CONTENTS.

Report for 1895, on salmon fisheries, by Joseph Murray— Continued. I'afff •

Destruction of deer -^gl

Foxes .."['""i\" ][[["]:::""" ka

Sea otter j-jg.^

Fur seals [...[..[[[[[ 863

Salmon 365

Recommendations ... . 372

Exhibit A. Number seals on seal islands, 1895 ....[][][.[ .[ 372

B. Liquors cleared from Puget Sound for Alaska. January 1.

1894, to March 10, 1895 ;... a73

C. Statistics of salmon pack, 1895.. ^75

D. Salmon-packing stations in Alaska ' " 377

E. Sailing distances to the different Alaska canneries 377

F. Summary of salmon pack, 1895 378

G. Alaska and Pacific Coast salmon pack from 1866 to 1895, both

inclusive 37j<

H. Proposed bill for protection salmon industry 379

mi
m2
m2

363
865

372

373
375
377
377
378

378
379

CONDITION OF SEAL LIFE ON THE ROOKERIES OF THE
PRIBILOF ISLANDS, 1893-1895.

The Vice-President preseiitetl the foHowing-

LETTER PROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
TRANSMITTING, IN RESPONSE TO A RESOLUTION OP THE SEN^
ATE OP FEBRUARY 17, 1896, THE REPORTS MADE BY THE
AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR PERSONS ACTING UNDER THE AUTHOR.
ITY OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY IN THE YEARS
1894 AND 1895, IN RELATION TO THE CONDITION OP THE PUR
SEALS ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS, OR TO THE HUNTING OP
SUCH ANIMALS IN BERING SEA OR IN THE NORTH PACIFIC
OCEAN, AND THE EFFECT OP SUCH HUNTING UPON THE FUR
SEALS THAT RESORT TO THE BERING SEA.

Febuiauv ■>-, 189«.-Rclened to the Committee on Foreign Relations an.l ordered

to be printed.

Treasury Department,

Office of the Secretary,
^y^iihingtou, I). C, Febrnanj ,W, JS'W.
thT'iLilT.ul^^A ir^'i'^Jf acknowledge the receipt of a resohition of
rnn.f« ? t; * *^ V^^ ^^^]' \"'*^"*' '''^^••«"' ^ a»' 'lirected to furnish
copies of the reports made by the agents, offlcers, or persons actin"
under he ..nthonty of the Secretary of the Treasm'y in^l.e veL^ 18 )4
aiid 1890, ,n rehition to the condition of the fur seals on tlfe PribU^"
IslaiKls or to the hunting of such animals in Bering Sea or in the North

reS%o'peH'n?l'i'' '^'r' "^ ''f' '^""""^ "P'" tl'« ^"r «eals tl'at
resoit to J.e lug Sea, and, in reply, to state that the i)reparation of
the copies ot such papers will involve great labor, and rLuii" con!
mderab le time, owing to the voluminous character of the doci me^S
I therefore tra..snut the originals, with the request that tlie'v be re

Zufil *i" ^'n ^^T ^V^'^ Department without mutilatiou in ca"e the
Sennte should order them printed.

Respectfully, yours, g^ ^j^j.,

Actimi Secretary.
The President of the Senate.

CONDITKIN OF THE FUli SEALS OF THE PRIIilLOF ISLANDS.

TuEASrUY DEI'ARTMKNT,

Office of the Se(;rbtai{Y,

Washinjttou, IK "., March i, tsf/r,.

Silt: Afrrecably to your directions eoutained in Department letter,
June 1>, 1894, liereto annexed, 1 left Victoria, British Columbia, July 2.'?
last on the United States revenue steamer Rush for the I'ribilof Islands
in lierlng Sea and other points in the Territory of Alaska. 1 was
aeconjiianied by Mr. Joseph Murray, inspect(U' of salmon fisheries, and
Mr. John \V. McUrath, secretary and stenographer.

1 now have the honor to transmit a rejtort, together with reports of
Mr. Murray and otlier official documents, bearing ui)on the sulijeot.

Our itinerary was as follows:

July 2.">, sailed from Victoria, British Columbia; July 31, arrived at
Uualaska; August 1, at Unalaska; August 3 to S, St. Paul Lsland
(I'ribilof); August 8, St. (ieorge Island; August 0, IJnalaska; August
ll,Akutau; August 12, IJelkofski; August 13, Sand Point; August 14,
Unga; August 1«», 17. Karluk (Kadiak Island); August 18, St. Paul
Islaiul; August 21, Vakutat Bay: August 25, Sitka; August 20,27,
Juneau; Aug'ist 28, Wrangell; August 29, Kasau, Loring, and Metlak-
hatla; August 3(i, Fort Simpson; September 3, Nanaimo and Vancouver.

The area of Alaska Territory has been estinuited at 531,000 square
miles — almost one sixth of the total area of the United States. Tlie
population, according to the IiJleventh Census, is 32,052; of which total
4,298 are whites, 2,288 Mongolians, 23,531 Indians, and 1,823 mixed.

The length of the coast line of Alaska, including the mainland and
isiatuls, is 2(),3(>4 miles, as compared with 3,090 for the Pacific ('oast,
2,043 miles for the Atlantic Coast, and 1,810 miles for the Gulf Coast,
including all islands.

Some conception of the distances between the various points iu the
Territory may be obtained from the following table:

statute
miles.
From I'nitcd States homidaiy on rortlantl Canal, Alaska, west to the island

ol" Attn, ap])roxiniatelv j 2, 3, •

From Sitka, Alaska, to the Pribiloi' Islands (ho.'iI islands) as a veasfl sails l,,5(j.')

From Fort Townsend, Wash., to Unalaska 1, 919

From Port Ti>\vn8end, Wash., to th»i Pribilof Islands 2, 189

From .'<au I'rancisoo to Fnalaaka 2, 374

From San Francisco to I'ribilof Islands 2,611

From San Francisco to island of Attn 3, 282

From San Francisco duo west to meridian «)f Attn 3, 513

From Sau Francisco due east to Washinj^ton 2, 456

Between the I'ribilof Islands and the city of Washington there is a
difference of time of six and one fourth hours; between the I'ribilof
Islantls and Sau I-'rancisco, three hours.
4

1870 . . .

1871 ...

1872 . . .

1873 . . .

1874 . . .
1875...
1878 . . .
1877 . . .
1878...

SLANDS.

(lit letter,
a, July L'.'i
[)f Islands
A. 1 was
eiies, and

reports of
ibjeet.

irrived at
111 Island
I,; August
Uigust 14,
St. I'aul
ist 2(), 27,
d iMetlak-
ancouver.
lOO square
ites. The
liieh total
mixed,
iiland and
ific ('oast,
ulf Coast,

ints in the

Stiitiito
utiles.

.... 2,3,.

Is 1,56:)

1, 9t!>

2,189

2,374

2,611

3,282

3,513

2,156

there is a
le Pribilof

SKAL MFK ON THK PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

The report of Inspector Murray, hereto annexed, and the other docu-
ments made a pait of this report so completely set forth the present
condition and needs of tlie Territory of Alaska, as well as its past his-
tory, that little more is left to me than generalization.

Tlic subject matter naturally divides itself into several broad groups,
viz: (I) The fur seal, (li) the salmon fisheries, ('.*) other fur bearing ani-
nmls, (4) the land <iuestion, ('>) the liiiuor question, (<») the Indians.

I sliiijl briefly consider these (juestions in order. It will be iii)i)arent
that many details do not fall within the Jurisdiction of the Treasury
Department; nevertheless I deem it expedient to state what i saw and
certain jicneral conclusions thereon.

1. TIIK FUK .SK.\1- (.)!' .\L.\SK.\.

It is unnecessary to dwell, except very brieHy, upon the history of
the Pribilof Islands, one of the breeding places of the northern fur
seal. Discovered ab(mt 17<S7 by Kussians, they renmined in the pos-
session of Hussia until c«'ded to the United States in 1S07. From
1787 to 18(t.") there were a number of Kussian companies on the islands,
and the seals were ruthlessly slaughtered without regard to age or sex.
In 1^0(! and 1807 killing was susi)ended and most of the Indians
engaged in the killing weie sent back to Inalaska, whence they were
originally piocured. From 18(KS to 18lJ4 killing was resumed with lit-
tle care ibr the preservation of the herd. By 18154 the herd was threat-
ened with extermination, and killing, except a limited number for food,
was j>r()hibited until 1841. In 18.)0 the i)iinciple of killing only nnde
seals was adojjted, and fnmi that time on the lierd was watched so
carefully that in 1807, at the cession of Alaska, about r(,O()0,(l()() seals
were on the islands, as Tuanv, as far as all evidence goes, as were there
in 1787.

From the cession until 1871 the seal islands were free to all. and as a
result over i.'r>0,(U)0 seals were taken in «)ne season. After 1870, how-
ever, the catch was strictly regulated and the monopoly of killing seals
was leased to tlie Alaska Commercial Comi)any for twenty years. At
the expiration of this lease a new lease was made to the Xorth American
Commercial Comi)any, which has not yet expired.

From 1870 to 188<» about lOO.OUO male seals .cere taken on the islands
annually, without in .any ai)preciable degree affecting the size of the
herd. From 1880 on, however, causes were at work which soon became
manifest in a rapid falling olf of the seal hei«l. until in 181)0 oidy about
2.5,000 could be taken on the islands as against over 100,00() in 1880.

The folh wing table shows the total number of seals killeil on the
Pribilof Islands from 187(» to 1804, inclusive:

Grand total of "'■ah killed for all pHrjioscn on the I'lihUof Inlaudx from ISUi to 1S94,

inclitnire.

Vciir.

Niniiliur.

Veur.

Xmiilipr.

VeHf.

Niiniber.

1870 2;j,77;t

1871 10a,98O

1872 108, 810

1873 109,177

1874 110.585

1875 lOtI, 4«0

1870 94,057

1877 84,;no

1878 100. .Tja

1870 110. .'ill

1880 HKI, 718

1881 105. 06:t

1882 »»,812

188;t 7!t,.')0e

1884 105, 4;i4

1885 105,0'.'4

1886 104,521

1887 105. 760

1888 lO:), 304

1880 102,017

181»0 25,701

1891 14,406

1802 7,609

1893 7,890

IgiM ' 15,033

Total 2.047,374

6 SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

The cause of the decrease in .umber found on the islands is now
universally admitted to be the killing of female seals. As no female
seals have been killed on the islands since 1834, it follows that the fall-
ing off is caused by pelagic sealing. From 1875 to 1880 vessels occa-
sionally took seals at sesi, but the number caught was insignitlcan^. By
1880 the vessels engaged amounted to 10 ; in 1880, the fleet had incr ^ased
to 34, and for tlie tirst time entered Bering Sea and commenced tuking
seals. The subsequent history is well known; the seizures and pro-
tests finally <ulminated in the treaty with Great Britain, the Paris
Tribunal, and the award providing regulations under which pelagic
sealing is now carried on.

The following table gives the number of seals killed at sea from 1868
to 1894, inclusive, dividing the catch into localities, as far as possible;
also giving the number of vessels emjjloyed.

The figures prior to 1891 contain some seals killed on the Asiatic
coast. It is not possible to distinguish such seals, however, from those
killed on the eastern side of Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean,
forming part of the Alaskan or Aniericiin herd.

This table was compiled from the figures in the British and American
cases before the Paris Tribunal and subsequent corrections taken from
official reports and the official returns of tlie London trade sales:

Totah III/ lovtiUtien.

Noi'lliwi St
(loii.sl .

4. :107

It.Till-

Scii.

I'liiliMir-
mined.

T()t;il.

4, :)07
4,4:10
8. 080

10,911

5, -m

5, 229
5, 87:1

5. o:!:i

5, 515

5,210

5, .544

8. 807

8.910

10, :)82

15, ,551

10.5x5

17. 18;i

24. 900

:)8. 994

40, 028

20.915

4:1, 158

51.814

09. 788

7:), :)94

109.000

: 42. 000

1
Vciir.

1808
1809
1870
1871
1872
187:!
1874
1875
1870
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
188:)
1884
1885
1880
1887
1888
1889
I.X90
1801
1892
18!i:)
1894

Ves.selH.

n|>|iciiilix

I'liittd

States

case,

vol. 1.

I'niie.
,"i91

4. 4;io

8. 080

10,911

5, ;t30

5. 229

5, H7:i
5, (i:i:t

5,515

5,210

5, 5*4

8, .557

;iio

1, 192

8,718

10, :i82

15. 551

14.057
10.971

2. 5011

212

1 , 020

11.000

10, 1100

720

1:1. :ioo

11,0011
18,000

21.840

i:i,:i9H

9, :)24

1,200
14. .5115
2I.;)04
17,475
1.5.407
18.970
2:1. 041

15
:!4
47

8,714
14,:i01

:i9

21,8;i8
22, 900
40.042

"',5,' 847
20, 752
72. 045
70, 478

01
115
122

28.01:)
24, 10!

;)i,,5s5

8. :)42

0, 8»<i

84
95

Fron) the above it will be seen that the i)elagic catch of the past sea-
son of 1894, the first year in which the regulations of the Paris award
were applicable, was the most destructive in the history of pelagic; seal-
ing, the total killed reaching 5o,<)8(», and, including undetermined skins,
62,r)2li, as against only jr),()33 killed on the islands.

From 1880 to 1894 the pelagic catch increased from 8,910 to .■)o,68(>, or
624 per cent, while the I'ribilof Island catch decreased from 105,718 to
15,033, or i>iii per cent.

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Paris

When it is remembered that the evidence sliows that about three-
quarters of the seals killed at sea are females, it is easy to understand
the inevitable falling oft' in the herd.

Ou : agents report a decrease in the seal herd of at least one-half since
1890. and it is appaient that commercial extermination is near at hand
unless changes in the regulations of the Paris award are speedily
agreed to.

It will be remembered that from June, 1.S91, to and through the season
of 1893, under the modus vivendi aj^recd upon by the United Stales
anddrcat Britain, all sealing in Hering Sea was prohibited pending
the Paris award.

Undoubtedly this gave the seal herd great relief in securing for it
immunity while on its breeding grounds and in the sea procuring food
for the young pui)s. The subsequent regulations established by the
Paris award also helped the herd by closing the Norfeh Pacific Ocean
and Bering Sea during May, June, and July. This is seen at once iiH
the North Pacific <;atch, exclusive of Bering Sea, whi<'h fell oft' from
46,«)42 in 1892, to 24,101 in 1S94 (the falling oft" in 189;J to 28,013 is
attributed to tlie fact tliat the vessels largely went over to the Asiatic
shores). This good eftect in tlie North Pacific is corroborated by the
report of Mr. (J. H. Townsend, of the United States Fish Commission,
now OP the Treasury files.

The regulations of tlie award, however, failed signally when a|>plied
to Bering Sea. Altliough the herd was protected in the Noitli Pactiflc
in May and June (while on the way to its breeding grounds), and in
Bering Sea in July, yet it is safe to say the gr« ater part of the ad-
vantages derived from the regulations was lost by permitting tlie sealers
to kill outside of the 00 mile zone in August in Bering Sea. The old
modus vivendi setting apart tiering Sea as a breeding ground was
thereby done away with and the sea was oi)ened to pelagic slaughter.

The fatal results were quickly to be seen. In the past season only 37
of the 9") vessels employed in sealing entered Bering Sea, yet in five
weeks they killed 31,58;> seals, 7,0(K> mcne than were killed by 9.") ves-
sels in four months on the American side of the North Pacific Ocean,
exclusive of Beting Sea.

As a result of this slaughter, largely consisting of females, in Bering
Sea, our agents this last fall counted 12,00(Nlead pups on the accessible
portions of the rookeries. A careful estimate based on this count reaches
20,000 as a total of pups dying of starvation on the islands, their
mothers being killed at sea.

Such slaughter can only result in the ra|>id extermination of the fur
seal. Every effort should be made to secure modifications of the Paris
award regulations. If such modifications be not agreed to, the fur seal
within one or two seasons will be conunercially exterminated.

It will be realized h(»w valuable a source of revenue the Alaskan seal
herd has been to the United States when the following table is con-
sidered, from which it apjtears that the total receii)t8 from the Territory,
of which all but an infinitesimal portion were derived from our sealing
interests on the Pribilof Islands, since 1870, amounted to .^0,373,463.08,
while the total expenditures of the whole Territory of Alaska for the
same period amounted to only $1,120,024.50.

To ])revent speedy extermination, a new modus vivendi should be
agreed upon pending a careful study of *he habits, feeding grounds,
and present condition of the fur-seal herd by a commission of scientists,
who should recommend such suitable regidations for pelagic sealing as
will ward oflt" the otherwise inevitable extermination, 'nasmucli as there

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIIULOF ISLANDS.

are other Goveiiiineiits also vitally interested in this question, notably
Japan and Russia, we should invite their cooperation. I would 8ugj;est
a commission of three members from each country to examine and report
upon the questions involved, and that pending their examination and
reports the respective Governments agree to i>rohibit all killing of seals
on land or sea (save a limited amtmut on land for food for the Indians),
or, failing in this, that the existing regulations establislied by the Paris
award be extended to embracte the wiiole Nortli Pacific Ocean, from
shore to shore, with the additional provision that liering Sea be abso-
lutely closed to i)elagic sesding.

In the invesiigation m.ade by said commission, the methods of land
killing, as well as pelagic sealing, should be studied. It may be remem-
bered that Mr. Henry W. Elliott, formerly I'nited States special agent,
in his report of 1890, claimed that tlie methods of driving the sctals on
land were injuiious to the herd. In this conclusion he is corroborated
by Mr. Townsend, of the Fish Commission, whose report is also annexed.
While both tliese gentlemen are agreed as to tiie dire results in the
past and present of pelagic sealing, yet the fact that any (piestion is
raised by them as to tlie ]»ropriety of existing methods of land killing
should be sullicieiit to relegate the (luestion to said commission for
careful investigation.

The United States should court the most rigid investigation of exist-
ing methods of slaughter, both on land and at sea. Out of such investi-
gation there can not fail to come results beneiicial to tiie seal herd and
the valuable ]>roperty interests of the United States therein.

SALMON FISIIKKIIOS.

Upon careful inspection of the sahnon-Hsliing industry at Karluk,ou
the island of Kadiak, the i>riiicipal site of the canning industries of
Alaska, and of many otiier canneries scattered over the Territory, lam
satisfied that the salmon are rapidly decreasing because of the inces-
sant and indiscriminate fishing and the illegal use of weiis, nets, etc.,
thus obstructing the streams, liy means of these obstrucdons and by
continuous fishing in the streams the supply of salmon is gradually
being exhausted. The result will be that the Indians will be reduced
to starvation, as they are dei)endent ui)on the river catch for food.

I was also in receipt of many complaints from Indians to the ettect
that the canners refused to employ them in the canneries. My person.al
observation was that the greater part of the employees engaged in the
business, at least as regards the fishermen, were aliens — Italians and
others — and that of the workmen engaged in preparing and canning the
salmon a large proportion were Chinese. This matter, however, has
been carefully gone over by Inspector Murray in his report, to which I
invite careful attention.

The present laws relating to salmon fishing in Alaska are inadequate
and should be at once made more stringent. A rigid closed season
should be provided and additional inspectors appointed to enforce the
law. Annexed to Mr. Murray's report there will be found a draft of a
bill containing such changes as seem expedient.

The canning of salmon is a very important industry in Alaska; it
contributes nothing, however, to the wealth of the Territory, and I
recommend that a small tax be imposed upon each case of salmon
canned in the Territory as a rental for the privilege given to the canners
to take salmon; thus some part of the exi)en8e of maintaining the Ter-
torial Government will be borne by those who take from it annually a
rich harvest and contribute nothing in return.

SEAL LIFK «>N THK I'KIBILOK ISLANDS.

LIQUOIf.

In sjiitf of the eaiiiest ettorts of tlie custoins ollicers the sinuffgiiiijj:
«»f li(|iior into Alaska ami its illegal sale to whites and Indians contin-
ues Hasmntly ami deliantly, <.Nnisiderin«- the vast area of the Terri-
tory, and its thousands of miles of coast line, it is [jerhaps not surpris-
ing that such illegal practices have not been (rompletely broken up.

Complaint is also made that it is impossible to secure conviction of
offenders against the liquor laws by Jury trial because of sympathy
with tlic accused. This renders it all the harder to enforce the law.
This Hagrant tleflance of United States law is pnxbuitive of evil results
when tlie sale of liquor is to whites, but when extended to Indians its
evil etVects are almost im[)Ossible to describe.

I'nder the Russian rule the sale of li(iu<)r to natives was strictly pro-
hibited e.\cei)t at high church festivals, but after the cession to tlie
United States nniny vessels sailed to Alaska and gave the natives liq-
uors in exchange for furs. The natives arc passionately fond of li<pu)r,
and will do almost anything to secure it. Many murders by the huliaiis
are directly tracealtle to li(iuor obtained in this way; these cases are
rarely brought to the attention of the authorities. Slin-h cruelty, such
as wife beating and otlier crimes, is also causerl by the use of li(pn)r.
I am of tlie opinion that some restricrimi should be pliu;cd u|)on the
impcutation of aiticlcs which can l)e used by the Indians Ibr making
li<[Uor, for example, tiavoring extracts, bitters, Flori«la water, bay rum,
eaii de cologne, etc., wliich, although ostensibly imported as medicintis,
are obtained really for the alcohol contained thei-ein.

If the Ignited States (lovernmcnt can enforce the li(pu)r laws, murder,
infanticide, wife beating, and other crimes now common among the
Indians would soon be unknown.

It may well be (|nestioned whether the existing system of trial by
jury is not a failure as regards the enforcem«^: t of the li(iuor laws. If,
lu)wevei'. it is deemed advisable to retain the provision for trial by Jury,
I believe that both the grand and trial .juries for the Territory should
be selected by the judge of the United States distri<'t court. A similar
l>ractice now j'xists in the State of Tennessee, and has been held con-
stitutional, it might be well also to give to the Uiuted States <ronuins-
sioners the jtower to enforce, without a jury, section iUo't of the Revised
Statutes and section 14 of the act of >iay 17, 1884, as far as relates to
the sale, manufacture, or importation of intoxicants.

Having carefully considered the question, it is my Hrm belief that
the li(pior question in Alaska can only properly be solved by having a
system of high license and total prohibition of sales to Indians. In
this way only will ir be possible to regulate the traffic effectively.

While in Sitka I learned that niany people were confined in jail
because of offenses under the liquor law. I found also, to my great sur-
prise, that some of them had been imprisoned since June, ISD.'i, await-
ing trial for offenses for which, on conviction, not over six months
imprisonment could be imposed, there having been no term of court
since the first-named date. These facts have been called to the atten-
tion of the Attorney-Cieneral.

FUR-BEARlNfl ANIMALS.

THK SKA OTTEU.

The value of sea otter skins, just out of the water, to-day is about
$200, whereas fifteen years ago the price would not average much over

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOl' ISLANDS.

$25. Tliey are becominf; very scarce because of iiMliscriiniiiate slauffh-
ter in the past. When under Russian dominion the sea-otter grounds
were divided into tliree districts, one third being open to hunting each
year. Firearnis were proliibited and only bows and spears were per-
mitted to be used, and wliites were never eniployed as hunters. After
the cession to the United States many whites engaged in hunting, and
vessels were titted out from I'acitlc ports with otter boats ]>ropelled by
steam. Tlie result luis been almost extermination.

The sea otter, contrary to what is generally supposed, has no regular
breeding time; it brings forth its young iluring every month in the
year. To i)revent its extermination hunting should be prohibited
between May and October, and tiien should be allowed only by natives
and whites married to natives.

While at Kodiak (St. Paul) a delegation of whites waited upon me
and stated that they were deprived of the right to hunt sea otter in
Alaska. This right had previously been limited by Treasury regulation
to natives and to whites married to natives; that relying on the regula-
tions then in force, they had married native women and had invested
all their i»roperty in schooners, tackle, etc., and that on March 2, 18!)3,
the regulation previously in force, i)ermittiug whites married to natives
to hunt, was rescinded by President Harrison; that this took away all
their means ol support. They therefore asked that the old ruling as
to whites man led to natives be restored, and that the ruling of March
2, 1893, be rescinded.

I am of the opinion, after carelully examining the (piestion, that siu;h
of these whites as married natives, relying ou the existing law as laid
down in theTrcasury regulations of April 2 1, 1871), were wrouglydeprived
of the privilege of luinting otter by circulars of January 19, 1893, and
March 2, 1893, and 1 believe that said circulars should be changed so
as to permit such whites to engage in sea otter hunting.

I further recommend that the regulations prohibiting the sale of
breech-loading tirearnis be changed. In the gold region about the
Yukon River there are many traders who have much gold. They are
surrounded by newcomers who have ritles, and they should also be
pernutted to have them. The natives now almost universally have
Winchester ritles, but they buy them at enormous prices and have
inferior weapons. I'irearms are a necessity to Indians to-day, for with-
out them they can not kill deer or bear upon which they depend for
their support.

I am further of the o|)ini<)n that the present prohibition against whites
hunting land fur-bearing animals in Alaska should be discontinued.
It was originally passed to protect the seals, but their killing is i-egu-
lated uow by other statutes, and this prohibition should be removed.

LAND I'CKS.

There should also be a closed season from April to October for each
year for land fur-bearing animals. During this period furs are useless,
but the natives can not resist the temptation of killing. For many
years i)arts of the Territory have suffered from ftiilure of reindeer
because of indiscriminate slaughter in the i)ast, simply for the tongue,
eyes, and tallow, rejecting the meat. Said proposed closed season
should also embrace deer and mountain sheep. There should further
be a prohibition of the exportation of deer skins from the Territory,
because of the indiscriminate slaughter carried on by the natives
simply to procure the skins for export. '

8KAL LIFE ON THK PRIIJII.OF ISLANDS.

I am tiirtlier in receipt of information that <^ertain wliitos use poison
to kill foxes. Tliis sliould be proliibited under strinjient penaltios.

LAND LAWS.

Tli»> },n()\vtli of the popuhition in Alaska and the aiuonnt of money
Invt'sttMl ill the Territory ia iuiireasing- yearly. It is believed that a
large imiiiigratlon will set in as soon as Congress shall extend through-
out tlie Territory the general land laws or some other system enabling
the settler to a<!quire private ownership in land, a privilege now
accorded only to the occupiers of town sites, to the owners of mines
and canneries, and persons engaged in trade and manufacture.

Many other suggestions will be found in the appended report of
Inspector Murray. I merely call attention in this brief report to cer-
tain broad and general facts and conclusions noted by me iliiring the
course of my investigation.

Respectfully submitted.

CiiAiiLKS S. Hamlin,

. 1 ssisfaii f Scvretitry.

The Seorktarv ok the Treasiijv.

Treastuv Dki'autment,

OFFICK or THE SlU'RETARV,

\V((Nhiiigton, IK €., June !>, is'Ji.

SiH: III view of the representations made affecting tiie customs
administration on the Pacific Coast, I desire you to visit San Francisco,
Portland, Oreg., Port Townsend, and such other places as may be nec-
essary, for the ])urpose of making a personal inspection of said ports in
order to ascertain the t'xact condition of atfairs and the remedies
required to secure the proper conduct of the customs business. 1 also
desire you to make such inquiries as nuiy be ]>r!»cti(!able with reference
to tiie salmon fisheries of Alaska, and the taking (»f seals on the Pribi-
lof Islands. Should it be necessary, in your judgment, to visit Alaska,
you sliould not hesitate to proceed there to »)i)tain the desired infor-
mation.

I inclose copies of bills which have been introduced in the House of
Kepreseiitatives affecting the salmon, trout, and other lisheries in the
streams of Alaska. J also inclose a statement showing the number of
seals taken for all pur[>oses from l!^7b to 1<S1>."», l)oth inclusive, which
may be of service to you in the course of your inqi .es.

Instructions will be sent to the connnanding officers of the revenue
steamer HuHh to the effect that said vessel will he at your disposal dur-
ing such time as you may be on the Pacific Coast.

It is suggested upmi your return that you give attention to the con-
sular sealing system, under which merchamlise is permitted to i>ass the
frontier of the United States without critical inspe<!tion. The trans-
portation of freight between American ports via Canada should Jilso
receive your attention.

You will please make your arrangements to enter upon these duties
with as little delay as practicable, as the season is near at hand when
your inquiries may be prosecuted with the greatest advantage.
Respectfully, yours,

A. U. Carlisle, Secrrtarif,

Hon. C. S. Hamlin,

Assistant Secretary of the TreuHun/.

t •

KKIMIHTOK .KISKI'H K CUOWLKV, SPKCIAL TKKASlin AiiKNT,

KOII THK VKAK iSill.

Office of tiik Special Acjent,

ThKASIKV DEI'AK'TMKNT.

Washhufton, J>. ('., Jfniiiarif /, />.'/.*.

SiE: I lierewith traTisinit my aimiuil rcjxnt lor 1S!>4, witli oxliibits
attaclied, inakiu^ a ])art of said report.
Ivi'spectfully, yours.

.FOS. H. CUOWLKY,

Special Tnamirif Ayeut.
The Skcrktahv of thk Thkasiky.

Office of ihe Special Agent,

Treasirv Department,
Washiiifiton, J). V., Nonmber :>0, J89J.

Sir: 1'ur.suaiit to Department itistructioiis dated May 4, 18!)4, I pro-
ceeded to the seal ishmds of Ahiska, sailiii}; from San Francisco May
19 on board the North American (!ommercial Contpany's steamer
Lal'me, Captain Bonnitiehl commanding.

I was accompanied by Special Ayents .lacob K. Ziebach and James
Judge, and we arrived at St. Oeor}»e Island on Jnne 4, when, pursuant
to Department instructions, 1 immediately relieved Special Agent Hall
and i>laced Agent Ziebach in charge of the island.

On June (» we reached St. Paul 1 slan<l Pud found Special Agent Thomas
E. Adams in charge where he was permitted to remain until July I,
when he was temporarily relieved, and Special Agent Judge placed in
charge, his appointment as special agent taking i>lace on that date.

Agent Adams rcnuiined on St. Paul Island, rendering such service as
was required, until the return of the steamer in September, when he
accompanied me as far as San P^rancisco on his way home.

IMPROVEMENTS.

One of the most agreeable changes to be noticed on the islands since
I iirst saw them is the improvement in the physical condition of the
native inhabitants since sutticient " food, fuel, and clothing" have been
furnished them. On my arrival at the islands in 181)3, every family was
visited and every dwelling insi)e(!ted, and where we found a lack of beds,
bedding, stt>ve8, cooking utensils, wearing api)arel, or other necessaries,
they were immediately supplied, and the good resulting from this act
of simple justice is quite apparent on all sides, and is very satisfactory.

Department order for the erection of a number of suitable water-
closets is being complied with as rapidly as ])ossible; the change is
fully appreciated by the natives, and already the sanitary condition of
the islands shows marked improvement.

SEAr, LIKE ON THK I'RIIULOF ISLANDS.

Tliiit the moriilifyof the people tluMus<'lves lias purtiikeii of t]\v t;:eii-
villi impioveiiieiit is evident to all who <>hserv«' tlieir eoii<iuet elosely;
tiicre are most certainly fewer earonsals and niinli less drunken luvss,
and there isevery evideiu'eof iv marked personal pride in the home and
fiiiiiily relations.
rff it is the census returns, however, that show most ideally the {food

results of the improvement in the treatment of the natives, for ever
since the change was made there has hcen less sickness and fewer
deaths in proportion to births than ever i)efore. (See lOxhibits A and IJ.)

SCHOOLS.

4.-

Tlie attention of the Department has been calh-d to the scIkjoI syst«un
in voji'ue on the islands by many of my |»redecess(»rs in their aninuil
reports, but nothing has been «lonc thus far t(. remedy its many radical
defects.

The fault is hardly that of the lessees or of the teacher, for they cer-
tainly supply a school building and school books, and the teacher is
competent, (capable, and attentive to his duties, endeavoring at all
tiices to perform his ])art well and faithfully.

The trouble is one that lies deepei- than the personality of the teacher
oi' the necHissary school su|)plies, and until the chief I'ause is removed
there will be but little hope of success in the attempt to impart a
knowledge of the English language to the mitives of the Pribilof
Islands.

The remedy lies in an "industrial school" where the pupils might be
kept secluded from the older natives until the lOnglish tongue became
theirs.

The annual report of the school teacher . 1 8t. Paul Island is attached^
and marked Exhibit C.

Fl'KL.

Pursuant to instructions I contracted for 'JW tons of coal to supply
the (lovernment houses ami the native inhabitants on l>oth of the islands.
This aun)unt, added to the 80 tons deliver«'d by the lessees under their
lease, making a total of o70 tons, was delivcsred by the North American
Commercial Company and was distributed as follows:

St. Paul Isliuid: rrms.

Govemraciit house 10

L'hc of natives 210

St. George Ishmtl :

(iovernnieiit house 10

Use of natives 100

Total 360

Owing to an error in weighing there is still due the natives of St. Paul
10 tons, which will be given them next season.

In n>y report for ISO.'i I asked that storehouses be erected on both of
the islands in which to stove the sui>ply of natives' coal, and I again
respectfully call attention to the necessity of having them built as soon
as possible, for it is very unprofitable to leave the coal out of doors in
the winds, rains, and snows of Alaska.

The houses need not be expensive affairs, and given the necessary
material, the natives can build them immediately and thus save the cost
in two years by pre* "anting the present waste in slackage.

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'BIBILOF ISLANDS.

FOXES.

In December, ISO.'i, there were trapped and killed by tlie natives of the
islands of St. Paul and St. (Jeorge Sll foxes, of wliich 770 were blue and
41 were white, divided as follows:

St. I'mil :

Blue 213

White 27

St. Georgf :

Blue 1)57

White 14

Total 811

The skins were sold to the lessees and were classed as follows: First
grade, blue; second grade, blue; third grade, white.

The amount realized on the skins and credited to the natives was as
follows :

St. Paul :

First cliiHS, 14G, at $5 $730

Second (lass, 07, at fl 268

Third tlass, 27, at$l 27

St. George:

First class, 143, at $5 2, 215

Second class, 114. at $4 456

Third <;laB8. 14, at f 1 14

Total 3,710

The money received for fox skins is not a community fund, but is
divided among the men wlio catch the foxes, each man getting credit for
the full value of the skins he brings in.

The money is credited on his pass book and drawn against for food
and necessaries until it becomes exhausted before he again becomes a
charge on the Government.

This, too, is the system followed in the spending of the fund derived
from the talving of seal skins; so long as the man has money to his
credit, from daily earnings, he is self-supporting.

I respectfully call attention to the fact that on St. George Island this
year the natives received for fox skins $2,()85, while the earnings for
taking seals were only $1,-531, leaving a balance of $1,154 in favor of
the foxes.

This, I think, is a lesson that should not be forgotten in future, espe-
cially as the indications are that uidess a change takes place very soon
by which the fur seal may be properly protected there will not be many
left to take for any purpose, and the natives will have nothing to depend
on but tiie blue fox.

Firmly believing in the necessity of fostering and preserving the foxes,
I have ordered that none shall be trapped on the islands of St. Paul and
St. George during the trapping season of 1804-9"), but I gave permission
to trap foxes on Otter Island, where none have been taken in many
years.

SEALS.

1 learned on liiy arrival at the islands that owing to the extremely long
and cold winter and the amount of ice remaining around tie beach late
into May, the seals had nt)t hauled out so freely as usual, and the assist-
ant agents informed me that as late as May 14 passages had to be cut
through the ice to allow the bull seals to reach the breeding grounds^

ai|
re

SKAL LIFE ON THK PrtlHILOF ISLANDS.

213

r.57

$730

268

and after coming ashore tliey lay in the snow and ice tliat covered the
rookeries.

About June 10-12 the young kilhible males bey;an haulinp: out iu
goodly numbers, but at no time during the whole season of 1S*M were
there as many seals on the islands as hauled out in 189.'>.

The iudicafions of decrease are to be seen on all sides in all classes of
seals, but more particularly iu the cows on the breeding grountls.

Jieginning October 23 and ending Noven)ber M). 1.S5K5, there were
killed ou St. Paul Island, for natives' food, 774 kilhible seals, whose
skins were merchantable and have since been accepted by the lessees.

Heginning October 20 and ending November 17, 18!KJ, there were
killed «)n St. (ieorge Island, for natives' iood, 24") seals, whose skins have
since been acce[)ted, thus making the total of 1,019 skins on Inind at
the beginning of the season of 1804.

Beginning the season of 1894 May 9 and ending August 4, 12,19(» seal
skins were taken on St. Paul Island; and from May 2.'{ to iVugiist 9,
2,817 seals were killed ou St. (Ieorge Island. The date of the drive,
the rookery driven from, and the number taken at each killing during
the season are attached and marked I'iXhibits I) and E.

I have also attached copy of shipping receipts for the total luimber
of skins taken by lessees during the tall of 189;> and killing season of
1894, marked Exhibit F.

Also report of distribution of the "Community fund " as Exhibits G
Jind H.

The total number of skins shipped by the lessees iu 1894 vvas H),0.'»2,
including the 1,019 food skins taken in the fall of 1893.

For taking, salting, and lading these skins the natives were paid oO
cents per skin, or $8,01().

The amount actually distributed was only $7,94(!, leaving $70 of a
balance to be distributed next season.

The distribution of the $7,946 had really been made before the accept-
ance of 140 skins which were not considered Hrst class, but which were
afterwards accepted by the lessees' agent, and the natives will be i)aid
next year.

DlllVING.

I
I

cf 189

Only two <lrives from each rookery were permitted during the season
All long drives were avoided, and yet, in my opinion, there
were as many skins taken as could have been obtained by the lessees
had tiiey been allowed to drive oftener.

I was anxious to have the driving done so carefully that there should
notbeanypossil)ility of disturbance on the rookeries, and I feel satistied.
that the plan adopted was a good one.

Had there been the number of young killables on the rookeries that
Mr. Henry W. Elliott tells about in his work on Alaska, 1872-1880, there
would liave been no trouble in securing 100,000 skins, but the "amphibi-
ous millions" which Mr. Elliott saw in 1870 have passed away and where
they swarmed by the million then is now a grass i)lat upon which a seal
is never seen.

That the seal herd has been steadily decreasing during the past ten
years is so self-evident now that no one denies it. Had the decrease
been due to bad management on the islands it would most certainly
have been proven during the years of the "modus vivendi," when not
to exceed 7,500 seals were taken annually; but, in spite of a long rest
of nearly five years, we could not get 20,000 killuble seals on the islands
in 1894, which shows beyond contradiction, I think, that the cause of the

SKAL LIFE ON THK PUIBILOF ISLANDS.

steady annual decrease is to be found outside the islands, and as there
is only one known cause to whicii the decrease can be attributtvl, the
almost unanimous verdict of civilization is that the indiscriminate
slaughter of st als by the pelagic sealer is the principal <!au8e of the
decrease in the herds.

From my own knowledge of the situation, gained by an experience
of two seasons on tlie islands, I liave no doubt whatever as to the cause
of the dc( lease, for one has only to look at the official returns of the
pelagic catch for 1801 to see at a glance that however numercMis the
seals may have been in 1881 they couhl not stand the drain made upon
them for the i>ast ten years without showing it.

From the best information obtainable it appears that the pelagic
sealers secured 112,000 seal skins in 1891. The official tigures from
the American and British customs show that 122,000 skins were landed
on the Pacific; Slojte, and there is good ground for the belief that the
remainder were landed in Japan or Russian ports and shipped to
London via the Suez Canal.

It is admitted on all sides that 70 per cent of the catch were females,
mostly mother seals in young or in milk, whose death in either case
meant the death of two seals, for it is well known that when a mother
in milk is killed at sea her pup dies on the rookery for want of sus-
tenance.

1 do not make tlic statement oi" the death of the pups from starvation
recklessly; thei"' is positive proof of it.

In the lattc. part of August, 18!>1, when tlie iirst dead pups of the
season appeared on the breeding grounds, 1 made daily visits to the
rookeries and found hundreds of dead pui)s that had died of starvation.

llundreds yet alive were so wasted, weak, and feeble they ccmld with
difficulty drag themselves over the rocks, ami would not attempt to get
out of the way when approached.

Between September 16 and 20 the Treasury agent on St. George
counted the dead pu])s on all the accessible ])ortions of the rookeries
upon which he could climb without disturbing the seals, and, estimat-
ing the nund)er not seen to be in proportion tf» those found, tliere were
1,110 dead pui)s on St. (ieorge Island.

The same method was followed on St. Faul, and the rookeries visited
and dead pups a<',tually counted on them are shown in the following
table :

Diitp.

ItookpiN .

Oct. ;t Uit'f

Oct. 6 Liikiiimiiii

Oct. « Ketiivir

Oct. 11 Hnlfwii.v Point ..

Oct. li Noithtiiiwt Point .

Oct. 2a South went liny..

Dpiid pnim.

1,001

847

377

784

2,840

2, U'i

Date.

Konkcrv.

Oct. 2;i L'lwer Znimdnic.

Oct. 2;i Lntfoon

Oct. 23 : Zofiol

Oct.-?:! Giirbotcli

Tot.il.

Dead pn|m.

60M
215
324
267

10,307

Tolstoi was not visited, and, as only the accessible i)ortions of the
rookeries could be reachetl, 1 consitlei L am below rather than above
the mark when 1 put the number of dead ^)ups on both the islands, in
1891, at 20,000.

One sight of the rookeries when the pups are dying by the hundred
is enough to convince anyone of the truth of the claim made by the
Treasury agents, that it is because of starvation, owing to the death of
their mothers at sea, that so many pups die in August and September.
There is no difficulty whatever in telling the difference between starv-

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

iiig motherless animals witli their flattened sides, feeble movements,
and languid cries, and the well fed, rounded, rompinj; ones that are to
be seen in pods along the beach playing in the shallows,

I fear that this question of dead pups is not fully understood, nor
are its lessons appreciated by the nations most deeply interested in
the preservation of the seals, otherwise some steps would be taken
immediately to put an end to the present mode of sealing at sea.

From the most reliable data at hand 1 And that during the nine years
beginning with 1.S80 and ending with 1894 the following numbers of
seals were taken by pelagic sealers:

Vear.

Number. !

18HU ,
18H7 .
18SS .
1889 ,

Year.

I Number.

Tear.

29,0U0 '1890 00, (l(M) ' WM

4.5.(100 I 18H1 ■ 78,000 '

01,00(1 18"JJ «.'),0(]0 , Total.

."i7, 000 i 18!t;i 109.000

N limber.

1.12, 000
062, 000

I venture the assertion that the killinj,of that number entailed a loss
of not less titan 1,50(M»00 .seals on the herds on both shores of Bering,
Sea.

So constant and so rapid has been the decrease of the seals on th:
Pribilof Islands, that in 1894 the only sign of increase to le observed
over last year was among the large young bulls who werfj unable to
find cows with waich to form harems of tlieir own. There were more
idle bulls of breeding age on the rookeries than there were bulls with
harems on the breeding grounds.

That the seals are steadily decreasing to an alarming extent, and
that the principal cause of s»ich decrease is pelagic sealing, can not
longer be denied.

Tiiat the regulations adopted at Paris do not ]>rote(t the female seals
in Bering Sea has been proved the past season beyond the possibility
of doubt, for never before in the history of the business did the pelagic
se;jlers take so nmny seals as in 18t>4.

I tlierefore respectfully recommend that immediate steps be taken to
amend the regulations, and that an international agreement be made,
if possible, by which there shall be no sealing in Bering Sea for three
years or until the rookeries have had time to recuperate from their
present depleted condition, and other arrangements be made for the
adequate protecticm of the females in the future.

If such an arrangement can not be arrived at, then I should advise
the immediate killing of every seal on the Pribilof Islands rather than
allow the islands to be used as a nursery for the proi)agation of an
animal that is to be destroyed befcne our eyes by the subjects of another
nation.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Pursuant to instructions dated May 5, 1894, Prof. Charles II. Town-
send, of the ITuited States steamer Alhaiross, was ]iermitted to take a
suitable specimen bachelor seal for the use of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion.

(tUARDINd ROOKERIES.

On September 1 a lieutenant and a boafs crew of armed marine guards
were lauded on each of the two islands, where they renniined until
November 1, when they were taken oif by the revenue cutter Bear.
S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 2

SKAI. LIFE ON THE IMtlBILOF ISLANDS.

During their two months' stay on shore tluue was no call for their
services, nor will thei-e ever be so long as the Treasury ageist does his
duty and the natives are jnoperly armed ami treated like men.

It is due to the several naval oflicers commanding ships iu iiering
Sea that 1 say I found thein all very willing to do anything they could
for the benefit of the Government interest on the seal islands, and as
early as June offers of assistance y/ere made to me by the commanders
of the Petrel, Ranffer, and Alert.

The several vessels composing the fleet in Bering Sea were always at
my service, in turn, whenever I wanted to go from island to island, and
by this means I was enabled to attend to uniiiy matters of interest to the
Department which, under other conditions, might Lave been neglected.

Except the depleted condition of the rookeries and the decrease of
the seals, everythiiiji' on the seal islands is very satisfactory.

Since the native people are better treated than in former years — hav-
ing plenty of ^^ood food, fuel and clothing, and houses free from rent —
there is evidence of good health, contentment, and hap|)ine8s on every
countenantre.

The widows, or[)ha''.s, aged, and indigent persons who have no other
means of support, are well provided for by tiie lessees.

The conditions of tlie lease have been complied witli in letter and in
8i)irit by the less(>es, and the most cordial relations exist between the
Government and ciunpany agents, both in a social and business way.

Very respectfully submitted.

Joseph K. Crowley,
Special Treasury Af/cnt, Seal rslandfi.

Hon. John G. Carlisle.

Secret art/ of the Treasury.

Exniiin A. — ('eifiis of tiutive ivhalntnnfs of St. Punt Inland, June 30, 1S94,

Naiiii' iiiid r('Iiiti(inshi|).

Age.

Naiiu- and roliitionsliip.

Age.

Family 1—4 iiiilividiial!):

Artomaiioll'. Ktirrick, liu.tliand

Artomaiiotl', Alexandra, wile

I'ri)kaiiit>(l'. Auxfiiia, daugliter

I'raiiaff, Kidnkea, orpliaii

Family 2—4 iiidividualu:

ArkaslioH', Arsciiy. husband

Aikasliotl', Marina, will' '

t jalaxti'onil)'. C\\\ iidia, orplian

Stcpf'tin.Jdlin. sti'pson .

Family 3 -H IndividiialR ;

rKi^odannir. Nicoli. liuHband

lSo<;iidaiii>tt', Mary, sistor |

Family 4— 4 individiialii:

Ititurdukotl'Hky, Apidim, husband

l{(mrdiiknlt'«ky, ( 'hiciiia. wife

lloiirdukollHky. IVtcr, son

HonrdiikollMUy. Ulcta, daughter

Family 5—4 individuals:

Kiiterin, Karp. husband

Hutorin. I*araHCiova,wifu

Scdick, CouMt amine, sun

.Scdic'k, Zohor. orphan

Family 6—5 Individuals:

Kmaniitl', ( ienrKe. liuslmnd

Emanutt', Catherine, wife

Kmanotl', Mary, daughter

EuumotT, Johii, son

Koznit/.oll", .Ifihn, orpluiu

Family T— 5 individuals:

Fratis, John, husband

Fratis, Aukolenn, wife

67
41
26
20

27
34
12

1«

40
58

ali

48
20

Family 7—5 individuals— Continued.

I Fratis, Agrittna, daughter

! Frati.-i, ,l(diii. son .'

Fratis. Siuu)en, son

l''auiily 8—3 individuals:

(rlotot)', John, husband

OUitolt'. Avdotia, wife

GlototI', Mary, mother

Family 9 — 3 individuals:
I (ii'omiitl', Nicoli, Inisbaud

OromoH'. Ouleua, wile

Sediek. El i /.a bet li, orphan

! Family 10—2 iudividiuils:

Galaxtiouetl', Alex. hu.iband

(ralaxtionelt', .Marthii, wife

Family 11— 1 individual;

I HaiiBon. Alex, baehelor

I Family 12—2 individuals:

Koehootnn, John, husband

Koehooten, Tiania, wife

! Family 13— 7 imlividuals:

KiH'hooten,,Iake. husband

Kochooten. Ferronia, wife

Koe.hooten, Uleta. daughter

Kochooten, Ellen, daughter

Kochooten, Theodore, son

Kochooten, Farian, son

Lodoshinkotf, Natalia, stepdaughter .
FamMy 14—3 individuals:

Kdocliooten, Eupheme, husband

Kooehooten, I'elogia, wife

Koochooten, Trepan, orphan

.144

26
10

22
22

23
19

a Months.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIIULOF ISLANDS. 19

ExiiiiMT .\.—C'e)i>iiis of native inliabitanta of St. Paul Inland, June .W, 1S94 — Continued.

Niiine auil reIatioii.Hhi|).

Age.

Niiiiu' iiuti ri'liitiuoBbip.

.14)

26
19

1!6

23
19

42
39
18

1
14

Fattiily IS—*"' imlividimlH:

Kozeiotf. Sti'paii, hiiMbiind

KoztToir, AiiiisliisiH, wife

Kozcroll', Yvanflly. sou

Kiizcrofl', Siitiidiili. ilaii^htcr

KozcnilV. Alcxiiinlni, daiijfliter. -

Xozikoll'. Siiiiomi, stepson

Fnniily Hi— '-' individuals ;

Haleroli; I'aiil. liusband

HaiiTotf. A iiritina, wife

Faniilv 17—4 individuals:

KfukiitV. Nicoli, Inisband

Krnkott', Catlitirinf , wife

Krukotf, Mctropau, son

Knikuff, Oustt'nia, daiigliter

Faniilv 18— 4 individuals:

Kfiikofl', Maximo, ]iugl)aud

Krukolf. Kfotesta. wife

Knikoll'. John, son

Krukoil', Condrat, son

Family lit— 5 individuals:

Kiisliin. A);<;ie, liuslmnd

KuRliin, Mary, wife

KuMJiln. liUktM'ia. ilaugliter

Kiisliir, Mifliael, son

Kiisliiu. Nestor, jri'iindsnn

Family 20—5 individuals:

MiindrpjLtan, Xcon, liuslmnd

Mandre;;an. Mary, « ife

Mandrejfan, Mary, daucliter

Mandreian. Zoya. daughter

Mandre<;au, Leitkenty, son

Family 21—3 individuals:

Mcroulitl', Alex, husband

Merculirt", Agritira, wife

Menulitf, rani, brother

Family 22—5 imlividunls:

Melividiiv. .\nton-, widower

Melividov, .Mevaiidra, daughter

Meli vidov, ( Hga, dan j{htiT

Melividov. .Maicia, dauj;liter

Melividov, Alexandra, mother . .
Family 23—3 individuals:

iMiliviilov, Alex, husband

Melividov, Salome, wife ...,

Melividov. .Vnton, son

Family 21 — 3 imlividuals:

Melividov, Simoen, husband

Melividov, Alexandra, wife

Melividov. Marjiaret. daujj;liter . ,
Family 25—4 individuals:

Xederazolf. Stepan, h iisband

Nederazotl'. Alexandra, wife

Nederazcili', Mary, nieee

Stopolf, Weketn, orphan

Family 2li— 4 individuals:

Nedenizoli; Martin, husband

Nederazotl'. Catherine, wife

Shane, Maty, ste|)ilMii<;hter

Shane. I'araseovia. orphan

Family 27—5 individuals:

Oasteijott', I'eter. husband

()iisti;jrotl'. raniscovla. wife

Oiisteacili', Neil, son

OusteKoB', Stepamia. mother

Sliaisnikatl'. ( ieorge, orphan

Family 2S— 4 indi\ iduals:

I'ankatV, I'artiii, husbanil

I'aiikalV, ( H«:a. wife ,

I'ankatI'. Vhisia, son

I'aiikatf, Vorara. ilauKhtor

Family 211—2 iiidividiiaU :

i'araurliin, Daniel, husband

raraiii'hlii. Klexandria, wife

Family ,i()-2 individuals;

Shnisnikotf, Paul, bachelor

Shaisnikotf. Valerian, nephew ..,
Family 31—4 Individuals:

Sliaholin, Xeeon, husband

Sliaholin. Teela, wife ,

Shaholin, .\Kriflna. dauuhter

Shaholiii, .A.pollanarhi, uaughter

3
1

42
52

36
31

it
7
3

.58

19
19
ad

27
2

.11)

30
20
3
59
11

35
32

58
14

a.5.J

Family 32— it individuals:

Sediek. Theodore, husband ..

Sediek, Matha, wife

Sediek. Anastania, daughter.

Sediek, Mary, daiiijliter

Sediek. Yiistenia.daujibter ,

I Age.

5
1
3

a 34
13

Sediek, Matruna, daughter
Sediek. Iiiokeiitk. son. .
Sediek. Anna, daughter
Sediek, Philip, nephew .

Family 33-5 individuals: |

Se'duli. V'assily. liiishand 1 51

.Sediili. Klizabetb. wife 55

.Seduli. Vera, daughter 13

Mazekan, Mary, or|ilian • 21

Mazekan, Ivan, son I 3

Family 34—3 individuals: |

Sti'iietiii. Dorofay. husband { 23

Stepetin, Vassa, wife 20

Stepetin, Vassily, son 1

Family 35—4 individuals:

Stepetin, Klary, husband 30

Stepetin, Anna, wife 23

Steiietin,<)ulena. daughter 4

Stejietin, I'arla. dau-jhter 2

Family 30— (I individuals:

Terrakanoll', Kerriek, husband 40

Terrakanolf. A niia. wife 34

Shane. Klary. or]ilian 4

N'ederazoif, Agritina 25

Nederazotl'. Alexia 4

Nederazcdf, .Mary 1

Family 37—3 individuals:

I Tetotf, I'eter husband 29

i TetoH, Mary, wife 33

Tetoll, Alexandra, sisttT 15

Family 38-4 individuals:

'I'etoH. Neon, husband 24

Teloir. Agritina. wife 19

Tetotf, Ziiher, brot her 14

Tetotf, Sinioen, son 1

Family 39—7 individuals :

Volkolf. Markel. husband 49

Volkotf, Alexandra, wife 40

Volkolf, Teron,Hoii 2

Volkotf. Arefa, son o8

Volkolf. Klli'ii sister 40

Kiisliin. Moiivra, orphan 13

Mereiilitf, ,I(din.urpliau . . j 9

Family 40—5 individuals:

Ueself, Nieoli, husband 64

Itesetf. Marina, wife 57

Keseir, ( »1 -«, daughter 21

Ignatieff, .c^iina, orphan 15

(JItetf, Mary, orphan 14

Family 41 — 1 individual:

liellaglozalV. KUen. widow 58

Family 42—3 individuals:

Kosliemikolf. Ardita, widow 33

IvoHhernikoti', Paul, son 10

Mereiilitt, Martin, orphaji 11

Family 43— 1 individual:

Krukolf, Anna, widow 28

Family 44—2 individuals:

Krukolf. Natalie, widow 41

Krukolf. .Iidin. son 13

Family 45-3 individuals:

Balakshin, Matroiia, widow 41

Slioposhnikolt'. Paraseoriu, oi-phan 27

Kookorishntkoli'. Stepan, orphan 12

Family 40—4 individnals:

Kozlalf. I'araseoria, widow 35

Kozlalf. Mielinel. son ' 7

Kozlatf, Nieoli, son j S

Kozlalf. Anton, son ' a 8

Family 47—2 Individuals:

Serebrinkolf, f )lga, widow j 29

Sorebrinkolf, Kepsemer, son a 15

Family 48—3 individnals : i

Popott, Ardotia, widow 34

Pojiotf, Krasnnia, daughter ' 4

lialiaksliii. Anna, daughter 9

a Months.

20 ■ , SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Exhibit A. — Cenaun of native inhabitantH of St. I'aiil Island, June 30, 1804 — Contiuued.

Kiinie ami relntioiiHlit]). lAge.

Xaine and relationship.

Family 49— t individiiitl:

l'iHlinil<ott', Vasgclimi, widow

Family 5U— 2 iudiridiuilH:

I*o|M>H'. A I'nnHMiii, widow

Shiittvagin, Daria, orpliau

Family 51— ;i individiialH:

KokorlHliuikoir. Aiiiiiiiia, widow

KokoriithuikotI', Anna. dau^lidT

Kokorishnikut)', raraNCoria, daughter .
Family 52—1 individual :

Kezanzofl', Auua. widow

Aae. ;

i;i

'J8

Family .'>3— :i iiMlividuAU:

Scilick. Daria. widow 50

Koochoolt^n. lOllen, daii^Utcr 20

Kooi'hooU'n. Xeiioria, daiicliter 23

Family 54 — 1 individiialH:

I'ftotr, Fcclimia, widow ilG

I'etolt', (iiene, daiichter I 8

I'l'tott; Sotia, daiiKJitur i 6

Ki'clitrjjrin, < irorjic son | 16

Family 55—:; individuals:

'I'arrentora, Anna, widow 74

Tarreiitora, Anna, daughter i 41

KECAl'ITULATION.

Families

Native inhabitants

Female inhabitant!*

Male inhabitants

Females in e.xct'ss of males
Male adults

S5
196

Males between 5 and 17 years i 23

Males under 5 years. . . .' I 21

Female adults " ! 70

Kenialos bet ween 5 and 17 years j 25

Females under 5 years ". . 1 15

Marriages .' ! 4

Bin hs 1 9

Deaths I 7

Orphan children at ('nalaxka school.

Age.

Sedh'k, Arotiu ■ 13

Krukaff, Lukaria 17

Koz.uitzoH'. Auatia 18

Merculiir. Lubotl' 18

Granatl', Anastasia 16

Zacharotr, Feodosia 15

Zatzmanail', Auxenin 13

Fratis.Johii 12

Kesident native population 196

Number of native children absent at school 8

Total population 204

' %

Exhibit B. — Census of St. George Island, June 30, 1894.

Name and relationship.

I Age.

Name and relationship.

Age.

Galanin,()calona, widow ; .SI j Malavausky, Stepineda, daughter of Rep-

(jalanin, Kvan, son.

( ialauin, Parferi, l <isband j 21

Galanin, Fcvronia. wife I 17

Uorokot)'. Cornell, husband | 37

Gorokoir, Katrlna, wife 39

Galanin. Alexander, adopted son ' 8

Kulikiiloft', Kvan, husband \ 48

Kulikiilotf, Barbara, wife ! 49

/a<!liaroll'. Kmanucl ! 14

Lekauod. Stepan, husband ' 25

Lekanott', I'elegia wife.

Lekanort', Anatole, son

LekauotV, Sergius. son

Lekanott', Sarah, daughter

Lestenkotf, Demetri, widower.
Lestenkotl', Anna, daughter. . .
MerculotV. Mark

25
4
2
alU
31
7
9

LestenkotV. Rev. Inuokenty, priest ! 04

- 00

25
22
18

Lesteukot)'. Klizabeth, wife

Lestenkot!', Mary, daughter

LestenkoH', M ichael, sou

Lestenhott'. Sarah, daughter

Malavansky, Nicoli, bachelor, but head of

family . . '.

Malavansky, Kepsemia, sister

Malavansky, Wana, sister

29
34
19

Maliivansky, I'efer, son of Ropseuiia

MenaloU'. Joseph, son of Fevronia, but head

of faiiiily

MenalotI', Kevronia. wiihiw

Menalolf, (ieiirge, .sun of Fevronia

MenalotI'. Ueleiii*, daiijjliter of Fevronia

MeniilolV. John, son 111 Fevronia

Meiialutr, Alartha, daughter of Fevronia ....
Nederazotf, Nicoli, .sou of Eojsenia, head of

family

Nederazoft". Eogenia, wi(hiw

Nedera/.otI', ^Maliiiia, daughter

Nederazotf, Isador, son

Oustegotf, Alxia, husband

Oustegotf, Martha, wife

Oustegolf, Al.iandra, daughter

Oiislegoff, .Simon, husband

Oiistegott', Mary, wife

Philimonotf, Adrian, husband

Pbilimonott', Parascovia, wife

Philiinonolf, Pelegia, daughter

Pbilim.mofl', Audronie, husband

Philimonoff. Zenovia, wife

Philimonotf, Marina, ihuighter

Philimonoff, Mary, daughter

15
6

16
40
20

3
44
24

1
30
18
27
30

6
27
28

a Alontbs.

30
8
6

74
41

23
21
70
25
16
4

Age.

.. 13

.. 17

.. 16

.. 18

.. 16

.. 15

.. 13

.. 12

..lie

8
.. 204

Age.

SEAL MFK ON THE I'RIBILOF ISLANDtS.
KxiiiitiT B. — Cemua oj St. Heorije [aland, June 30, 1S!)4 — Contiuiied.

Xaine and rvlationshlp.

Philiiiionolf, Leonta, tlauglitur ,

PhiliiiKiiiut)'. Eoff. huRbaiiil

Philiiiionort, Oleta, wife

PbiliiiiDiioti'. ( ircgory, son

Philiinotiotf. Ko";eniii, (laiiglit<>r

Philiiiioiiotl', Ubinotri, win

Oiistegntl', K[iroxiii, NtepdmighhT

Ougteciitt'. .Micliael, 8tupH<in

UiisteKotr, Siisauna, 8te|i(lniigliter

ProkoiieotV. Peter, liiiHbiintl

ProitojicoH' Stepineiia, wife

Priikopcoir. Aufiina.siu, hnitlier of Peter

Itc/.iiiizDtt, Kediinia, widow

i{e/,anzcirt', Innokoiity, son of Kvdoaia

I!t'/.iiii/.(iir, StTotina, jfrandda lighter of ¥t'-

diisia

Ku/.aiizul)', Peter, liiiHband

Kezitiizoir. MatroiiH. wife

Rt'XMnzoif, Taliaiia, daiigliter

Shane, KaicHa, widow

Sliane, Oletii. daiijjhtcr

Age.

Name and relatiuuMhip.

Age.

r,2

1«

5()

1«

7
4H

.">:;

10
42
25

Shane, Micliael, son

Menalotl', Sfeiian

Menaloti', Neiliida, at l'n;ilaaka huIiooI

Swetzotf, Eimt icf, liimband

Swet/.otf, <!hri.stiaiia, wife

Swetzort', (iregorv, hoh

Swel/.ort', Poll X ilia

Swetiotr, Paul, son

Meiialotr, Kvaii, e mi of WaHStalesa, head of

family

Meiialott', Wassaleaa, widow

Meiialiitf, .VlexHiidra, daughter

Menaloti', N icnll, son

Menaiot)', Kiidokia, daughter

Meuahitf, Helen, daughter

PliilinioiioH', Niaeen,TiUHband

Ku/.aii/,oti. F.iidokia. wife

Kilzan/.otf. Innokeiity. mm

Ku/.anzotf. FedoHJa, daughter

Kuzaiizolf, Zoia, daughter

Male-i. VI: females. 48— total, 90.

Date.

Name.

a Months.
Birth record.

! Sex.

Julv 8,189;i I Martha F.

Alii;. ;iii, isnn ! Sarah K .

Feb. 4. 1804 I .loseph M.

May «, l«94 Leiuita F .

Xaiiie of parents.

Fevronla MerciilotV. mot her.
Stepan and Pelegia liekaiiotl'.
Simeon and Eoilokia PliilimoiioH'.
Andronic and Zeiiovia Philimonot)'.

Date.

Name.

Dee. 14, 1894 Simeon Philiiiionolf
Jan. 18,1894! Arkentv Nedera/.otf.. .
May 14,1894 ; Helena '{.estenkolf

MortalUii record.
Age. Sex. Caiistv

2
42

M.
M.
F .

Date

Consumption .

Marriage record.
Contrarting parties.

Name of parents.

Son of Andrian and ParascoTUk
Uanghter of Hev. Innokenty.

Keniarks.

! ,

IS
6

24
1

Sept. 8, 189:i
Nov. 19,189:!
Nov. 22,189;l

Simeon Oii.stegotI' and Mary 'I'eraeaiiolf At St. Paul.

Peter Prokopeotl' and Stepineda Merculotf

Parferi Galanin anil Fevrnnia Swetzuti'

.1. E. ZiKiiAt'ii. .48ni8taiit Treasury Agent.

KxHiHiT C. — Report of St. Paul Island school.

St. Paul Island Sciidoi,, August l'>, 1894.
IlKAU SiK: I herewith Hiibmit to you the following statement of time of tuition
and study throughout the eight school months:

Nine o'clock a. m. — Calling the roll. 5 minutes; time for study, 25 minutes (slate
work); arithmetic, 30 minutes; alphabet, 20 minutes; spelling, 20 minutes; recess,
20 minutes; Fourth Reader, 25 minutes; Third Reader (class 1), 20 minutes; primer,
15 minutes.

One o'clock p. m. — Third Reader (class 2), 20 minutes; Second Reader, 20 miniiteH;
First Reader, 20 minutes; alphabet, 15 minutes.

Monday and Wednesdivy, geography ; Tuesday and Thursday, penmanship; Friday,
United States History. The foregoing subjects are taught thirty-five minutes each
day, respectively.

Yours, respectfully, S. Melovidov.

Mr. J. B. CuowLEY,

Special United States Treaaufy Agent,

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Report of St. I'aul Inland school for the first ttrm, ISO,",.

St. 1'aul L<i,ani), Alaska, December 3 1 , iS'.i.i.
Dkak Sir: The following is a report of St. i ual iHland hcLooI fur the lirst term,
coDinienoiiig Septtuiiher 4, 18!)3, and ending; December 22, 1808.

if llrunchcH ol'study piirftued.

Xaiiit'.

Hoyn.

■c a
s

\y.

= = s u
2 it's. =

i I

( I

§ e

~ o
-1 O

11)

1»

Peter lioimliikiilskv

.loliii KratiH

Trefon KolcliiMiten

I'aiil Koslieoiiikiil' .

M iuhael Kozlof

Michuel KuHliin

Metrofan Kriikot'

Jiiliii Kiukuf (1)

Jolin Krukcif (2)

•Tolin Mcrriilief

Martin Merciiliuf

Stupan Koukuviahiiikol'

Innokt'iity Scdick

/achar Swlick

(yunataiitlDc Sedirk

Valerian Sliai.sliiiiki.f

(ieiii-Ke ShaiHiiuikot' 11

Zacliar Tc'tof 14

72
72
72
72
72
72
72
72
72
72
72
71
72
64
72
72
72

11 :

I
1

;

K {

•» I

•)

•»

•1

'»

2
o

Total 181 2«7

Gills.

2 : 16 I 16 18

2S i

:ti

!»2

:<u

34
35
36
37
38

Auiia liiila kahili

Oiileta Itiiiiriliikot'Hky.
Clavilia (lalaktiimof. .

Ellen Kotcliooten

Mavra KiiHliin

Natalia LiidoHlinikot'. .

Marv Mandrepiu

/ue Mandrejian

Alexandra Meluvidot' .

Olga Mrlovidof

Mary Mclovidol'

Mary Xcdarf/.i-f

Anna KnokoviHiinikof.

Vera Sednli'e

Klizabetli Seditk

Mary Sodiek

Marv Shane

Daria Sliut.vasan

IrenaTetor

Soidiia Tetot'

6i)

14 i

it .

8 .

6 :

6 1

•>

()

5
()

•>

'»

Total .

IflO 1,415

Orand total ; 377 J. 702

10
T9~

« ; 14

Tl 30

14 20

1 ....
1 ....
1 1

30 I 12

(JKNEUAI. .sr.MMAKY.

Number of pupils enrolled (males, 18 ; females, 20) 38

Average daily attendance 37f J

Average daily absence ... 47

Average per cent of atteu lance 99

Number of cases of tardiness 19

Average age of pnpils 9W

Number weeks of school 14 j

Number days of Hchool 72

Names of text-ltooks used: McGuffey's Primer; MoGuffey's First Reader; McGnf-
fey's Second Reader ; Mcjuffey's Third Reader; McGuflfey's Fourth Reader; Robin-
son's Arithmetic; Cornell's Geography ; Scribner's Copy-book.

Simeon A. Melovidov, Teacher.
Mr. T. E. Adams,

United States 'lyeasttry Agent,

SEAL LIFE ON THE PHIBILOK ISLANDS.

•J3

lieport of Si. I'aiil Inlunil Hvhiml for Ihr Hrcond term, li^94.

St. r.\ui. Isi,,\Ni). Alaska. April ■!(>, !S9t.
Mr. T. K. Adams. I'niled Slattn Treimurii .tjiriit:

Tlu; iollowin;; i-s a report ut° St. I'aiil Itilniitl sclioul tor the second Irriii. coiiiiiiciiciiig
Jiinuary 1'), 18'J4. ami ending April 30. \i*[)\ :

linilli'lii'H cil' Ntiiily
Jiursiii'il.

. S .a

S p,

I ^

Xi e

h »

i -<1 C5

2
2
2

1 ...

2 ...

2 2
1 1

i' '.'.'.'.
I ....
1 1

2;""2

1 i

1 I

37^1
.47
.99

19
9H

icAer.

,■)

6
7
8
'.\

10
11
12
1»
U
1.5
IB
17
18
10
20
21
22

2:i

25
21!
27
28
20
'M
31
32
33
34
3,5
30
37
38
30
4U
41
42

Naiiii'

Kuim.

- .- ^ /.

i',

/■,

= 5 r r u 1;=

•■i -T ■f < -z •->

I'vliT lliiurdiikol'sky ... .

.rnliii Kialis

Gi'orK>' KotL'hcrKim

Trcloii Ki>lclio(it«^n

I'liul KfiHlieouikot'

Mirliael Kozliit'

.Miclmcl KuNliiii

Mctrofan Kriikof

.(..hn Knikol'(M)

.loliii Knikof(N) ..

John MtTciilifl"

Martin .Merciiliet'

Simeon No/ikof

Siepan KooknviHliinikof. .

.lolin Stei)etin

IMiillp .Sodick

Innokenti Sedick

Zacliar Setlick

CoiiHtantiii .Seiliik

Valerian Sliaisliiiikof

(ieotge Shainhinkof

Zadiar Tutol'

Iti

r.'

111

1.5
12
15

7n
70
08
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
70
•!8
70
70
70

• - tt ii u

= a =

II
1

1 I
1 .

1
1

• »

•»

• •

•>

1
1
•1

1
1

Total 206 |1,63C

11 22 22 22

(iirl*.

Anna Ualaksliiii

Oiiletar Konriliikor.sky . .

Clavilia tialaktionut'

Kllou Kotrhooten

Mavra KiiHhin

Natalia LottuHbiukot'

.Mary Mandi (•;;an

Zne Mandrcuaii

Alexandra Melovidol' . . .

Olaa Melovidof

Mary Melovidof

.Mary Xedare/.of

Anna I'ookoviriliinkot'. ..

Vera Sedulee

Elizalietli Sedick

Mary Sedick

M.iry Sliane

I>aria Shut vajfan

Irena Tetoi'..

Sophia 'I'etof

10
10
15
10
14
13
10
8

i:i
9
7

12
1(1
14

15
14
9

07
70
70
70
70
70
70
06
"0

70
69
70
70
70
07
70
70
70
70
70

I 4

2 ; I

1 1

1 1 I

2 2
•J T
2 2
1 1

Total 216 1.389

5 20 20 20 20

(iraud total 482 2, 92.'>

GENKKAI. SU.M.MAKY.

16 43 42 42 42

7
1?

4
~8

Number of ittipils enrolled (males, 22 ; females, 20; 42

Average daily attendance H^J

Average daily absences 21

Average per cent of attendance 99

Number of cases of tardiness 16

Average age of pupils 11^

Number weeks of school 14

Number days of school 70

Names of text-books used : McGnftey's Fourth Reader, McGuffey's Third Header,
McGuifey's Second Reader, McGutfey's First Reader, McGutfe.y's Primer, McGuffey's
Spellers, Robinson's Arithmetics, Cornell's Geography, United States History,
Payson, Dantou and Scribner's copy books.

Simeon A. Melovidov, Teacher.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

ExiiiiiiT L). — Annual statement of fur seah killed on St. Paul Inland, Alnthi, duvintj the

year ended Juj/ust 7, 1S94.

Dutti.

Kookury.

Niuiiliori))' seals :
killittl for nil- I
tivt'H' food.

W -9 \ -a

1894.
Hay 9
23
U

I
31 I

10
13 I

I
14'

in I

19 ,

20 I

25 I
27 I

July 2 1

2 !

U i

7 1

13 I

14 I
1

17 ,

21 ;
23 i

23 !

24 I

25 (

30 I
Aug. 1 1
4
4 I

87
104

141

3i-

•Ji

.is
•A

«7 I.
104 I.

4 i.
140

Sea Lion I'ork

I'ol Hto i iiikI J ieof

W a 1 1' li III e II , Xorthi^UHt

I'oiiit

Oiirbotcli

\V a t (■ li III «' n . Northeast

I'oiut

Watrliiiicii. Soiitliwest IJny
Waldiinen, Northoast

Point

Keef

WutoliniiMi. Southwest IJay
TolKtoiand Middle Hill...

/a|mdni<s

W n t e li m e ii , Nortlieoiit

Point,

Liikaniioii

WatcMinuin, Northeast

Point

/oltoi

Wnleliineu, Southwest Iliiy
Northeast Point (south

side)

Northeast Point (north

side)

Half Way Point

Watehnii'ii, Southwest May

Liikuniion

Watchmen, Northeast

Point

/apadnie

Keef

Watchmen, South west Kav
Northeast Point (sand

heaeh)

Northeast Point (north

and east sides)

Northeast Point (south

side)

Middle Hill

Half Way Point i 287 i 284

Keef I 272 : 26i»

Watchmen, Southwest Hay 4 4

Total ' 910 1 903

•I-

Niinilxtr of seals killed by
lessees for skins.

T \ Rejected.

A Kt( rebate.

■r.

1,211 I 4

2 i

■.;i!t 2

84B 3

1,21.5 1,211

2 2

,i41 ,"i3»

I I 830 84U

2
.•..-i3

.') I.

1 .

852

91)5
.->16 I
o

246

8
17

12 .

6 I.

933 I 11
1, 171 «

907
1

811!)

917

."i22

251

944
1,177

.iSIl

!l,i9
I

9(1.'
510

24»i

362

1,016

901
150

8 1.
|.

9 |.
4 ■

370
1,025 ' 1,010

910
154

!IOl
150

7 U, 176 ! 109

4 1,215

2 541

4 850

9;i:i

1,171

•»

362

558

907

869

917

522

»>

251

944

1,177

370

9 1,025

910
151

1 11,286 11,176 I 110 11,288

I hereby certify that all skins herein Indicated as having liceii rejected were after-
wards accepted by the lessees as prime skins.
October 8, 1894.

Jos. H. Ckowi.ky,

Special Treasury Agent.

SEAL LIKE OX THE FRIBILOF LSLANDS.

, ;

■71

g X

" li

'i,'2i5

541

850

558

...

907

...

869

917

523

251

370

1,025

910
154

' ^

Jtniunl »lHlrment 0/ fur nealH killed on St. Paul hiand, AlMka, from October '.t to

December :10, tS'.U,

iNumber of hcuIm killed IViniativeB'ftHMl.

I'ati'- Koiik«ry.

1893.

Oct. 23 1 Itv wiitcliiiioii til ilati'

Nov. 2 Zoltiii '.'.'.'.'.'...'.

6 ; Hv >vat(^limen for fiioil

7 i .Nfi.l(il<" Hill .■.■.■.'■

14 : Hy watchiiK-li for t<MMl

14 R«et .'.'.'.'.."

20 I \\\ watc'liiiuMi fur fiiotl

22 : Rei'f ;.;■;

27 j By wat^;liiiieii for food

27 ! Tout.ii ■;;;

3(1 Hiilfwny I'ointand /apa<liiif wiitVhimiimM.

Totiil

I-arire ^^'"'' .
yoiiuit "««•■''""•

8e8lB. , ''.V

1(<NH(II'8.

09 69

7 7

82 79

« 8

•Skiiig rejec

•■•••••1 ^'

ted.
Cut.

173 170

4 4

208 207

3 3

188 • 175

13
3

ari 22

774 751

I hereby ccrtily that all the seal skins al.ove in.licnved as havinjr been reiectid
were afterwi.rds accepted by the lessees as prime skins ^ rejectia

< >etober «, I8t>4.

.losKPii U. (!rowlky,

Special Treamny Ageiil.

^/pl'In'ilVf f'!i^ that the above is a true and correct statement of fnr seals killed on
!>t Fanl Island dnring the period named, and that the skins of the same have been
suited in the Nortli American Commercial Company's sait house.

T110MA8 E. Adam.s,
JesistaHt *>;cio/ Treamrji .igenl.

r I

■ H

SEAL LIFE ON THK PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

Exiliiiri' K,— Annual ilalemeiit of fur iiealt killed on iSt. (iennje hiand, Alanka, duriuij

the year ended Ainjusl S, tS94.

UnW.

I NiiiiiImt of i Xiiiiibcr of '
nt'als kill«<(l Hfliila killeil '

for imtlvcH' I liy IcsHecH
r<HMl. ' torHkiim.

Auun-RHte.

Kuokery.

1H»3. I
Off. 20 I North....
'SA /iipadiiio

B
E

e i

5 S

Acci'ptcd. •;

a i
04

2ft

Nov. 1

18<.)4.

May 2:1

Jane H

Jnne 16

July 2

Aug. 6

/iipadDle (bv ){iiarilN for food) 1 4

Kast and Noit li ^ 47

Zapiidiiit* (l>.v watchmen) { 4

Nortli and Starry Arteel 38

Kant .

/ajindnir (liy watchmen)

do '.

North and Stiirry Arteel.

Totiil

North

/iipadnie (l)y watchmen)

(ireat KiiMt

Zapadnir (l>y watchmen)

Starry Artnel

Zupaauic (by watchmen)

/apadnio

Great Kawt

Starry Artcel

North

/apadnie (by watchmen)

Zapatlnic

Little East and North . . .
/apadnie (by watchmen)
do

lotal

(irani'i total.

77
4

47
4

3M
9
4
1

24S 245

3 1 3
'31 "3
"i '"'^

40
126

826
468

303
275
181
249

178
152

245

40
126

826
468

303
275
181
249

178
152

3,062

I 1^

a =

■3-3

24»

40
126

826

468

308
276
181
249

178
15ii

8,068

.J*

J. E. ZiKBACH, Tretmury Agent.

SKAF. MKK ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

a, duritiff

{n-gute.

5 '

24l>

40
120

820

468

308
275
181
249

178
153

19
8,068

Igent.

KXIIIKIT F.

Island oi' St. (iKoutiK,
lUrinij Sea, .llnska, AiujitHt ^'.1, Ism.
ThiH in to certify that S,(Xi2 fur-seal Hkinn liiivo thin day been Blii|)|)e(l on board the
North American Cuimiiereiiil Coiiipatiy's Hteainer Lakme, .S. Itonitield, niUHttT, (!oii-
iii)(ned to the North Aiuericaii I'umiiiercial Couipauy, Kan I'ranciHeo, Cal.

.lAl'Olt K. /IKUACII,

jBihtant Trtanunj Atjent.

Ihlanii oi' 8t. 1'ai:i,,
Ikring Sea, Alanka, AiujiihI i'f), 1S!)4,

This i6 to certify that 12,96« fur-seal skins have this day been sliipped on board
the Nortli American Commercial Company's steamer I.akme, S. Monitield, numter, con-
signed to the North American Commercial Company, San Francisco, Cal.

.IaMKH .ll'ltOK,

Aniiigtant TreaHiirii Aumi.

KxiiiniT O. — Division moneij. St. (ieonje Inland, 1,S!>4.

St. Georgk Isi.ank, August :>, lSt)4,
Division No. .'>: KarninffS of natives for fnr-»ieal skins taken Hiiice October
20, 1S93, to Anju;n8t 7, 1X94, both inclusive. :{,062 skins, at .•)() cents each . . *1, ."jSI. 00

First class:

LestenkotV, Denietri (chief) 125, 44

Lestenkotf, Kev. Innokenty 73. 44

Swetzoff. Justice (second chief)" 100. 44

rhilimot) .>rf', Koft" 7."). 44

Philimonoff, Simeon 75. 44

Fhiiinionotl', Andrean 75.44

Oiistegoff, Alexia 7.'>. 44

GrokoH", Cornell 75. 44

Merculott", .loseph 75. 44

Second class:

Malavansk v, Nicoli (>0. 1^5

Kezanzott", Peter 60. 35

Philimonoff, Andronic HO. 35

Lekanoff, Stepan HO. 35

GusteRoff, nimeon W). 35

Galanin, Parferi tM). 35

Lestenkoff, Michael HO. 35

Prokopeoff, Peter (iO. 35

Third class :

Philimonoff. (iregory 45. 27

Merculoff, George 45. 27

Kuliknloff, Evan 15.27

Rezan/.off, Innokenty 45. 27

Nederazoff, Nicoli 45. 27

Fourth class :

Prokopeoff, Aufanasia 22.63

Merculoff, Evan 22.63

Philimonoff", Innokenty 22. 63

St. Gkokge l8LANi>, August 9, 1894.
We hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the distribution of the seal-
ing fund on the above-named island, and that the respective amounts set opposite
the names herein have been credited to such natives on the pass books of the North
American Commercial Company.

Jos. B. Crowlkv,

Special Treasury Agent.
Dan'l Wkhstkr,
Agent North American Commercial Company.
D. Lestenkoff,

Xative Chief.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Exhibit H.— Division money, St. Paul Island, 1894.

Division No. 5: Distribution of comuiunity fand derived from the taking
of fur-seal skins from October 16, 189.S, to August 4, 1894, 12,830 seal
skins, at 50 cents $6, 415. 00

First class :

Bourdovokort'sky, ApoUon $164. 57

Huterin, Karp 164.57

Gromotf, Nicoli 164. .57

Kochoott'U, .Jacob 164. .57

Kozeroft", Stopan 164. .57

Krukoff, Nicoli 164.57

Knshin, Aggie 164. 57

Mandregin, Neon 164. 57

Melevedov, Anton 164. 57

Nedarazoft", Martin 164. 57

Nedarazoif, Stepan 161. 57

Oustegott', I 'eter 164. 57

Paukotr, Parfiri 164 .57

Paranchin, Daniel 164.. 57

Kezott, Nicoli 164.57

Sedick, Theodore 164. 57

Stepetin, Klary 164.57

Terviikaiiort', Kerrick 161. 57

Tetort'. Peter 164. 57

Volkort', Markel , 164.57

H, 291. 40

Second class :

Artonianoft', Kerrick 131.65

Arkashoff, A rseny 131. 65

Bogodauort, Nicoli 131.65

Enianod', George 131.65

Fratis, Joliu 131. 65

(ilotort',.Johu 131.65

Haberotr, Paul 131.65

Kochooten, .lobn 131.65

Kochooten, Kupheiiie 131.65

Galaktioneff, Ales 131. 65

Melevedov, Simeon 131 . 65

Melevedov, Alex 131. (>5

Seiluli, Vassily 131. 65

Shaboliu, Necon 131.65

Stepetin, Dorofay 131.65

Shaisuakott", Pan! 131. 65

Tetort", N»on 131.65

2, 238. 05

Third class :

Hansen, A lexander 105. 32

Koznitzort', John 105. 32

Merculiff, Alex 105. .32

Nozekott", Simeon 105. 32

Stepetin, .John 105. 32

526 60

oarth (lass :

Kochergin, fJeorge 30.00

Krukoff, John M 30.00

Krukoff. John N 30. 00

Krukott", Maxime 30. 00

Sedick, Philip .30.00

Shaisnakott", Valerian 30. 00

TetofF, Zachar 30.00

210 00

Special class :

Krukoft", Nicoli (first chief) oO.OO

Gromoft", Nicoli (seconri chief) 50. 00

100.00

Due John Stepetin from division No. 4 48.95

--I

•^

6,415.00

5,415.00

:^, 291. 40

SEAL IJFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 29

Dr.
Prime skins accepted, 12,830, at 50 cents ,; ^jg r^

Ck.

Twenty first-class men, at Jf'164.57 •• ooi ia

Seventeen second-class men, at $131.65 ',',' T,.,l' i-

Five third-class men, at !}!105.32 ''-o«c^

Seven fonrth-class men, at $30 ;!;„• ^

Two special class (chiefs), at $50 ....'.'. Tnn'nn

One amount due division 4, $48.95 , • ""

— ■ 48. 95

t), 415.00

„. I. 1 ^■.- .r r. ^'^' ^^^''' JsiAND, Alaska, August 14, 1894.

\Ve hereby certity the foregoing- to be a true copy of the division of the fund
A?fZ?/'iS./^''''?^*/T!r' "'^'^^ "° St. Paul Island from October 16 1893 to
August 4 1894 and that the several amounte opposite the respective names hav«

Companf *"""^ ""'"'' "" ^^^'''P^^^ b.>oks7y the N..'thl?nS"an LW.eS

.lOSKPH B. Crowlky,

Special Treasury Agent.
e -J „ , '• Stanley Urown,

i»iper%ntendent North American Commercial Compawf.

NiCOLI Krikoff,

Native Chief.

!, 238. 05

526 60

210 00

100.00
48.95

■< m

415.00

RKPOKT (iKr.lOSKI'H H. CROWLEY, SPECIAL TREASUKV ACENT,

FOR THE YEAR mn.

Office of the Special Agent,

Treasury Depautment,
Washington^ I). C, December 7, 18H5.

Sir: I liave the honor of submitting my annual report on the seal
fisheries of Alaslia.

Following jour instructions of May 1), I proceeded to San Francisco,
Cal., arriving there on the 17th, and on the 20th embarked on the North
American Commercial Compatjy's steaner Lalcme, en route for the seal
islands, iiccoini)anied by Assistant Special Agent Thomas E. Adams.

We r<'ached St. (leorge Island June 9, wliere Mr. Adams was placed
in charge temporarily, relieving Assistant Special Agent Jacob E. Zie-
bach during tlie summer. On the 10th of June I proceeded to ' . V . \
Island, Oil board the United States revenue cutter Perry^ ,'«1;!.^
Assistant Special Agent James Judge in charge. He was permitted to
so remain until Sejjtember 13, when he was relieved b^ Special Agent
Adams after the return of Special Agent Ziebach to St. George. I
found on my arrival at the seal islands the business aH'airs of the Oov-
ernment intact.

natives.

The native inhabitants had been properly cared for during the winter.
Their health was gcod. The mortality light, as is evidenced by the
census reports and the reports of tiie resident physicians on the islands
of St. Paul and St. George, marked Exhibit A.

The order of the Department, that the lessees should erect suitable
water closets at the dwelling of each native family on the islands, has
been complied with. T" 3 vill.ages undergo a thorough cleaning both
8i)ring and fall, and the sanitary condition is good.

The lessees liave complied with the terras of their contract toward
their subjects for support; namely, widows and orphans, and the aged
and intirm who are unable to provide for theniselves.

School was maintained on each of the islands eight nu)nths dui-ing
the prst year, as required by the terms of the lease.

EXPENDITURES.

The sum expended out of the ap])ropriation, $19,r)00, for tiie fiscal
year ending -lune 30, 1896, for the support of the natives on the seal
islands was as follows :

On St. Pnul $10, 930. 95

On St. ( Jeorge \\ 728. .55

Amount paid to the bisLop of the Greek Church of Alaska H, 325. 00

Total . . 17, !W4. 50

SKAl. LIFK ON THK PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

leal

In addition to this sutu there was expended in support of these natives
derived from their own earnings, as foUows:

On St. Taul :

Division of sciilers' counnunity fund ^6, 537. 50

Derived from blue foxes 1, 025. 00

On St. (i('orjj;e:

Division of sealers' community fund 1. lOS. 50

Derived from blue foxes 2, 085, 00

Cash jtaid natives bv North Anu'riejin Commercial Conii)auv for inis-
cellaneons labor ." 2. 000. 00

lotal 13, (150. 00

COAL.

There was landed at tlie islands 370 tons of coal, 290 tons being
delivered ui'dor special contract, and 80 tons under the terms of the
lease. The coal is of fair quality, and sutticient quantity for the com-
fort of the nativt'S and (lovernnicnt agents in charge of the islands.
Tiie same was distributed as follows:

St. Paul Lsland: 'I'ons.

(iovernnient lionse 10

Use of natives 250

St. George Island :

(iovernnient hou.se 10

I'soof natives 100

Total 370

A iiouse was built on each of the islands in which to store the coal
for native use, the one on St. Paul Island having a capacity of 300
tons; the one on St. George, I'lO tons. The North American Conuner-
cial Company furnished under contract all materials, including lumber,
hardware, and paint, and superintended the construction of the two
buildings, for $790. The natives on the respective islaiuls performed the
labor of erecting the same without charge tr the Government. The
coal is stored in these buildings and it is believed that they will prove
a great saving in the future.

FURNITURE FOR GOVERNMENT HOUSES.

The following articles for the furnishing of the Government houses
were received:

8t. Paullsiaud:

Oni' hundred and forty-five yards of carpet -flSO. 10

Six ruffs, to match, at .f2.75 Ui. 50

One water piteher, cni>, and tray 5, 50

One Franklin stove 10. 00

Felt for otliee desk 1. 50

St. George Island :

One Franklin stove IG. 00

Tiiree runs, at $2.75 H. 25

One dust tray, one-half do/.ei. brooms 1.85

Fight window shades 7. (X)

One toilet set 4.00

One water ]ii tcher, cup, and tray 5. 50

lotal 238. 20

iiii

,95

,.55

(.00

.50

ULUE FOXES.

The past winter was an exceptionally long and severe one at the seal
islands. There wii^ more stmw fall than usual and the ice remained

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

attached to tltv shores much Jater than common. The result was that
food lor blue ioxes became very scarce and mauy of them starved to
death. Special Agent Ziebach on St. George Island bought food in
such quantities as he could procure and fed to the foxes that came to
the village in search of food, and in this manner averted the death of
many that would have otherwise perished. No (bxes were trapped on
the islands during the past winter. Orders were given to trap foxes on
both islands the coming winter, with the further order to kill all white
foxes found. This was done to prevent the intermixture of the two
foxes, tlie pure blue being much more valuable.

Ten pairs of young blue foxes were captured on St. George Island and
delivered to liudolj)h T^enmanu of Unalaska, in compliance with the
permission granted by the Department to Messrs. Neumann and Apple-
gate. Mr. Applegate having failed to call for or arrange for the pay-
mcTit of his portion ()f the foxes, the entire number was delivered to
Mr. Neumann, who paid for each fox the sum of $5.50, the 50 cents
being given to the natives for caring for the foxes from the date of
their captur«' to the date of delivery. The $110 received from Mr.
Neumann for the 20 foxes secured by him were placed to the credit of
the several natives on their pass books, in amounts corresponding to
the numl'ftr of ioxes taken by each.

MARINE GUARDS.

An armed boat's crew in charge of a lieutenant was landed on both
the islands about September 1, as an additional guard to prevent raids
on the rookeries. They were given quarters in the villages in accord-
ance with ]>epartment instructions.

The service rendered by the American tieet in the patrol of Bering
Sea, under the connnand of Cai)t. C. L. Hooper, was most efficient. I
most heartily commend the Kevenue Cutter Service as being capable
of performing this work, and recommend that they be given charge
of this work in the future. Every courtesy was extended to me so
that I ^t'a8 enabled to make frequent trips between the islands in the
supervision of the business thereon.

/ ^ H!

smCCIMKN SEALS.

In compliance with your letter of Ma> KJ, Mr. Treclerick W. True,
curator of mammals for the United States J^ational Museum, was per-
mitted to visit the seal islands and remain tu°ire throughout the sum-
mer, accompanied by an assistant. Every facility was given Mr. True
to eiiablc him to investigate the fur seal, and to stu'ly seal life on and
about the islands. He was permitted to take tifteen Si»ecimen seals for
oflicial (iovernment purposes.

Dr. Sharp, of Philadelphia, was permitted to take two specimen seals
for a like jturpose.

Hon. .lames Sheakley, governor of Alaska, on his tour of western
Alaska, visited the seal islands in July, in order to personally acquaint
himself with the true condition of the seal herd.

C. H. Townsend, of the United States Fish Commission, visited the
islands during the summer for the purpose of observing, photographing,
and making charts of the rookeries.

Capt. F. J. Drake, of the United States Fish Commission steamer
Albatross, spent two weeks on the islands taking observations and
making a plane table survey of the rookeries.

s
P

SKAL LIFK ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

SEALS.

■^ True,
cas per-
le suni-
r. True
on and
eals for

Ml seals

Ivestern
iquaint

teil the
hphing,

tteamer
18 and

The sealing season began on the 13th of June, after my arrival at the
islands. Very few bachelor seals hauled out until about the L'Oth of
June, The breeding bulls arrived early in May. The remainder of the
herd was full three weeks later in ariiving than in former years. This
is accounted for by the fact that the Hoe ice remained about the islands,
extending for miles out at sea, until after the middle of June. Soon
after its disappearance the bachelor seals hauled out in goodly numbers.
The cow herd came huer and apparently all at once. The harems were
rapidly formed and the pups were born very soon after the arrival of
the cows.

From August 10, 1894, to June 8, 1895, in(;ln8ive, 1,209 seals were
taken on St. I'aul Island for native food, and from October 20, 1894, to
June 3, 1895, inclusive, 190 seals were taken on St. George Island for
a like purpose. During the past season, closing August 1, 11,231 seals
were taken on St. Paul by the lessees and 2,315 on St. George, making
a total of 15,011 fur-seal skins in the salt houses.

The skins taken from seals killed for native food in the fall were taken
under the quota allotted for 1894, and remained in the salt houses
throughout the winter. Blue foxes broke into the salt house at St.
George in search of food, and damaged 11 of these skins, rendering
them untit for market. These damaged skins were shipped to the col-
lector of customs at San Francisco, Cal., as per instructions.

Statements showing the number of seals taken, date of killing, and
rookery from which the same were taken, are marked Fxhibit l».

Siimmafji of iikins taken.

On St. ruul Islaml :

For native food 1, 2(i9

Ky lessees 11, 231

On St. (ieorjje Island :

For native food 196

li y lessees 2, 315

I'otal 15, Oil

Daniajj;ed by blue foxes 11

Skins accepted by les.secs 15, 000

The 15,000 fur-seal skins were shipped from the islands on the
steiinier licrtlm, consigned to the North American Commercial Com-
pany, at San Francisco. Receipts for the same are marked Exhibit C.

DiHirihutioH of aimmunitii fund,

St. Panl Island :

To 12,000 seal skins, at 50 cents .$6, 250. 00

To UO seal skins, rojeeted in 1894, 8ub.sequently acoei)ted, but not in-
cluded in Division No. 5 70. 00

6, 320. 00

Hy 22 lirst-class men, at $104.38 3, 016. 36

Hy 15 second-class men, at $131.52 1, 972. 80

Hy 4 third-class men, at $105.21 420. 84

Hy 7 fourth-class men, at $30 210. 00

Hy first chief, $50 ; and second chief, $50 100. 00

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 3

6, 320. 00

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

St. Geurge Isliiiul :

To 2..500 Heal sk ins. at ')() i-eiits tl, 250. 00

liv 7 lirst-ci.if* i^eii, at ttn.itl 475. 37

By 8 secoiul-class iium, at !i'">l.:^-' 434.. 56

By 6 tliinl-class men, at +40.75 244. 50

By 1 fourth-fluss man, at $20.75 20.75

By salaries to lirst antl serond chioC 75. 00

1.2.50.00

For detailed .statciiieiit of distributioa of tlie community fund, with
certificate attached, see Exliibit 1).

QUOTA NOT DIFKIOULT TO OBTAIN.

It was not found 8|)ec.i:illy ditlicult to obtain the niiixinium quota,
15,000 seals, at tlie islands this season. It need not be taken for {^ranted,
however, that a like number can be as easily taken the coming year or
at any time in tlie future under the present regulations governing
pelagic sealing. It will be remembered that i)ending the modus vivendi
no seals were taken in Bering Soa, and only 7,o00male seals were killed
on the islands. A cow could then go to sea for food in safety, and
return to the rookery to .suckle her young. Thus the pui)S Ixuii in 18!)1,
1892, and 1893 were properly nurtured during their infancy, and did not
die of starvation on account of their mothers having been killed at !-"3a.
The male portion of them came of killable ag*' last year and this. Fully
50 per cent of the seals driven to the killing grounds this season were
of killable si/e. Tiii.s exceptionally huge percentage is accounted for in
no other way except in that just given.

NEW KILLING UUOl'NDS.

A new killing ground was established for Halfway Point, at the first
lake, one-half mile south of the rookery. The killing ground estab-
lished for Kngli.sh Bay, Tolstoi, and Middle Mill is at a sinall lake near
Telegiaph Hill, not to exceed a mile from either rookei'y. >Since the
establisliment of the.se killing grounds there is n(»t a drive on St. Paul
Island to exceed a mile in length.

OVERDKIVINCJ.

The natives are accompanied on almost every drive by one of the
assistant agents in charge of the islands or myself, and absolute cau-
tion is taken in every instance to avoid overdriving. If seals be given
their time, they can be driven a mile, or even two, in the cool hours of
nighttime with but slight fatigue. It has been contended that many
seals die by rca.son of being turned back into the .'•• . from the killing
ground immediately after the drive, while in a heated condition. This
is an erroneous idea. Evidence to the contrary api)ears at every drive
made.

Two drives were nnule from Middle Hill and Tolstoi, and as many as
1,000 to l,r)00 seals were turned back from each of these killings and
driven directly into the lagoon. A very large proportion of them
remained in this water as long as ten days before returning to the rook-
eries. They were watched constantly, and not a single seal was found
dead in these waters or along its shores as a result. At nearly every
killing of seals from the K'eef, Zapadnie, Halfway, and Northeast
Point rookeries, a large proportion of the seals turned back went
directly from the killing ground to the rookery from which they were
driven, without going into the water, and took up their places there as
though they had never been disturbed.

' H-

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

j>iveu
)ur8 of

many

killing

This

(hive

lany as
Is and

tbem
1 rook-
found
every
l-theast
went
were
kere as

PELAGK; SEALlNd.

The result of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea the past two years already
shows a marked decrease in the breeding seals on the rookeries. There-
were fewer cows in the harems, and on several of the rookeries there
were "breaks" or "si)aces" wholly uno(5cupied that had never
appeared before. It is evi<lent that the cow henl can not long witk-
stand the onslaught of pelagic scaling in licring Sea. It was believed,
when double the number of sealing vessels came into the sea August I
than were there last year, that double the number ot seals would be
taken. But not so. Nor was it the fault of the sealer, it was the
scarcity of seals. They were not there in sulHcient numbers to be
taken, although the tragedy of last year was reenacted.

At the time of my leaving the islands, dead and dying jmps were to
be found on every hand. During the month of October, L'L',(>.-»4 dead
seal pups were counted on the rookcvies on tlui island of St. I'aul and
6,012 on St. George. They were distribute*! in proporti(»n to the num-
ber of breeding seals on the several rcjkeries, thus showing conclu-
sively tiiat their de.ith was |)roduced by starvation, and not by an
epidemic on any special rookery.

The breeding- seal herd lias been reduced to sucli pro)»(trtiou that they
can now be counted witii (;omi)!irative accniacy. 1 made the (tount as,
follows:

St. Paul Island :

Hieedini; cows 7H, »)(((>

Bulls I, :i72

St. (icoifje. IsJaiiti :

Hreediii',' cows 21,210

Bulls 1, 180

Capt. F. .1. Diake, of the United States l-'isli Commission steamer
Albatross, also made a count of the breeding .seals on the islands ut the
tin\e of making his plane table survey of the rookeries, and it is prob-
able tliat by tlie aid of the survey lie may be abh^ to give a more acini-
rate count of the nund)er than I can. Hut I am certain that if I err it
is in overstating and not understating the aetual nund)er.

EXCESS OF MALE LIFE.

Theie is a surplus of available bulls on the islands. As the cow herd
decreases the bulls in(,'rease. There is now a large i)er cent of male life
that is a detriment rather than a benelit to the breeding grounds.
Nearly oO per cent of the bulls of breedinjj age were nimble to i)iocure
a single cow with whi(di to start a harem. A larger number of bulls had
from one to four oidy in their iiaienis.

The idle bulls loiter about tlie boundaries of the breeding rookeries,
intercepting the cows as they come and goto feed, keeping up a (constant
warfare. The cows are thus annoyed ami harassed tlirouf^iiout the
season, when they slumld be ])ermitted to rest and care Ibr their young.
Every cow that leaves the island is ]>ursued by one or more of these
big, strong, young bulls. How Car this i)ursuit is kept up can not be
determined. It is believed by sonui that this is the cause of the cows
going so far out at sea before stopi)ing to ])rocuve food, and it seems
plausible eimugh.

If regulations can not be made at once to prohibit pelagic sealing in
Bering Sea, there is but one remedy left, that of taking such nund)er
of .seals on the islands as to reduce the herd to such propcu'tions as will
make the business of sealing at sea unproHtable.

The large number of schooners now engaged in that business will be
compelled to seek other employment. The business once stoi)ped, the

SKAL LIFK ON THK PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

' il

taking of Heals on tlie islainls could bu abatud and tiie liord permitted
to rest and recuperate. I most earnestly urge that tliis course be taken
without unnecessary deUiy.

Tlie social and business relations existiii};' between the ajjents of the
company and tlie (Tovcrninent at tiie islands the j>ast year have been
most pleasant.

Respectfully, yours. Jos. I J. Crowlky,

Spn-ial Treasurif Affnit in C'liarffc of the Fi(r ISeal fslttntlx. Altinka.

Hon. John (1. Caulisle,

Secret ai'ii of the Trcamirif, Wasliinnton, IK ('.

Ol'l'HK OK Si'KCrAI, ACI'.M, TUKA-SIHY 1 >KI'AKTMEXT.

Xt. (leoifie Inland, AlaHka, October 10, /Sf>3.

My iJKAi! SiK: Oil October li and S I nindo n ciirotul count of tJ'e (lend fiir-weal
pu])8 on tho aevoral rookorics on St. Georgo Island and toiiud the lollowing nnnibor:

Za])adnie rookery 2, 083

North rookery 1, 559

Starry Arteel rookery 1, 131

East rookery 086

Little luist rooktuy 253

Total 6, 012

The count was made systematically and its correctness can he absolutely depended
iijion. The nninbcr represents only the actual dead bodies and indisputable remains
of others that foxes iind the elemtmtsliad more or less destroyed. All trace of those
that <lied <iiiring the fore part of August had been washed away. On all the rook-
eries were seen a ;;reat many seal pups that were very emaciated, and it was only a
question of a few days before they too would die of starv.ition. Some were so thin
and weak that they did not have the strength to move, while along tho outskirts of
the herd — as we drove the seals slowly to one side of the rookeries — were hundreds
of weaklings that could scarcely keep up with tho balance of the herd. A great
proportion, if not all of them, will die. In no case was it necessary to drive the seals
over 200 yards to enable a count to be made. For three weeks previous to making
the count I madu fre(]nent visits to and examinations of the rookeries, and ou all
could see the carcasses of seal pu))s on all jtarts, and numerous among the live seals
would be seen the emaciated forms of others slowly dying from starvation. Of
course it was impossible to make a count of the weaklings, but my judgment would
say that on the live rookeries on St. (ieorge Island not less than 800 will die for want
of sustenance between the 10th and Slst of October.

There is but one reason for this deplorable and even criminal destruction of young
seal lif^, and that is the killing in Boring Sea of the females that gave them birth
and on whom they are de|)endent for sustenance until they are old enough to main-
tain themselves, which is in three or a little over three mouths; and just so long as
sealing in tiering Sea is permitted under the present regulations, just so long will
this destructive waste of fur-seal life continue. Sealing vessels commence the work
of exterminating the seal herd in Bering Sea on August 1, and in two weeks after
you can see the rookeries dotted all over with dead pups, and the number keeps
increasing day by day until a great proportion of the number born die from starva-
tion, their mothers having been killed at sea, where they had gone for food, by the
sealers. It is an established fact that the male seal, with but few exceptions, goes
but a short distance for food during tho season the seals are on the island, while the
female travels far outside tho limit for food and rest, and is then killed in great
numbers by the sealers. Something could be gained by the extension of the 60-mile
limit to 110 or 125 miles, but a more desirable and practical measure of protection to
the young and female seal life would be the addition of the months of August and
September to the closed season in Bering Sea. The last suggestion would prolong
♦^he fur-seal life a few years, hut nothing of a temporary or restrictive nature will be
<... an established beuetit to the continuation and rehabilitation of the seal herd but
the absolute prohibition of killing fur seal in open water. The two years of sealing
in Bering Sea has been terribly destructive of seal life, and if it is continued two or
three years longer the fur-seal herd on the Pribilof Islands will be practically exter-
minated.

Resr^ectfully, yours, Jacob E. Zieuach,

Treasury Agent in Cha, ge of St. George f aland,
Hon. .JosKi'u B. Cuowi.KY,

Special Treanury Agent for the Seal Fisheries of Alaska, Robinson, III.

SKAL LIFK ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.
Count of dead aeah, St. I'luil IxUmd. .thiskii.

Dntr.

IJoiikcrv.

I'ujm. Cows. Hulls. 'I'litul.

2,083

1,559

1,131

986

253

6,012

I8!)r..

Sept. 2:t Ivfliivic h,")4

•Ji Liikiiiiiiuii I.;il7

HH 1 liiiuooii UlKl

(»i'l. t> I'oraviiiii 1,1)7(1

•1 (iarlii)t(li 1,514

8 /:i|iailiii(> .■|,'j;il

« KiiSllsli Uiiv IWl

8 , TolMtoi '. 2, ,^KJ

H lint :i. :i7ti

•_' < Sea I. ion Kiick ;((il

Id N'orlliniMt I'oiiit 4.(117

■fotal 21, IKiil

7 hei

s I,:t55

2 I 3o:<

.' 1,972

7 'J i,.'.2a

ir. ;i .-.,249

1 :i84

K 1 2. 591

2:. H 3, 4(K»

361

25 4 4, 04K

101 20 22,054

The above tabh; shows the; nniiilier of tlead svn\ pii]m, i'owh, and IxiIIh IoiiikI iipoD
the rookeries of St. I'aiil Ishmd. Ahiska, and nctiiallv eoimted between the dates of
Septenibor 2H, 18}»5, and October 10, IWin.

ill <>.»<. K. Ai>.\.M.s,
Special Agent, Trefinurii Heiiarlmeiit.

Kxiimn A.
CiiHMiia of St, I'niil Inland, Alanka, June 30, IS9'',

Name antl i'olutluiiHlii|i.

I'laci' of liiilti

Arc

lU'iiiarkK.

vaud.

Familv 1 — 4 iiidivitldal.s:

.Vfldiiionotl', KiTiick, liiiMbaiid Noitlnnst Toiiil 08

Arlomoiioll', AluNaiulra, will- St. Michaels 42

Ivaiiotr, Anlokia, sintcriii-law ilo 21

l'rokii)(ii'f. AuM'iiia.daufjhtt'r SI. I'aiil 27 Wide

Fainilv 2— ii iiiilividiials:

xVrkasliotV. Aiwii.v, IniHhaiid do 28

Arka»li()tl'. Maiiana, wilu Atka :iri

Stt'petin.,Ioliii. Nti'psou I'nalaska 17

yainily 3— ;i indiviiliials:

B(')godaiii)tl Niroli, himliand St. (ieoigo 2:!

Ilu<;odaiioir, Oiilita, will' do 28

ISojjodaiiutl', Mary, .sistrr do 20

Family 4—4 iiidividiials:

Uimrdukotl'sk.\ . Aiiolloii, husband I'lialaHka 41

Hoiirdiikoll'sky, Cliionia, wife St. I'aid :t4

Houi'dukoll'sky. I'etrr, son do 15

lioui'dukotl'Hky.Oulita. daiigliti'i' do 10

faiidly 5—0 individuals:

Hutcrin, Karji, husband St. I'nnl 41

Uiiteriii, I'ara.scovia, witV' I'lialaska 3!l

SiMlick. Constaiiline, st('i)son St. I'aul 7

Scdick, /ahar. or])luiii do !t

>ri'zcokin, Mary,uii!ce do

Mcziit'kin, Vassa do

Family 0—5 individuals:

Kmanotl', (ioor{i<-, huHband do

Kmanoll", Catlurine, wife do

Kmauoff, Mary, daughter do

KnianotT, John, son do

Koznitztitr, .John, nephew do 18

F"ainily 7—5 individuals:

Fratis, John, husband I.adrone Islands

Krai is. Ankolina. wife Unalaska

I''ratis. J(din, son St. Paul

Kratis, Simeon, son do

Fratis, Ar^ralina, daughter do

Fandly 8—3 individuals : 1

(ilotoff, John, husband St. I'aul 27 I

iilotott, Avdotia. wife do ' 20

Glototf, Marv, mother do 67

Family 9—3 individuals: I

Gromofl", Nicoli, husband Attn 27 '

Oromoff, Oulrana, wife St. I'aul 25

Sedick, Kliitabeth do 6

a Months.

a2J Daughter of Mary.

27
21 ;

41)

Clothes furnished by coni-
l>any.

'•

38 ISEAL LIFE ON THE E'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

(knxuH of St. I'nul Idand, Alanka, -luncSO, /55J— ContiniH'il.

NHiiif aiii\ r)>latiiiiiN)ii|i.

Plaro of liirth.

A«.'. I

Kcinarks.

Fninily lu - 4 iiiiliviiliiiilH: '

(iiiliixtionctV, Ali'Miiult'r.liiiHlmiKl Atka

(ttilitxtiiiiu^lV, Mailliii. wifr riialaHkii

Nicoliil', (;laiulla lialf sinti'i' St. (icoigii

Virolof, Ali'XHiiiIra St. I'liiil. ..

Family II— 'J individuals:

HaliHoii. .McMiiidi'i'. Iiimliaiid Sitkn

HaiiHoii, liukiiia, wilti St.l'aiil...

KiihIiIii, NoHtor. Mtt'iison <lo

Fnniilv I'J— 3 iiidividiiHls: i

llalicroir. I 'a II I. liiiHliaiid { Kadlak . . .

llaliiToir, AKiiniiia, HitV j Unalaska .

St.l'aiil.

riiuhmka . .
St.l'aiil....

.St. I'aiil...
lTiiMla!<ka .
St. I'aiil ..

d<i

Fainilv

Slialiidiii, AKi-aliiia. adiiptul daiij^litcr.
JKamilv I.'l-Ii individuals;

KiK'liiioti'ii. .Iidiii. liii.sliand

KiM'liiiutcn, I'atiana, wit'c

Kdiliootin, Mark, sun

.Family 14—7 imlividiials:

K<M'li<int('n,.lak(^ liiisliand do

KochDiitcn, I''i'iM'iiiiia, witr I'nna...

Kocliiiolcn, I 'iilila, daiiiilitrr St. T'aiil.

Koiliootcii, Klleii. (lanylitiT do . -

Koi'liootcn. TliiMidorc. sun do . .

Kochooti'ii, l.ai i.:M. sun do . .

I.oiloNlinikolV. M;italia..slri)daiii;litir . fn;;a ...
Tainily 1")— :i IndivliliiaU:

Koi'lioott'ii. I')ii|diriiir. JiiiHliaiid .

Kocliocili'ii. I'ldciyia. wile

Kiirliouti'ii, 'i'l'elon. nr)ilir« .
rainily 111—4 individuals:

Korlit'iuin, ( Ic'orj;''. '^oii

Ti'tcilV. iMclMsla. wlilowtiil inotlit'i' KuiIIk Island.s.

'relotl, Iii'iic. sister .si.I'anl...

Ti'toH', Sophia, sisi IT do

Family 17-4 individuals:

Kozrioll, Sti'iian. linsliainl . . I'lialasKa .

Ko/.ciolV. Anaslaria. wife ilo

Ko/.fiolV. loiially. son SI. I'aiil. . .

Ko/.rnill. Alexaiidia. daii^liti'i- do

Family IS— 4 individuals:

KriikolV, Niccdi, liiisliand ' Sitka

Kriikoir. (!alln'rim), hH'c .\tka

Knikoll. Motrolan, son | St.l'aiil...

Kriikoll, (tnstniia, diiniiliter ilo . .

I'.i - 4 individinils: i

KnikolV, Maxiini'. liiiHliaiid Sitka

Krukoll'. Kfiiiicsia. wito .St. I'aiil. . .

Knikot). .lolin M.. hoii do

Kriikol). Oindnit

Family '-'0-4 individuals:

Maiidiij;aii. Nion. lallicr St. (ieorgr

Mandriuan. M.iry, daughter .St. I'aiil ..

Maiidii'.:aii, /oe. daMs;liter do

Maiidri^an. Innidvriity. son do

Family 21—4 iinlividiials:

.Mirriilill', Alexandra. Iiiisband St. I'aiil ..

MereiililV. .Sfjatia, wife ilo

Meri'iiliir, I'aiil. son i do

Jlereiilitr, I'aiil, lirotlii-r do

Family 22-5 individuals:

Melividov. .\iitoii, father Kodiak

Melividov. .Mexandra, daughter • .St. Paul ..

Melividov. (»l^a. daughter. do

Melividov, .Mary, daughter do

Slelividov, .\lexaiidi:i, mother California.

Family 21!— ;) individuals:

Melividov. Alexander, hiisliand St. Paul ..

Melividov, Salome, wife ; do

Melividov, .Viitoii.8on do

Family 24— 4 individiiala: ;

Melividov. Simeon, himliand ^ Sitka

Melividov, Alexandra, wile i Akootan..

Melividov. Margret. daughter. St. Paul...

Melividov, ('hiisloiiher, son j do

Family 2.')— 5 iiidivldual» : !

Xedera/.otf. Sti'imn. hiishand \ St. Paul...

Xederanotf, Alexandra, wife i Attn

Xedera/.otf, M.iry. nieee I St. Paul.. .

Ncderazotl'. Marv ! do

2;»
:i4
15 Clothes furnished hy com-

panv.
a 2 ; Oaughter of Claudia.

:i7 '

4:1

6 :

I
I

24;

2U !
aH j

43 1
41) '
10 .

II ;

•I ;
\l ;

31 I

Hopott', Nekota.

..do

a Months.

:i7

42
4:1

10
4

.■17
10 '

19
18

13 i

■ 7
tit) ,

20
20
'J

27
27

37 '

Provisions fii rn i shed by
(i< vernnieiit. Clothing
toi .vidow and daughters
furnished liy eom|iany.

38 1 Tliis family is supiiortcd by
2!) I tlie eomiiaiiy. John M.
13 I draws clothing on Gov.
ernnient orders.

Clothes furnished by com-
l>any.
4 Do.

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

t'eimun of SI. I'uii! Iilanil, Alankn. Jniie ■!'), IS9.5 — L'ontiiiuud.

Niiiut.' mill relatluu.'iliip.

l'liu'i< of birtli.

Ki'inurkH.

, ---t-

Fnmily'Jtl -4 iiiiliviihnilH:

Nrilrni/.ol)', Mai'tiu, IiiihIiiiiiiI SI. I'inil. ...

NciU<ntZ(ptr, <'iitlii'riiir, wife Sitka

Sliiuit', Miirv. Hti'|iihiiii;lili-r Si. (ii'iirjjf.

Shall)!, I'aniMi'iiviii, Hti'iiiliiiiuliti^r ilo

Family 27— '.! iniliviiliials:

XiiZL'koll', Siiiiudii, IiiihIihiiiI I'liiilnHka .

X()/.i'k()ll'. Aiia.sta.siii, wile SI. I'aiil ...

Fatiiily 'IX ~i iniliviiliials:

((imtiKoll, I'i'tiT, liiislianil St. (ii'orfrr

OuHtii;iitr, PaniHcoviii, wifn i Sl.l'aiil.

(>imtij:i>ir, Nii'l, Hull ; ilii

Oii.sliiicitV, Stcpaiiiilii. iiiiiMht

Faiiiilv

iiilivliliialN:

St. (ii'i)i'm'

raiikiit), rart'iTii, liiisliaiiil St. I'aiil.

St. UttiiiKe .

raukolt, OiKa. wilV

I'aiikiit)'. Ilhmu. .soil SI. I'uiil.

I'aiikotI'. Varvaia, ilaiijihttT i ilii . .

SliaiHiiekiilV, Ornrj;*' ' iU> • •

'aiiiily DO — "J iiiiliviiliialN; I

I'ariiiK'hiii, Daiiii'l, liiisbaiiil i SI. I'aiil.

Taraiii'li

.Mexanilni, wile Iiialaska .

Family M- '' iniiiviiliialH:

Kr.si'ir. l(<'v. Niriili. liiiMliaiiil .

Sitka .
ilo

Jicsrll'. .Malrmia, \\ i.'p

KcsflV. t'l;;a, ilaii^'liliT ' Kndiak

Ifinatiof. Anna, iH'iiliaii : llarka .

liiliiil', Mary, orii'.ian Atka . .

lilv IfJ

iiii|i\ iitiials:

.Seilii;k. 'I'liroilori'. liiislianil

St. I'aiil

Srdiik, Martha. wilV rualaska.

.S<'ilirk. Mary, ilaiiyhtcr
.'^oilirk, ( liistiiiia. iluiiulil
SriUck. Mali'iiiia. ilaii>>h
Svdit'k. Iiiniikciity. hum
Scdick. riiilip, iii|du'\v
Faniilv Ull— 4 iiidlvidiial.s:

tcr

Icr

St. I'aiil.
dii
do
do .
do

Si'diili. VaMsili. hiisliand Kodiak

Scdiili, Kli/.ahflh. wil'n

I iialaski

Scdiili, Vuia.daiijihtcr I St. I'aiil. . ..

Ml /<>('kiiii. Ivan, adopti'd hoii do .'....

Family :i4-:i individiialH:

Sllaliolln, Nccon, husband St. I'aiil . ..

.Slialiolin, Foofla. wifn St. (irorae ,

Sliabuliti, A piilli'iiaria. daughter ' St, I'aiil

Family :i5— '2 individuals: ;

SlmisiHskoir. I'aiil, iiiicld St. I'aiil —

Sliaisni'UolV, Vali'i-iiui, lu'iihcw ilo

Family ii6 — 4 individuals:

Stepeton, Klary. huHband. St. I'anl

Stepeton, Anna, wile I' iiala.sk a . .

Stepftoii. Oiiliana, daii;ilit(T St. I'aiil —

Stt'potou, I'aola.daiightur do

Family 37—3 individuals :

St'opeton, Durat'ay, liuMbanil St. I'aiil —

Ste|ii'ton, VasMa, wile St. (ieoryi- .

Stepeton, VasHili, son St. I'aiil

Family 38—5 individuals:

Terra kanotl'. Kcnirk, husband .St. raiil. . .

Tcrrakauotl', Anna, wilo Sitka

Nedera/.otl'. .Vftratina, nii're I St. I'aul —

.do
.do

4U
37
IS

18
18

12 Clothiiiy; I'liinishcd b\ com-
pany.

30
33

flO

00
23
16 .\doplcd ilaiiKliti'i'.

It)

59
\h

:il
24

41
3.")
2ti

Nedoni'.olV, Alrsie

Shane, Klefrry

Family 30—4 individuals :

Totott". Neon, h iigband | St. Paul . . .

Tetott'. Ajiralina. wife I'lialiiHka .

Tetoir. Simeon, son ' St. Paul...

TetoH', Zaliar, brother ! do

Family 40-3 individiiala: i

Tetoti; Peter, himband ; St. Paul. . .

Tetott'. \eaey, wife • St. (ieor;;e

Tetott', Ale.vandra, sister ' St. Paul . .

Family 41 5 iudividiials: I

VolkoH'. Markel, hiiBliaud Atka

Volkott'. Alexandra, wife \ Uuala.ska .

Volkotl, Teehon, son i St. Paul...

Volkott'. Arifa. son do

Merenlitt', .lohn, son ' do

Family 42—4 individuals :

Ualakshin, Matrona, widow ! X'nalasica 45

Shanoshnikott', Parascovia St. Paul 28

Kuokovi.shuikntl', Anna, orphan ' do 10

Rookovishuikott', Stepan, orplian ' do 13

Do.

(Jlotliiiij; liiriiished by com-
pany.
Son of A<:ralliia,

30
34
10

,■)()
41

Clothing:
pany.

fiiruished by com-

40 SKAL I.IFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

CenHut of ^t. Paul Inland, .tliiMka, June SO, 18'J'< — Contiuiied,

Nitiiie mill ri-luti(inMlit|>,

I'liii'c III' liirlli.

Ako.

Family 4:i— 1 iinllviiliiiil:

Hi'IIiikIii/.iiIV, KUen, widow St. I'niil

Fniiiily 44- :i IiiiUviiIiiiiIm:

Kimlioviilkiill', Avilotlii, wiiluw St. Taiil ..

KoMhoviiikiill', I'liiil.Hou ilu

Merriilitr, MAitiii, ni-plii'w do

Faiiilly 4.'i— iiiiliviiliialN:

Kii'/.lotI', I'aniHrovIa, willow I'lialaHka .

Ko/lolt, Mlcliail, Mini St.raiil...

Kii/,loll', Nli'oli, Non ...<lo .. .

Kiizloir, Anton. Non ilu

Seri'liiinkolV, <)l|{ii. KJHter do

SfirolinnkiilV, Uf|iHiiiiiinH do

Family 4B^2 indlviiliialH: I

KrukolV. Anna, widow St. I'liiil ..

Ko/,(<rotr, Siindiilrc. iiilo|it(Ml daiiKlitfr do

Family 47—2 indlviiliiiilM:

KrnkotI', >>iataliii, widow | St. Paul...

Knikoir, John X., hoii do

Family 48-4 indlviiliialH:

I'l'ipotV, Avdoliii, widow I Atka

l'o|H>ll', Avraxmia, ilanuhtiT St.raul...

Ho|Mitt'. Ali^xnnili'r, daiitflitcr : do

lialakHliin, Anna, daiiKbtiT do

Family 4U— 2 indiviiliialH:

iVipoir, AvanaHia, widow St. I'aiil 49

Shut/.aKaii, Hiiriii. orphan do 14

Family 5i)-l iiidi\ iiliial:

PeeHhnikoll', \'as.xill«y. widow do li.'i

Family ,51—2 individiinlH :

liiiokoviahiiekiitl', .\iu-Mia, widow rnaliiHka...

Kookovishui'kiitl', l'iiraNrovin,daii(!h- .St. Taiil

tur. I

Family 52— 1 individual :

Ke/.an/,oll', Anna, widow St. Miiihai'lH

Family WA — ;i indiviilimlH :

."ii>dlck, Daria, widow i I'nalaHka . . .

KoclioiitiMi, Kllmi, ilaiijfhti'r ' St. I'aiil

Kochootim, Zmollii. danfilitiT do

Family .'i4— 2 individiialM:

Ti'rreiitova, Anna, widow do

IVrrentova, Aniia,daii);htci' do

Familv 55—2 indlviiliialH:

Volkoti; Klli'ii, aunt St. I'aiil

Kuxliln, Mavra. nii't'c do

Family 5(1— 2 individuals:

Kuflhin, Marv, grass widow .St. (Iforgo ;19

Knshin, Miihail, non St. Paul 10

59 :

:u|
II I

8
6 ;

:io
2»

29
4 '

41
14

:i5

61
51

:ti

2(i

75
42

41
14

Kcuiurkii.

DaiifthtiT of Ol^a'!*,

Draws rliitlicN
mt'nt ordefH.

on (jovern-

IIiiHliand at I'nalaaka.

OKPHAX GIKLS AT SCHOOL IN' UNALASKA BKLONGING TO ST. PAUL ISLAND.

Sedick, A vdotia i St. Paul . . .

Kriikotf, Lukeria ■ Unalaaka .

Koznitzotr, Agatia St, I'aul. . .

Merculitl. Li'lbotr do ... .

IvanoH'. AuastaHia do

Zakiirot)', Feodosia > ilo

/atzmanoir, Auxeiiia do

FratiH. Kllen do

18
17
10
17
16
14
13

Daughter of John Fratis.

II Mouth.i.

liKCAPITUI.ATIOX.
Families 56 I F'ltiualo adults.

Resident inhabitants 190

Konresideut inhabitants 8

Total native population 207

Female inhabitants 120

Male inhabitants 87

Females in exi'ess of males 3D

Inhabitants 'mm outside of seal islands 51

Male adults 43

Males between 5 anil 17 years 26

Males under 5 years '. 18

Females between 8 and IV years 33

Females under 5 years 15

Marriages 2

Births 6

Deaths 2

Departures from Island 1

Net increase in population from June 30, 1894,

to J une 30, 1895 3

'• '

SKAL LIFK ON THE PRIHU-OF ISLANDS.

i'< iimiH of SI. (leorfff Inland, .lluxha, .luni- .so, IS',)-'

N'liiiii- iiiiil rclatioiiiiliip.

Ak«.

(jovern-

Hka.

.AND.

Kaiiiily I -^l iiiili\ iiliiiilM:

lli'ilaniii, raiftrn, liiiHliaiitl 'i\L

tiHlaiiiii. Kii)iliroiiia. wift! 17

(lalaiiiii, Kli'Xia, Hull. .« a 'I

Kaiiiily 2~:< iiiili\ iiliialH:

(iiirdkiilf, (!(iTnl('l. Iiiislianil :)!»

liorokotl', Kallicfint', wilt' 4t)

I i.ilaiiin, AlcxaiiiliT, ailoptcil smi m

Kamily '1-2 imliviiliialH:

Kiillkiilotl'. Kvaii, widower 4!t

/acliariill. Kmaiiui'l. ailoptcil hoii II

Kamily 4-11 iiiiliviiliialM:

I.i'Htnikiitr, Di'iiiiti'i. wiilower :il

I.i'Mtuikiill'. Aiiiiii.ilaiiulitor 7

Meniilill', Mark. Hiliipteil smi H

Kuiiiilv 5—4 iiiilivliliialH:

LrHtiilkotl', Mirliai'l. Iiachclnv -J'J

I,i-»tiilkolV, Klizi'liitli. iiiiillii'i- till

Lcstiiikiitl'. Mai'v. HiHter i'>

I.iNliiikolV, Sarali, siMlt-r 18

Family li— II iiiiliviiliials:

l.rkaiiiitt, Sti-)>iiii. Iiiisliaiiil ■-'li

LrkiiiiotV. I'i'li'Kia. witV •.'•)

l.i'kaniitV. Anatoli'. Hiin 4

lA'kamilV. SiTjiiiis, .■(Oil ;i

I.Hkanot)'. Sarah, ilimulitir 1

l.i'kaiiotl. Mariana, ilaiiulitrr a :i

Family 7-ll iiiiliviitiial.'*:

Mi-iTiiliH'. Kvan. Iiarhrlor IH

MiTi'iililV. VasaliHa. iiiotlii'r 4;i

SIiTi'iilltV. Aviliitia.Hi»ti'r II

Mi'iTiilitV. Kli'xaiiilni. sislrr Ill

MiTiMililV. Niroli, lirotlii'r i:t

Mori'iililV. Hrli'iia. .sistir rt

Kamily 8— ll iiiiliv iiliials:

Merriilill. .losi'pli, liarliilor 'l'.\

.Mi'ifiililV, Kiipliroiiia, mollnr 41

MiTriillir, (ii'iirKc liriilliir '11

MiTi'iililV. Hi'lriia.Hislir 10

.McroiilitV. Kvan, lirotlior 5

MeriuililV, Maria, sixtrr "J

Family U— 5 iiiiliviiliials:

MiilavatiHky, Nicoli. bachelor ;)()

MalavaMHky. Kepsimia, Hinlcr Xi

Malavansky, StepiMiiila. niece Ifi

Miilavaimky. I'ctir, ncplicw 7

Malavaimky, Vassa. sister | 211

Family 10— 4 iiiiliviiliials: i

Ni'ilera/.ott". Nicoli. Iiachnlur | 17

N'eileraziift', Kvjieniii, mother i 41

Neilera/.olV. Xrclaiiia, sister I 21

NediTiizotl', Isartore. brother ! 4

Family 11—4 inilividuals: \

Oilstigotl', Klexia, husband ' 4:'

OustlKotV, Marf'a. wile •_>.■)

( liistijiott", Ale.xandra, daiiubtor 2

Oiistigoft", Stepineda. daii^iter </ II

Name iiinl relatlotiHliip,

I'aniily IL'-II iiidi\ iiliials:

Uiisliuoll, >^iiiiiicii. hiixbiinil

OiiMlinoi;, .Mar>, wile

lliisliuoM', Aiilesa. ilaiiuliter

Family i:i It imliviiliials:

riiiloiniiniiir. Kill). liMNli;uid

I'liilomanotI'. I lita. wile

I'll ill >iniuii>ll. liri'jtoire, son

I'hiloiiiaiiotr. .\t';;aiiia. ilanulilcr

riillomanoti'. Demit ri. sun

• liiHliiioll. Susanna, adopted daiiuliter
I'aiiiily 14 -11 indiv idiials:

riilloniaiiiill'. Simiieii, liiiHliand

I'hiloiiiaiioir Avdolia. wile

riillomanoir, Innokenlv. .hoiiI

riiilomanoll, I'i'dosi.i, ilanutlior

riiiloniaiioll. Xoya. dauulilnr

riiilnmaiioll. JiMipli. son

Kamily l'> 2 liiiliviiliials :

I'rokapii'il, I'lhr. Iiiisliaiid

I'rokapii ir. Slipiiiida. wH'r

Family Hi .'> inilividuals:

riiilomaiiotr Andronii'. Iiiisliaiid . .

I'liilomaiioll. /enoliia. wili-

riiiloiiianoll. Marian daiiuliter

I'liiloniaiiotr. Mary, daii'jiiler

riiiloiiianoH. I.eonli. son

I'';iiiiily IT— :i iiidi\ idiials:

Ki'/.an/.oil, liiiioki III V . barlielor

Ue/.an7.oir. I'edo-iia, inutlirr

Ife/aiiZMll. Seii'pliina siBlir

Kaiiiilv Ir' :i indivlilMal.-:

l!i/.aii/oll', I'ller hii.sliaiid

lic/.aiizuir Mat rniia, wile

Itezan/oll Ka llama, daiijiliter

Knniily 111— .'I imliviiliials:

Svwtzort', Ivislin. Iiiishaiid

.1 el /oil'. Christ inc. w lie

>uel/.otl', I Icor;;!'. son

I'liiiiily 211 2 Individuals :

I iaiaiiin. ( Ikalina. widow

lialanin. Evan, son

Kamily 21 :> iMilividiials:

I'hilomanotf. I'araseova. widow

IMiilomanutr. I'eleuia. danuliter

I'liilomaiioir. Keelii,ilaii);liter

Kamily °.'-' -4 indiviiliialH:

Shane. Iiiessa, widow

Shane, r let a. daily liter

Shane. Michael, son

Merciilitl. Stepaii, nephew

Family 2:i- 2 individuals:

Swel/.oir l'ole\ania. w iilow ,

.Swet/.oll'. I'aal. son

Age.

31
18
aW

.'iO

H
8

4.'>
22
■JU
IK
:{
1

:u>

18
28

:h>

'i
1

17
51

49
II

.17
9

:i2
13

III

Fratis.

u Months.

UKCAIMTII.A IION.

Funiilies 2;i

Individuals 88

Males 40

Females 48

Males between and 18 years !•

Males under 6 years ". 9

Males over Hi years 22

Females hetweeen li and IB years 9

Females under years II

Kemules oA'cr 10 years 28

Sealers and t'uniilics, siippurted by the Goveru-

iiient 76

Widows and orplians, supported by company 12

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Ileport of the resident physician.

il '■■

I i-

I i
til

I i

I I

St. Paul Island, Jinit; 1, 1S!>5.

I>KAi< >Sik: Tlie resident ))li,v8i(;iiin respeott'iilly suhniits the following report on
the public health of St. I'aul IhIjukI <liirin<j the year oudiug .liiue 1, 1S95:

Two epidemics have visited the iHlaiid. The tirst in October, of inlluen/a; the
othf, varK-ella, occnm'd in March, 18(35. An endemic, gastro-cuteric in type, broke
out in the latter ])art of February, immediately after the openiug of the winter seal-
meat eache. This meat bad been piled up on the ground before being thoroughly
cooled, and the layers lowest became tainted.

There were liO cases of iiitl ujuza severe enough to make note of, 8 j^ases of pneu-
ino)iia, 5 cases of jtleurisy, and H cases of phthisis pulmoualis.

Acute bronchitis has been very common. Iliemoplithesis has, as in previous years,
been frequent. Of the eye, conjunctivitis and iritis have been most common; of the
oar, otitis media of the throat, toiisilitis, and pharyngitis. One case of cellulitis
re(|uiring surgical interference occurreil in Sankc Melevedov from exposure on the
last killing lield last year. Five severe cases of icterus occurred.

In the surgical line there has bee:i done the /bllowing: Operation on Axanosia
Popotf, forsupjiurative synovitis of the Itift knee, December 21, 189.5; good recovery.

Operation on Mrs. Elocy Stepetin, for osteos'irconia of the antrum, December 2!t,
1891. Incision luade over' the tumor and diseased l>oue, and neoplastic tissue removed
to the posterior vault of the pharynx; part oi the floor of tlie orbit removed; eye-
ball intact ; good recovtiry; no return as yet.

Fractureof t.!ie radiu'- '*(rs. Nik<di Krukof. Oircunjcision for paraphimosis. Two
eases re(|niriiig siirgicai .< .1. Dislocation of the lower jaw.

A numlier of cases of minor surgery, scalp wumls, etc., occurred, but none sever)
enough to require sjiecial mention. .Sixty-seven teeth were extracted.

Since November, lS!(i, there have been iH)l'. i)rcs('riptions given out. This does ujt
include simple n'^uests for salts, etc., l»ut vepreseiits closely the numlier of cases of
sickness rf(|uiriii<.; examination and diagncsis which have occurred during ttiat time.

Two deaths have occurred. First. The daugliter of Theo Sedie, aire 11 i.iouths.
The child had an attacdv of iallii*m/.a eiuiy in Ootol>or, but made w good recovery. I
was notified of its last illness. It diivl,,vs far as 1 can learn, while undergoing the
native i)rocess of manipulation, by Ellen Voekof. Second. Mrs. Neon Mandregin,
caiiat), acute phthisis.

T'iie births were 6 in number: To Agrafia Merculif, a son, .Fuly 4, IHDl; .Mexandria
Melevedo.-, a son, .\ugust 11, 1891; Fatiana Koochootcn, a son, November I, 1894;
Mary Messekin, a daughter, February 10, 1S95; Kvdotia Popoff, a daughter, April 24,
1895, and Claudia Vikoul.if, (. (laughter. May 8, 1895. Increase in population. 4.

At tile bottom of by far the majority of troiibles among the natives is that vague
constitutional condition kno.vn as the stronious diaotliesis or scrofula. It shows
itself chiefly in a general lack of the ]>hosphates and mineral salts in the native
physiological economy.

Little can be ac('<)my>Uslie<l in the way of remedying this condition by the various
medicinal sirups oi emul-dons until they can be induced to adopt rt diet which will
furnish the icgulii diiily demand of nature for those esse"*"'*! constituents of the
body.

To this end I wonlil suggest that the next year's food supply contain a larger per-
centage of those foods I'ich in phosphates and easilv c-onvertible hydrocarbons, as for
example, of fats, lard, butternnlk, sweet oil, and of foods containing phosphates and
earthy salts, oatmeal, <;raham flour, cracked wheat, grah.im crackers, etc. It would
also be atlvautaireous if the (}overnment agent would en(!Ourage the raising of such
vegetables as will grow here, such as turnips, radishes, lettuce, etc.

One of the most serious obstacles in the way of attempts to improve the jiliyaical
condition of the peojile is the fact that most of them are such inferior cooks.

Since March 7, !;"S95, the resilient physician has taken the » listetrical work in his
own hands. On that day, .Mrs. Julia Uesef gave birth to a dead child under such
circumstances that he felt it a matter of necessity to put a stop if possil>le to the
further ministrations of the native midwife, FiUen Volkof. A communication was
Bent to the (Toverumeut agent, who took iintnediate steps to that effect.

The village has lieen cleiiued and disinfectant thrown in the garb.igi; holes.

In concluding, the resident physician would like to acknowledge the hearty sup-
port, both moral and material, given him by the United States Government agent,
Mr. .ludge, in every attempt to better the public hygiene.
Very respectfully,

(lAitONKK Pkkuy Pond, M. \)

Mr. .1. Stanlky-I'"(»wx,

Siipcrhitenilviil Xorlh Amtiican Commercial Company.

-n

-./

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBH.OF ISLANDS. ^

Exhibit B.

Annual statement of fur seals killed on St. Paul Island. .U,Ma. d.nn, the uear ended

August 1, ISO.').

of tlio

Two

' .sever J

NuhiImt of scuIh
killed for na
tivfcs' food.

Date.

1894.

Aug. 10

Nov. 6

Deo. 1

1895.
Slav 27
28

JtllK! 1

i:i ;
10
20
24
2ii
July 1

3 [

>
10
l.'i
17
19
22 ,
27 .

1 ,

Uookery.

Nmiilicr
of souls

killfd by

for .skills. ■

I.itrge Skills ar-
young (.ejitcd bv
Heals. I l(.s«|.fM.'

Aug

' Watcliiiifii to date

Miildle Hill '.'.'..'.'....

i Wati'hiiien to (Into

I Ki'pf .'.'.'.'.'..'.'.

Wi!tcliiii(.ii Northeast I'ldnt '.

Tolstoi and Koef

\Vat«;liiiic<i Half W'av Point.

Watcliiiieii Southwest Bay

Tolstoi and Keel'

Watchiiicn .Voriliea^it I'ldnt

Tolstoi, I.iikannon, '■ iariiotih, and KeeK . '. '.

\V«t( liiii(.ii Northeast I'oint

Reef '..'.V.'..".'."

\Va iliiiieii Northeast I'oint

llei f .'.'..'.'.v.

W'lttehinen Northeast I'oint .........

Tidstoi

Watchmen -N'ortheast Point

Northeast, Point

lieef

Half Wav Point

Ki ^;lisli l!ay '...'.'.'.'.'.'.

Zapadiiie. ' ] ]

r.iikaiiiioii \

Norlheast Point

Keef

Half Way Point...

Ziipadnii.'

Worlheast Point

Liikiuiniiii

Ueuf

i:i2

147

218

474

Total

18-.
1,454

218

•>

474

»)
79

i8r)

I.4.J4

Agdfregate

Aieopied Skins number
ilirimei. aeeepted. of seals
killed.

132

•-

147
I

87
2
3

•

218

"■■

474

6
79

3
7B

■■

184

l.ittil

i , 9li?

1 9til

1.548

1,.")48

i,r>48

.'to

57.-I

.".75

T.'i!

7.'>1

75'

8lil

Hill

80:

:i(ii

iilil

:ut4

1)1 iu

9IIII

9ti0

i:il

4;ii

431

1. i:i8

i,i:!8

1.138

:i24

324

!<:t4

8;i4

834

S27

827

2.sii

28li

286
185

ll.nifi

11.041!

12.500

such

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Annual stutement of fur teah killed on St. lleort/e hUnid, Alaska, duriiKi the i/vav ended

Jitlfi 31, 1895.

Dale.

KodktTV.

j : Xiiinlx'r

' Number of s(!alf. ' ol'HeiilH
killed for na- killed liy
tiven' food. I li'UHees
'forHkiiis

Large Skint* ac- i,„„,.,...i
v.mSs Leptedl.v h'.^Z '
WulH. ' lc88e««. O'nin.'l.

A Kuresiule.

Nov.

1894.

Oct, 20

Dec. 3

1895.

May 25

June 3

July 1

Nortli

Zapailnie (killed liy triiards)

Ea.it

North

/apailnie (killed Ity guards)
do

North

/»|)adnie (killed by Kuurds)

do .'

North

(rrent Kast .

North

Starry Aiteel

/apadnie (killed by giiardn)

I ireat and l.ittle Kast

Zapaduie (killed by guards)
North .

/apadnie

/aj)adnie (killed by guardfi) .

(ireat and Kittle KaHt

Zapaduie (killed by guards) .

Starry Artidl and North

Zapadnie (killed by guards)

Total

3 I
U)

3 '

3
14 .
35 j

16 I
25

58 .

3 '.

19 .

3 .

14 1.

35 .

3 t.

3 I.

13 ''.

16 .

25 .

130

483

471
2

156
232

3
538

3
279

Skins
ai'i'i'pted.

.">H
3

I'.l
3

139

483

471
2

150
232

3
538

3
279

196

315

2,511

Total

nuiiibor

111' «eiilH

killed.

58
3

l»
3
3

36
3
3
1

139

483

2
471

2
156
232

3
638

3
279

2,611

•VK>

ill

I ii

Eleven of the foregoing skins, taken from seals killed f«)r uath-e food during the
fall of 18iU, were damaged by bldc (bxcs, leaving 2,5()0 mark.">table skins to be
shipped by the lessees.

Tho8 E. Adams,
Jssislant Special Treasury Jijent,

Exhibit C.

Heceiptg for fur-»eal skins skipped from the seal islands, including eleren skins shipped to
the collector of customs at San Fravcisvo, Gal,, 189o.

Island ok St. Pail,
Bering Sea, Alaska, August 11, 1896.
This is to certify that 12,500 fur-seal skinh have this day been shipped on board
the Nortli American Commercial Company's steamer Jierthu, .1. M. Hays, master, con-
signed to the North American Commercial Company at >San Francisco, Citl.

.Jamks Judcje,
Assistant Treasurg Agent.

Island ok St. Gkokge,
Bering Sea, Alaska, August 14, 1895,
This is to certify that 2,500 fur-seal skins have this day been shipjied on board the
North American Commercial Company's steamer Bertha, .1. M. Haya, master, con-
siirnod tc the North American Commercial Company, San Francisco, Cal.

Thomas E. Adams,
Assistant Treasury Agent.

Island ok St. (ikokok,
Bering Sea, Alaska, August 14, 1896.
This is to certify that 11 damaged fur-seal skins boxed have this day been shipped
on board the North American Commercial Compauy's steamer Bertha (.1. M. Hays,
ma8t«r), consigned to the collector of customs. San Fr'^ncisco, Cal.

Taos. E. Adamb,
Assistant Treasury Agent.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Exhibit D.

Dialrihulion of coinniiinitji fund, St. I'aiil Island, Alaska, Aiitjuil l,lS9'i — Division So. 6.

Total
nniiiber
of HeaU

killed.

58
:t

19
3
3

36
3
3
1

139

483

2
471

2
156
232

3
538

3
279

2,511

Agent.

18,

Agent.

IK,

, ISOi).
shipped
A. llaye,

18,

Agent.

f M

To 12,500 iniiiie fur-Heal .skins, at ."»0 cents *6, 2hO. 00

To 140 prime fur-seal skins, taken in 1894, rejected by local ajjent,
snbseiiueutly accepted by the lessees, but not incliid«(1 in
Division Mo. ") 70. 00

First class :

Arkasliof, .Arseny

Hoiirdnkortsky, ApoUon.

Hiiteriii. Karp

(Jroniof, N'icoii

Kochootcn, .lacol)

Kocliooten, .lohn

Ko/.eritf, Stei)an

Krukof, Nicoli

Mandreijan, Neon

Melevedov, Anton

Nedar.'i/of, .Martin

\eda razof, Stepan

Ovstegof, Peter

Pankof, Parfiri

Harant^liin, Daniel

Resetf, Nicoli

Sedick. Theodore

Stepetin, Kh; .y

Terrakanof, Kerriek

Tetof. I'eter

Tetof, Xeoi

Volkof, .Mi ikel

Second rings:

Artonianof, Kerriek

Hojjodanof, Nicoli

Knianof, (ieorge

Fratis, .)ohn

(iaiaktionef, Alexander.

(folotof, .lohn

Haberof, Paul

Kochooten, Enpheme . . .

Koznit/of, .John

Mercnlief, Alexander...
Melevedov, Alexander..

Sednli, Vassily

Shabolin, Necon

Stepetin, I )orofay

Shaisnakof, PanI

Third class:

Hansen, Alexander.
Melevedc'V, Simeon.
Nozekof, Simeon ...
Stepetin, John

Fourth class:

Kochergin, George ..

Krukof, .loLin M

Krukof, Jolm N

Krukof, Maxim

Sedick, Philip

Shaisnikof, \ alerian.
Tetof, Zahar

Special class :

Nicoli Krukoff (first chief) ...
Nicoh Oronioff (second chief) .

.16,320.00

lt>4.:{H
164. 3S
irvl.3><
164. 3«
164.38
164. liH
16l.:i)(
1(54. ;{8

164. :w

161.38
164. ;«
164.38
164.38
164. 38
164.38
lftl.38
161.38
164.38
ItU. 3«
161.38
164. 38
1&I.38

131. .52
131.. 52
131.. 52
131.52
131.52
131.52
131.. 52
131.. 52
131.. 52
131.. 52
131. ,52
13 1.. 52
131.52
131. 52
131.5.'

105. 21
lit-,. 21
!>':>. 21
MI5.21

3,616.36

1,972.80

420. 84

30. 00

.w.oo

30.00
30. 00

.50.00
50. 00

210

100

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

We, the iindersi^netl, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true Ktatemeat of the
diBtribu'iioii of the cotmnunity fund, derived from taking nir-seal sitiua on the island
of St. Paul durin<; the seaHon of 1895; that the appuA'tioniuent is just and equitable;
that the uniouul^ sut o]ipi>site each name has been credited to such native sealer on
the books of the North American Commercial Company, and also placed to their
credit on their pass books.

Subscribed this the 2d day of August, 189").

J. C. Redpath,

, Agent North American Commercial Company.

NlCOM KUUKOKF,

First Chief.
NicoM Ghoxiokk,

Second Chief,
J08KPII B. Crowi.ky,
Special I'rvaHur)! Agent in Charge Seal Inlands,

Distribution of commiinitii fund, St, George le ;»irf, Bering Sea, Alaska — Oiriaion No. 6,

To taking 2. .500 fur-seal skins, at 50 cents -fl, 250. GO

By seven men, lirst class if!475. I57

By eight men, second class 134. 56

By six men. third class 211. 50

By one man, fourth class 20.57

By salary to lirst chief 50. 00

Bv salary to second chief 25. 00

1,250.00

First class : ■ ==

Demetri LcNtinkoli «7. 91

Eustin .Swe/liiir 07.91

Eotf Philomonolf 67. 91

Simeon Fliilonionolf 67. 91

Elexia Oustigoft" 67. 91

Coi'niel (irokolf 67. 91

.lo.sei)h MercnlilV 67.91

Second class: *'^^-^''

Nicoli Melovanskv 54. 32

Peter K'ezanzolV 54. 32

Andronic I'liilomanolf 54. 32

Stej)han LekanolV .54. S2

Simeon Onstigoll .54. 32

Parfiri Galanin 54. 32

Michael Lestinkoll .54. 32

Peter l'rokoi)ief 54. {{2

Third class: ''34.56

( ieorge Meri'ulltr 40. 75

(iregnry Philonianoti' 40.7.5

Mvaii Knlikulotl 40.75

Iniiokenty K'ezan/otV 40.75

Nicoli Nedera/oli' 10. 75

Evan Mercnlitr 40. 75

Fourth .lass: -^^-^

Inntdvcnty I'hiloinanofr 20.57

Special ;

iJemetri Lestonkt>rt' (first chief) .50.00

I'iiislin Swctzod (second chief) 25.00

75. 00

\Vc hcreliy ('ertit'v that the foregoing is a true statement of the distribution of the
community fund, derived from the taking of fur-seal skins on the island of St.
(Jcorge, Alaska, during the season of 1895; that the apportionment is just and equi-
table, ind that each individual sealer has been credited on the books of the North
American Cominendal Company with the same amount as heroin set o])posite each
name, etc.
St. George Island, August 1, 1895. Tiios. E. Aoams,

Assist'inl Special Agent.
I'ANIKI, Wkiistku,
Agent North American Commercial Company.
Demktui Lkstenkofk,

Native Chief.

244. 50
20.57

75.00

f tho

of St.

eoui-

■Vorth

each

ent.

any.

itf.

REPORT OP

.lOSEI'H MURRAY. SI'KCIAL TKEVSURV ACKNT,
KOR THE YEAH IS1I4.

Office of Special Aoknt,

TUEASUUY Dkpahtmknt,
WuHhiiujtou, I). C, Devvmber 30, ism.

Sir: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with Department
instruotions dated June 12, 181>4, I went to the seal i.slands of Alaska
and inspected the fur-seal rookeries, notinjf [)articularly the numbers
and present con<lition of the seals in comparison with what they were
every year since 1 first saw them in lfSSt>.

I afterwards sailed ahmj; the American coast from llnalask«a to San
Francisco, calling at every im])ortant settlement on the way; inspecting
every salmon stream and cannery on the route; making diligent inquiry
into the condition of the native inhabitants of Alaska; the wants and
desires of the white settlers who are busy developing the natural re-
sources of the Territory, and noting the views of the people generally
on all that ai>pertains to the luesent and future prosperity of the new
country.

On July 10, I left San Francisco on board the U. S. revenue cutter
Rmh, Capt. C L. Hooper commanding, and arrived on the ir)tli at Port
Townsend, where we were afterwards joined by Hon. (J. S. Hamlin,
Assistant Secretary ot the Treasury, who accompanied us to the seal
islands and back as far as Vancouver City, British Columbia.

Wc sailed on board the HhhIi from I'ort Townsend .Inly 2.'i and
arrived at the seal islands August 3, hrst touching at St. (leorge and
sailing along the coast, inspecting all the rookeries on that island
except Zapadnie, and then sailed over to St. Paul Island, where we
landed in a dense fog at o'clock ]>. m.

The seal islands, comuionly called the Pribilof group, consist of four
distinct islands in Bering Sea, situated between ."i.TJ and 57'^ north
latitude, and about 170^ west longitude from (Ireenwii-h. They are
about 200 miles west from the nearest point on the mainland of Alaska,
20() miles north of the Aleutian chain, and 200 miles south of St. Mat-
thews Island, or, in other words, they are about 200 miles away from
any other himl.

The seal islands are nearly 2,;J00 miles from San I'ranci.sco, and about
1,000 miles, as the ship sails, directly west from Sitka,

They are known, respectively, as St. Paul, St. (leorge. Otter, and
Walrus islands.

Otter and Walrus are small and of no importance, and as the .seals
do not haul out at present on either of them regularly, and as they are
not included in the lease, it .ill not be necessary to refer to them again.'

St. Paul, the larger of the two principal islands, is long, low, and
narrow, its extreme length and breadth being 12 and (5 miles, respec-
tively, and its total area being about .{(5 s«|uare miles. Around the
greater part of the island runs a long, low, sandy beach, easy of access,
where the seals haul out without dithculty, and where they were to be

' In 1894 about 1,000 seals hauled out on Otter Island.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

found for a ccutury in {jrcater numbers than on any other spot on the
earth.

St. (Jeorge Uhmd has an area of uoout 137 square niih'8, and its sides
rise out of the water so abruptly and so steep that tliere are only a few
places around the whole roast upon which anything coining out of the
sea can tiiul a footing, and consequently the number of seals landing
must of nei'essity be limited, which accounts, I think, for the great dif-
ference in the numbers to be found on the two islands.

/ Iv

1 r

CLIMATE.

The islands ;ire situated in the "path of the Japan current, which, ou
meeting the icy waters of the north at this point, brings forth the dense
summer fogs for which Bering Sea is so Justly fanums, and in which the
islands are envelojjed from May to September. Owing to difference of
altitude, St. (ieorge Island being mucli higher than St. Paul, there is a
very marked (JiriVM-ence in the amount of rainfall on each — fully five
times the vohimc tiling on St. George, although the islands are only
40 miles apart.

The average temperature for the year is about 35°, ranging from 35°
to 00° in the summer, and from zero to 1")° below in winter.

Both of the islands are of volcanic origin, and there is not a sign of
tree, shrub, or vine on either of them. They are covered in season with
moss, grass, and wild flowers, but it is impossible to raise anything by
cultivation, for, no nnitter iiow rich the soil may be, there is not enough
sunshine to ripen the crop. Thick fog, leaden sky, driz/ly rain, mist,
and moisture are the general conditions ruling there, and during a con-
tinuous residence of thirty months — fifteen on each island — I saw only
six wholly clear, sunshiny days.

The surface of the highlands on St. George is covered with loose and
broken rock — rock broken into aii shapes and sizes, from that of a pebble
to boulders weighing many tons, and thrown together into every imag-
inable position except a level one.

On St. Paul the winds of centuries have heaped the sands of the sea-
shore into dunes of considerable height and magnitude, and tilled up
many cavities and rough spots, but, excepting a slight covering of most
nutritious reindeer moss, tlie greater part of the surface of St. George
remains to-day as it came from the hands of the Creator.

And yet nature timls a use for those rugged and unshapely rocks, for
under and between them, where the prowling, crafV t*>x can not pene-
trate, millions of sea birds build their nests, and lay their eggs, and
rear their young. I use the word millions advisedly, and I believe I
might say billions, and yet be within the bounds of truth.

One of the most beautiful sights to be seen in this otherwise desolate
region is the return of the birds from tiie sea to their nests during the
hatching seas«m, when toward evening they till the air and darken the
sun for hours in their flight with their countless numbers.

Here, too, on St. George Island the famous blue fox finds a perma-
nent home, and grows to perfection, for here he has abundance of
choice and dainty food, and no one to molest him out of season.

SEALS.

To these islands, notwithstanding their cheerless aspect, their dreary
barren shores, their damp and foggy climate, come the fur seals every
year with the unerring regularity of the seasons; here they haul out of
the water and make their home on land for six months at least, daring

si:al mfk on THi; i'Riiwloi' islands.

trina-
36 of

leary

|very

it of

Iring

which time they briiijf tbith iiiid vv.w tiicir yomi;;'. after wliidi tiwy
return to tlie sea, and disapitear in the dejiths ot" tlie gieat oeean until
the days lenj>tiien out aj^ain and nature tells them t<» return.

(liven a few warm, sunny days any time about April L'O, and the
"first hull" may be seen carefully iH'connoiterinjjf a rookery and event-
ually hauling' (»iit ami takin;;' possession of the identical rock or sjiot
of earth upon which lu'dwc^lt with his family last year, and upon which
hi himself, in all probability, was bom.

Early in .May the breediu};- nniles oi' bulls beji'in to arrive ni larj^e
numbers and select their statiotis. ajxui whi(.-h they lie down and sleep
for several weeks, or until about the tinu' the breedinjj females or cow.s
are expected, when they assume an uprijiht sittinj; posture and send
forth at intervals a ciy peculiar to the fur .seal, which is supposed to
be an invitation or si};ind to th«' approachinjj;- cows.

About tlie middle of May, and lonji' before the arrival of the cow.s,
the larji'e younj;' males, or bachelors, be<;iii to arrive at the islaiuls;
and they, too. would haul out upon the breedinj; grounds were it not
that the bulls are there to prevent it by drivinj*- them oil'. No undo
seal can stay on the breedin^i' ^loiMids that is not old enou<;h and strong"
enough to maintain his position against all conu'rs. The young males-
are thus naturally foiced to herd by vheinselves at a safe distance from
the breeding grounds during the breeding season, and this regulation
in turn serves a veiy g<Mid i>nrpose, Jor, as the breeding asul killing
seasons run together through the moi.ths of June and duly, the young
males can be easily surrounded and driven to the killing grounils with-
out having J^o disturb the breeding seals.

None but young male seals are ever kille<l for food or for skins or for
any otiu'r purpose on the islands.

Aboutdune 10 the cows begin to arrive and haul out and seh'ct their
stations for the season.

It has been claimed that the bulls meet the cows at the water's edge
and tight bloody battles for them, but my observation has convinced me
that the cow herself selects her station, and having once made a choice
she is certainly comi»e!led to remain there.

"Shortly after the arrival of the cows the young seals or pups aie to
be seen upon the ro(>keries: and it is safe to say that, with i'ew excep-
ticms, they are all brought forth by July L'o.

I have for six years j)aid i)arti(!ular attention to the *'orination of the
harems or families, and 1 find that from July 10 to LM) the rookeries are
fullest and at their best, and I have c(MUited from 1 to 72 cows in one
harem.

After bringing forth their young the cows go into the sea to feed,
retMining to and nursing their ort'spring every few hours at (irst, but
gradually lengthening their stay into days and weelis before they
return.

When about four or live weeks old the pups begi o stir around and
get actpiainted with one another, forming pods or crowds, and lunning
in ('oiiipany, at first inclining toward the interior of the rookery, and
afterwards, as they advance in age and strength, they direct their steps
toward the beach, where they paddle around in the shallows until, step
by step, they learn to swim.

About the begiiming of August the harems are broken up, the com-
pact huinatu)!! of the herd is dissolved, and the ditt'erent sexes mix and
mingle together imliscriminately all over the rookeries and hauling
grounds.

When the bull hauls out in May he is as "round as a barrel" and as
S. Doe. 137, pt. 1 4

HEAL MKE ON THK PUIHILOK ISLANDS.

fat iiiul sleek sind /flossy as possiblo: but after a lour iiioiitlis' residence
on land, wliere lie neviT tasti-s food or drink, h*} bet-onies so poor and
gaunt and weak that it is with the utmost dini<-ult.v lie crawls utl' into
the sea when he leaves, late in Aufjust (U- early in 8eptend»er, to take
his annual Journey throu;;h IJerinj;' Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
lly .September !."> the bulls have <lisai)peare«l, and by the ndddle of
October the larj'est of the youn;;' males have lollowed them.

Karly in Noveinl>er the cows beyin to leave, and if the weatluT turns
unusually cold or rouyh they do not delay their departure.

The pups leave about the middle of November, and the yearlings,
male an<l fennile, leave early in December.

In excei)tiomilly line weather it is common to see a few seals in the
waters around the islands ull wintei-, an<l in raie instances they have
been taken on shore as late as .January; but the great herd tbllows a
well-defined and (at present) well known path through the Be'ing Sea
and the North I'acitic Ocean south and east fiom tlie seal islaiuls to
the coast of Calilbrnia, nearly opposite Cape St. Lucas, and return
along the American coast and the Aleutian Islands to Bering Sea.

The following very accurate descriptirtu of the fur seal and its pecul-
iarities is taken from the report of the I'nited States Bering Sea
Gommissioners :

1. Till' iiortherii t'nr seal (''(i/ZoWii/iXM iiixiiiHD) isaii iiiliiibitjint of lieriiig!^«-ii!Uiil the
Kea ol <lklll>t^sk, wlirn- it liretMls on lockv iHliiiiils. Only fonr hreediiijr colonies are
known, n^iniejv, (1) on the I'riliilof Islands, b('lon<;iu<{ to the I'nited States; (2) on
theConinianiler Islamls, liclonfiinj; to Hnssia; (H) on Koltlieii |{eet'. Iteloni'iuj; to Hns-
sia; and (I ) on the KnriU- iMlaiids. l>elon<;'in^ to .)a))an. 'I'he I'lihiiot'and (Joniinander
Inlands are in li rinu; >Sea ; Kolthcii Keet' is in the Sea ot'OkliotHk, near tlie island of
Siiglialien, and tln^ Knrile Islands are Ucttween Ve/o an<l Kamchatka. The species is
not known to brei'd In any other ]>ai't of tiie world. The fnr seals of Lobos islsind
anil the sonth seas, and also those of the (iala]ia<ros Islands an<l the islands olf Lower
California, belon<j; to widely ililferent speries, and are ])laeed in ditl'eient genera from
the northern liir seal.

2. In winter the fnr seals nii;i;rate into the North I'aeilie Ooeaii. The herds from
ibe CommaiKler Islands, liol)lien h'eef, and the Knrile Islands move south along the
.lapan coast, while the herd bt^lon^insr to the I'riliilof Islamls leaves Hering Sea by
the eastern jiasses of the Aleutian chain.

;{. The fnr seals of the I'ribilof Islanils do not mix with those of the Commander
ai]<I Knrile islamls at any time of the year. In sninmer the two herds remain
entirely distinct, separated by a water interval of several hundred miles; and in
their winter mij;rations those Iroin the I'ribilof Islands follow the Ameriean eoast
in a sontheasterly direi'tion, while those from the Commander and Knrile islands fol-
low the Siberian and .Japan coasts in a. sonth westerly direction, the two herds being
separated in winter by a water interval of several thousand miles.

'I'his regularity in the movements of theditVerent lier<ls is in obedience to the well-
known law that migratory aviimals follow delinite routes in migration, and return
year after year to the same i)laces to breed. Were it not for this law there would
be no such thing as stability of s])e('ies, for interbreeding and existence under diverse
physiographic conditions would ilestroy all specilic characters. '

The pelage ot the I'ribilof fur seals differs so markedly from that of the Commander
Islands fur seals that the two are readily distinguishe<l by (>x]»ert8, and have very
dilfensnt values, the former conananding much higher prices than the latter at the
regular London sales.

•I. The old breeding males of the l'ril»ilof herd are not known to range much south
of the Aleutian Islands, but the females and young appear along the American coast
a.s far south as northern Calitprnia. Ueturning, the herds of females move north-

' The home of a species is the area over which it breeds. It is well known to nat-
a alists that migratory animals, whether mammals, birds, fishes, or members of
other groups, leave their homes for a part of the year because the climatic conditions
or the food supply become unsuited to their needs; and that wlierever the home of a
species is so situated as to provide a suitable climate and food supply throughout the
year such species do not migrate. This is the explanation of the fact that tTie north-
ern fur seals are migrants, while the fur seals of tropical and warm temperate lati-
tudes do not migrate.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PBIHILOF ISLANDS.

th(!
by

'iiiiiiu

ud ill

•oast

fol-

well-
jtiirn

k'erse

<outh

I'OiKSt

orth-

iiiit-
srs of
tioiiH

of il
It tho
ortli-

lati-

wiinl alonj? tli«) roasts ol' Oregon, Wasliington, ami Hritisli Colninliia in .laniiarj-,
Ftibniary, ami Martdi, occiirin;; at varying diMtanet's from shorr. Following tlie
Alivskan CoMst nortli'A'ard and westward, tliey leave tln^ North l'a<'ili<; ( ici-aii in .liinc,
traverse the eastern pasdcs in the Aleutian chain, and ]>ro(e*-d at once to the I'riliilof
Islands.

.'). The old (bretMling) iiiah-s rraih the islands niurli cariiei', the lirst i-inning the
last wvi'k in April or early in Ma.\ . They at once land and take stands on the rook-
eries \\here they await the arrival of the females. Each niale(ealled a hull) selects
a large rock, un or near which he remains until August, unless <lriven oil' liy stronger
linlls, never leaving for a single instant, night or day, and taking neither tood nor
water. Moth hefon< and for some time atter the arrival of the females (called cows)
the hulls light savagely among themselves for |»osilioiis on the rookeries and for jios-
session (d' the cows, and many are severely wounded. All the bulls are locateil by
June 2(1.

(!. The l>aclielor seals (liollusehiekie) begin to .iriive early in May, and large num-
bers aie oil the hauling grounds by the end of May or lirst week of .1 uiut. They begin
to leave the islands in .Novembi^r, but many remain into iJeeeinber or .lauuary, and
8(Uiietimes into February.

7. The cows begin arriving early in .Inne, and soon a]i|iear in large schools or
droves iumieiise niiuibers taking their plai'es on the rookeries each day between tho
midille iiiid the end of the month, the jnecise dates varying with the weatht^r. 'J'hey
assemble about the old bulls in com|iaet groups, called harems. The harems are
coin]ileti) early in July, at which time the breeding rookeries attain their maximum
si/e and (Mimpactness.

8. The cows give liirth to their young soon after taking their jdaees on the harems,
in the latter part of .Inne and in Inly, but a few are delayed until August. The
jteriod of gestation is between eleven and twelve mi<ntlis.

!l. A single young is born in each instance. The young at birth are about ei|ually
divided as to sex.

10. The act of nursing is jierformed on land, never in the water. It is necessary,
therefore, for the cows to nunain at the islands until the y<uing are weaned, which
is not until they are four or live montiis (dd. Each mother knows ll<^r own pu|i, and
will not iiermit any other to nurse. This is the reason so niiiny thousand pujis starve
to death on the lookeiies when their mothers are killeil at sea. We have repeatedly
seen nursing cows cmiie out of the water and search lor their youiiir, (dten traveling
considerabli' distances and visiting group after grouj> of pups before iinding their
own. On reaching an asseml>lage of pups, some of which are awake and others
asleep, she rapidly moves about among them, snilling at each, and then gallops olf to
the next. 'I'hose that are awake advance towar<l her, with the evident pur|iose of
nursing, but slu^ re]»els them with a snarl and jiasses on. When she linds her own
she londles it a moment, turns |)artiy over ou her side so ;is to present her nipples,
and it ))roMii)tly begins to suck. In (Uie instance we saw a mother carry her pu]i
liack a distance of IT) meters (."id feet ) belure allowing it to iiuise. It is said that the
c«)ws Sfmictiiues recngiii/e thi-ir young by their cry, a sort of bleat.

11. Soon alter birth thi^ pups mo\t! away from the harems and huddle together in
small groups, called " ))ods.'' ;ilong the iKU'ders of the breeding rookeri(^s and at some
ilistance fnun the water. The small groups gradually unite to form larger gr<in])8,
which move slowly down to the w.iter's edge. When six or eight weeks old the
])ii])s begin to learii to swim. Not (ml\' are the young not born at sea, but if soon
after birth they are washed into the sea they are drowned.

ll'. The fur seal is polygamous, and the male is at least live times as large •vs the
female. As a rule ea(di male serves about fifteen or twenty females, but in some
cases as many as tifty or more.

18. The act of co]inlatioii takes place on land, and lasts from live to ten minutes.
Most of the cows are served by the middle of .July, or soon iifter the birth of Iheir pups.
They then take to the water, and come and go for food while nursing.

It. Many young bulls succeed in si^-uring a few cows behind or away from the
breeding harems, particularly late in the season (after the middle of .Inly, at which
time the regular harems begin to break uji). It is almost certain that many, if not
most, of the cows are served for the first time by these young bulls, either on the
hauling grounds or along the w ater front

I'hese young bulls may be distinguished at a glance from tl. tse on the regular harems
by the circumstance that tliey are fat and iu excellent condition, while those that have
fasted for three months on the breeding rookeries are much emaciated and exhausted,
'ri.. y„ii„„. imiis, even when they have succeeded in capturing a number of cows,

Th.

can be driven from their stands with little difticulty, while (as is well known) the
oldjnills on the harems will die in their tracks rather than leave.

15. The cows are believed to take the bull first when 2 years <dd, and deliver their
lirst pup w hen H years old.

l(i. Hulls first take stands on the breeding rookeries when 6 or 7 years old. Hefore
this they are not powerful enough to fight the oldeV bulls for positions on the harems.

SEAL LIl'K ON IHK I'KIHILOF ISLANDS.

17. ('own, wlicii niii'siii;;. rrf^iilarly travtH Ion;; fliHtiiiice.s t(t ('ci'd. 'I'lie.v nri: fro-
i|(ientl,v t'oiiiiil 1(H) or l.'iii miles IVoin tin* islamls, iiiiil Hoiiicliiiics at ^LCi'ciitcr (liHtiiiircs.

18. 'I'lio foiiil of tlif I'lir s(mI coiiHists ol' lisli, Mi|iiiils. criistMi'i-Miis, and |iri>lialtly ullii>r
forms of inarinf life.

1!). 'i'lic trrcat iiiii.jorit.v of oow.j, |)iips, ami ^illl'll of tlie brecilin;; liiills aH liiivo not
ulriiiidv tioiw. Icavi- the islands altoiit tin- middle of November, llic date var.vih;; eoii-
Hiderai>l.v witli the season.

I'O. I'ai't of tiie nonhrecilinj; nnile seals (liolliiseliiekie), to;rether with ii few old
bulls, renniin nntil .lannar.v, and In i.iie in^tanees nntil l''ebi'iiar.v, or even biter.

lit. Tilt; fur seal as a spi rie.-^ Is ]iieseiit at tlic I'ribilof Islands vA'^Ut or nine months
of tlio year, or from t«o thirds lo three fourths of the time, and in mild winterH
sometimes during the entirt! yt-ar. The breeding liiills arrivt- earliest and remain
contiiiiioiisly on the islands about four inontlis. 'i'he breed in;r cows remain about
six months, and part of the nonlneeilin^' male seals about ei;;ht or nine months, and
sometimes throii;;hiiiit tin' eiilire yeai .

L'l'. jhiriii^rthe northward nii;;i:itioii, as has Itueii stated, the last of the body or
herd of fur seals leave the North I'arilie and enter Iterin;; Sea in tin; latter i»art of
.Mine. A lew scattered individuals, however. ;irt; seen dniiiiy; the snmiiier at vari<MUS
points uIoiih; the northwest coast. These are probably sciils that were so badly
wounded by pela;;ie scaliMS that they eouhl not travel with tbe rest of the herd lo
the I'ribilof Islands. It has lieeii alle;;ed that ycum^i' fur seals have been found in
early snmnier on sevtM'ai occasions alon;; the coast ol' Itritish Coliinibia and south-
eastern Alaska. XN'hilc no :iiitlieiitie ease id' Ihe kind haseome to our iioti( c, it would
ho expected from Ihe lar^ie number of eows that are wuuniled each winter and spring
alon;;' these eoasls and are tln'iiby rendered nnalde to reach the breed in,i«' rookeiies,
and must jiertorce ^iive idrth to their .Nouny; (perhaps |ireniatiiiely ) wherever they
may be at the time.

U!!. 'i'he reason the northern fur <c,il inhabits the I'liliilof Inlands to the exelusion
of all other islands and coasts is that it here liiids the cliui.'itie and (diysical coiidi-
ti< lis necessary to its life wants. I'his s|iecies rei|uires a uniloiinly low tem)ierature
and :>\ereast sky and a lo;rK> at UHis])liere to pieveiit the .^iin's rays troiii in.jiirin;;' it
diirin;;'the Ion;; suiiimer season when it remains u])(mi the rookeries. It rei|iiire8
also roi'ky beaches lui which to bi in;;- forth its yoiinu;. No islands to the northward
or southward of the I'riliilof Islands, with the pos.sible exception of limited areas
on the Aleutian chain, are known to possess the rei|ui8ite combination of climate
and physical eoinlitioiis

aim pnysicai eontiiuoiis.

All statements to the el'tect that fur seals of this species tbrmerly bred on tl
coasts and islands of CaliCornia and Mexico are erroneous, tlie seals remaining the
belonging to w idely ditfc rent ^iiccies.

the
re

DKlVTNd AND KILLING.

When tilt' liist yomiy innles, or bju'liohns, arrive at the ishtiids in
May, a drive i.s iiiiide tor food tor the iiative.s, who are liuiifiry tor trcsh
meat, not havinj;' tasted any since tlie precedinj;- Novendier.

All of the driving' is dont^ under the immediate and exclusive direc-
tions of the mitive chief, who is the most exi»erienced and most tru.st-
worthy nian on the island.

Shoidd the seals happen to lie near the water, it will be necessary to
wait till the tide runs out before distuibinj;' them. At the i)ro[»er time
a dozen men are on the yround, an<l silently and swiftly running' in
single Hie ahing the beach they form a line between the seals and the
.sea; and then the startled aninnils will immediately start inland, where
they are slowly followed by the men, until they are too far from the beach
to escape to the water, when they are put in charge of three or four of the
men, wlio bring them jilong slowly to the killitig grounds, which is never
le.ss than half a mile away from the nearest breeding seals. No other
part of the work done in taking seal skins is more carefully performed
than the driving of seals; they are never driven at a pace greater than
about one mile in three hours, and most of the driving is done during
the night, .so as to take advantage of the dew and moisture, and to avoid
the sudden appearauc** of the sun, which is always more or less injuri-
ous to seal life on a drive. The stories told by interested men about
careless and reckless driving are not true, and, for obvious reasons,

SKAL LIFK ON TIIK IMilHlLOl- ISI.AM».

ids in
fresh

uy to
time
11^- ill
1(1 the
rtliere
beach
)t the
never
other
M'liied
than
nring
avoid
njuri-
ibout
sous.

,--!

can not he triu', because oveidriviiig iiu'aiis overlieatinjii iiii*l an over-
he!it<'(l III r seal is one iVoiii wiiieh tiie fur iias fallen and Wit the sUiii
valueless, iind that means a loss to natives, jj'ssei's, and (lovernnient
alike. As there is no one to benelit by overdriviuju', it is never indulged
in; and during an experience of six years on the ishinds I never s;i\v a
skin injurcti by overheating oi overdriving.

As most of the driv»'s an* made in the night, the seals ure allowed to
he in the dump grass aiound the killing .uiounds lor several luuirs before
killing takes place; iiiid it is customary to allow them to rest tor a few
hours, no imittt-r when they are diiveii. because it is Itcst for the skin
and for the tlesh that the animul be killed while it is cool and <|niet
rather tlnm while it may be waiiii and excited.

Theic arc lour diflerent and well-delined killing giounds on St. Paul
Island, I'lom some one of which the most distant hauling ground or
ro(»kery is not to exceed -A miles.

(Ml St. George there are two killing grounds, Irom some one of wliich
the most distant rookery or hauling ground is not to exceed •> miles,
and during the ]>ast tilteeii years there has not been a loiig«'r drive made
on eitln'r island than .'{ miles, interested parties to the contrary not-
withstaiidiiig.

(lenerally the killing is dime Just after breakfast, and the whole pop-
ulation turns out and takes part in the work.

The men and boys are divided into grades or classes: Clubbers, stick-
ers, llipperers, and skinners; the women and girls following the skinners
and taking care of the blublter and meat.

Two men at opposite sides of the herd will, by advaiu-ing till tla-y
meet, cut out twenty or thirty seals from the main body and drive theui
up to the killing ground, where six experienced men stand aimed with
clubs of ash or hickory about oA feet long and about .'» inches thick at
the heavier end, which «'nd is generally bound in sheet inui to prevent
its destruction by the continuous biting of tiie seals.

Tiie clubbers are under the immediatti orders of tin' lessee's local
agent who is a man of large experience in seal work, (uie who can tell
at a glance how much the skin of any particular seal will weigh, and
he i)oints out the seals to be clubbed.

A smart blow on the head knocks the seal down and stuns hiui, and
if the blow has been proi)erly dealt he never recovers; but <|uite often
it reijuires two to three blows from a bungler to linish him. The
clubbed seals are dragged into line and counted, and then "stiu-k"
and ''tlippered," or, in other words, they are stabbed to the heart and
allowed to bleed Ireely; and then a knife is drawn around the head
and thppers, severing the skin and leaving it ready for the skinner,
who strips it oil" in short order and spreads it evenly on the damp
grass, tlesh siile down, to cool.

These several operations are repeated till the desired number are
killed, when the remaining seals are allowed to go into the water and
return to the hauling grouiuls.

Alter the skin has been removed, the women take the carcass and,
after striiiping olV the blubber or fat, cut olf the choice meat in strips
to dry; and, when dried, they pack it into the dried stomaidi of the sea
lion, where it is kept an- tight and preserved for an indehuite period.

The remainder of the seal is boiled and eaten as wanted.

When all the seals killed are skinned, the skins are taken by wagon
to the salt house, where they are assorted and carefully inspected by the
lessee's agent, who throws out as rejected all skins that do not come
uj) U) a certain standard. There are three classes of rejected skins,
namely: cut, small, and stagy.

\ !

SEAL LIFK ON THK I'lniilLOF ISI.ANUH,

A cut skill is one tliat lias Ikmmi bitten tlirou^^li by one soul liiting
smother <luriiig one of tiieir many battles, or it may have been aeei-
dentally eiit (hiring the operation of skinning; a small skin is one that
weighs a little less than the mininiuni staiidaul set up by the lessee's
agent, generally less than H pounds. After .Inly the fur seal sheds his
hair, and it is during the shedding season, when the old hair is falling
out and before the new hair has attained its full growth, that the skin
is said to be stagy.

The fur of a stagy skin is Just as good as any other; but the half-
grown new hair, being shorter than the fur. can not be plucked out by
hand or by machinery, and is theretore considered a blemish on the
skin, in coiise(|ueiu!e of which its price and value are naturally lowered
in the market.

Heretofore, and until the adoption of tlic modus vivendi in 1<S!)1, it
was customary to allow the natives to kill seals for food at any and all
times when they were to be found on the islands. And it was in this
way, and in this way only, that stagy skins were ever taken and wasted,
because all skins that are rejected by the lessee's agent are waste«l so
far as (loveriiment interests and revenue are concerned.

No killing should be permitted for any purpose wliats»»cver during
the stagy season, say from .Inly .">l to November 1.5.

After a tli(U"ough ins])ection, the skins are roiiiitcd one by one in
presence ()f the Treasury agent, who makes a record of the same in a
book kept for that purpose, and in which he also enters the date of the
drive, the rookery driven from, the hour of driving, the state of the
weather, the number of seals killed, tlie number of skins accepted,
the nuiiibei' rejected, and the cause of such reje«'tion.

The a(tcept«d skins aie then salted by the natives in presence and
under the dire(!tion of the native chief and the lessee's ag«'nt. The
skins are siu'cad on the floor, hair side down, and «'ovcred with a layer
of coarse salt: again ;i layci of skins is laid on and (!<>vered with salt
as before, and the siipeiation is rc|)eated until all aie salted.

After lying for at least live days in the lirst salt tliey arc shaken out
and examined, ami resalted as before, exitepting that the top layer is
now put down lirst and the original position of all layers reversed.

When siilliciently cured they are bundled by the natives, who, spread-
ing a thin layer of salt between two skins, laj' them Hcsh side to Hesh
side, and told the two into a neat, comi>act bundle, which they tie
securely with strong twine, and throw into the i)ile for shii)ping. From
the sliipi>ing ]>ile they are again counted out, bundle by bundle, by the
Treasury agent, in whose presence they are always taken from the salt
house to the Itoat, from whi<'h they are again counted by the mate into
the steamer that takes them to San Francisco, when' they are c(»uuted
once more by the custinns oUicers, and linally packed into barrels by
the Icssci's and shipped «liicct to London via New York.

Early in tiie morning of August I. 1894, a drive was made from the
lieef rookery in presence of Mr. Ilamiin, who accompanied the native
men who di«i tiie work, and « ho was pi'esent throughout the whole oper-
ation of driving, killing, and skinning the seals, inspecting, assorting,
counting, and salting tlie skins, just as tlie same operations have been
performed every killing season for the i)ast quarter of a century.'

' Tilt! only exception to this is in tin" nietliod of killinj''. The olden rnlc was to
allow each ni;in to lirst knock down his share and then turn in and skin them, but
experience taught us that this was bad policy, for the carcasses that were allowed to
cool and stilVt ii before skinning wore very apt to have their skins injured in the
operation, hence the a<loptiou of the present improved system.

' r.

SKAL MFi; ON inK I'lniilLOl' ISLANDS.

DitriiifT our tiw days' stay on St. I'aiil Island \\v iiisjM'ctrd all tlie
rookeries, walking over iiiaiiy of tlieiii, and I earefiilly noted tlieir eoii-
ditioii. tiie s|)ar,s«>ly setth'd hreedinj;' yi'oinuls. the deserted liaiiliiig
},'roiiiids. ami liie descdate appearance ot" the place in i'onipiirisMn with
wliiit I saw tliere only five yt'ars aj{M. when hundreds of tlinu>aniis of
s«'als swarmed over the ^reatr-r portion of the }j[ronnd that is now bare
iuid al):in<loned.

Next to the shriveled condition of tlie se:il herd as a whole, the most
noted ciianye I observed on the Ureedin;-' ;ironnds sjiK-e 1SS',» was tlic
juneat nund)er of idle hulls, yoiiii}>; and vi}>'orous, lyin;:' around in all
ilin'ctions. watchiny; an op, n-rl unity to secure cows.

They ean not succeed, however, for dui'in<jr the past ten yeai's the
cows have been the (juarry <tf the pelayie sealer, whose inijnoved meth-
ods of hunting;' in the open waters, and whose unceasinji'. unerring, and
mer<;iless huntiu};' of them at all seasons, have at len;;th snece«'ded in
destroying" at least a million niiisin<;- mothers, who. witli tlier starved
«>tVsprin;i' and unborn youny, n-piesent a loss of many millions, whieli
in turn aecMiunts for the acres of bare ami unoccupied rookeiy yiound
over which we walked without lindin^j' a seal. Wiien in IS'.M I inspe<-tcd
the same rookeries I counted l,L'r»o idle bulls at t e veiy lM'iy:lit of th«
ruttiufj season, and I have since (tbserved a steady increase of breediuf;
bulls as the herd continued as steadily to decrease as a wlioh'.

tSo plain and palpable has this increase of bulls l)een for the past live
years, it has become a ttipic- of j^eneral (!onversatioii amonj;' th<»se who
have had opjiortunities to oliserve the rt)okeries Ironi year to year dur
injf the bleeding s<'ason: and in his annual rep(Mt for 1S'.»4 the a;;ent
in charge of the islands says:

The only class of sci In tliat sliowrd .in iiicrt-asc oviT last vciir wcri' tlie yitniij; UiiIIh,
will) Wi'i'o iinnlilo lu iiiul a siiiir|)> i'„w witli wliidi tn stait a liaiini on tlir lonki'iics.
'riieiv \V(!ic iiioif iillo hulls «r IiicimIiiiu- ay;!- tliaii tlii-ic wiif liiills witli liaii-nis on
the lircrdiim nioiiiiils. (Se<' K'l'port ol' .)<>'^f|ih I!. Cmwlt y. l^!ll.l

Anotiier very important feature obs«'rved in onr iiispeetii>n of the
rookeries in IStM was the ab.sence of dead pn])s i • tli(> early i)art of
August, for up to our leaving on tli«' Sth 1 had not M'en a dead imp on
the islaml, and th(^ agent in charge, who was on St. I'atil Island fronn
June to the latter part of August and who kept a r\<>M> watcl: for dead
pups, tells me now that it was not till abttut .\iigust 20 there was a
dead |)np to l>e .seen, but from that date t(t tiu' close of the season,
according to olUcial communicati<uis received iVcnn the islands, the car-
casses of dead pups, starved and emaciated, increased witii appalling
rai)idity until 1L',(KI() weic counted by the a-sistant ag«'nts.

The agents report that they actually counted l-'.(i(M» dead pups on the
accessible portions of the rookeries to whicli they could go without <lis-
turbiiig the seals, and alter making due allowance for the i»ortions iu)t
visited at all, they believe that a fair estimate of the total nunilter <d'
dead jjups on the two islandsof St. Paul and St, (ieorge in IS'.U W(uild
aggregate l'(),(K)0. (See leport of .loseph U. (Iruwh-y, IS'.M. )

And .Mr. .lose])!! H. Crowley tells us that —

Kvery |iroi'aiitiiin was taken to count only siirli as a])|ifar(-tl to have died late in
the season. None of the .small yonnfx pnps which Hliowcd decay and Itoic the appear-
anee of havinir died early in the hreedin;; season weic counted. " 1 do not

make recklessly the statement of the ileath of pups iioin starvation. There is piwi-
tivc jiroof of it. I witnessed the l)e;iinniii;i of its disastrous results the last of
Aujjiist hcfore Ic^avinji; the islandH. Visiting; the rookeries in jierson. I found liiiinlredH
of pups which had lately died. They bore every ajjpearanceof liaviim died ol slarva-
thin. Hundreds that weie yet alive were so wasted and weak they could scarcely
dray; themselves over th>' rocks and would not attempt to yet out oi the way when
ajiproaehed. i Ueport of .'. H. Crowley. ISIU. )

(

j.\u

(I.

5(;

SEAL hllK ON THK IKIIJll-OF I.SLANl'f-l.

'•What is tlic cjicsodf till' dcatu of so many i'lirscal pups?" has been
asked many rimes diniiiy' tlii' p.^st live years' uiseussion of t!ie seal
(jiiestion. and nian\ conllictinj^ jpisweis I;ave been f;iven. 1 think the
f(»llo\\ in;;'. nncU'r tlie ('ii'ciimstani''s, is an answer tliat can not l)t' <'oiitra-
dictcd. The pehij^ic sealinj;' season <ii»ened in lleiinj;' .Sea on An^iist I,
ISIM. in accordanee wilii the international lejtidat ions made possi le bj'
the JSeiin;; Sea Tribuinil, nnder which ]>ehi};ie seah'is are lice; e«l to
kill seals, with spears, out side of t lie (it» mile zone around the seal ishuuls,
and immediately we see the result of their work in the thousands of
pups starved to death after their mothers ha«l been Uilled at sea by the
men wlntsc ri^ht to kill them, at eerlaiii seasons, has been established
and aekuiiwleil^i'd by tin- very tribunal that was created for the purpose
of preventiii};' tlu' <lestru(*tion of the fur seal herd.

One (d" the most hiwrible and harrowinj; si.i>hts ia>ai>inable is that of
))eiu^' surrounded on the bleak ami inhospitable shores u\' the I'libilof
Islands by thousands <d' dea<l and d.. inji' pup seals whose death has been
tlie r<'Sii!i. <d" slow starvation, and whose hunjiiy cries and almost human
appeal-- tor fo<td ;ii:d li'e must be nntde in vi-in, for, no matter how willini;
and anxious one ma. I)e to render assistance, one feels it is beyond
human power to arrest the ••nawinj^ of hunger in an animal who is
totally (iependent for sustenance on a mother who was killed a .nith
an'o bv peiajiic sealers!

Those who once \>itnesse,d such a sif»ht never can foif^et it, and occa-
Rion.dly I recj-ivc ietters from some of tiuMii wldch run somewhat like
the followiii};:

|)i)tL'll iiie wliiit is to lif iloiK! witli tin- lew iiMii.iiiiiiiy; Hcii':,. ' ' ' If llicsc
8tc]>s liail bocii fal%i'ii l:isl _v<-iir. rvcti, liu'io ini^lil liii\ o l)i'i'ii cnoiijili It-Cr tn tell tlic
talc, iiiit as it is 1 can imt Imt led wli:ii a pitialilt- Niuiit tin' .'.inktii'lcs will jircsciit
iH'Xt Near. It wa.s <li.-<<M)Hiaj;iii'; .iLiijili last s]iiiiiy; wlicii I r<nii|iat('i| tlir rnokcries
with what I liail si-cii Jii>l tin- vt-ar lidoic, M\ licait lih-il loi' itic (loorHtarviii;; )iii)is
so iiiiifli. tlic last Htftdl I toiik III! tlu' lonki'iies, that I roiihl never jjo hack. I doiTt
see how til*- jiiil;;!' (mimM slaiiil to see lO.tHKI ile.iil oiios. It would liav« lii'okeli Illy
Iieaii I know. 'I'lie inoi'iiin;; we <-iiin<into llntrli I lailioi' on our vo.v a;:e tlown we
Haw three sealin<^ vessels s^illn;; out towaril the tid-niiles limit. Oh. what a larcc,
what a snare an>l delusion that iSii-injIc limit was! Mow <'oul)l aiiNoiW! who hail
ever heen to the seal islands and noted the lialiit- ol th« leiMliii;; eows ever reeom-
mend such a !>>urdei'ous |iro|)ositlon ' I". ven '. knew lietter than that. ' " Miit

1;>.0IMI cows taken sla;j;iere ! uie. I !i;nl e\;|ireted ahout ."i.diMi or ti.lHM), and even <'nl-
enlatr-d the tei lihle <'oMsei)Uen< >• u|i<iu the rnidserirs, lint l;i.(MH»! that wa;. teirihle,
ttrrihh'.

The writer of that letter is the wife of the Tretisury ii}'ent,aii .\mer
ican lady of Christian ed'ication. culture, and relinemctit. who natu-
rally fe!'. horritieil at the si^lit she sjiw on the rookeiie.-, ;iiid, like the
teinler iind merciful \\<»man she is, she denounces the s\ sic'ii. re^^ula-
tion. cuslom, or whatever <'ise it may l»«' i-alled. which makes .such suf
ferinj; possible.

One iiistiincc in this conneclion wortli recordini.;' is thut of a )m la}>ic
sealer whose In-art was touched by the jiitilul cries ol an. orphan pup.
and the story is tohl by an eyi-witness under (lath:

Of the se.als that were i-anjilil oil t'u- eoast liiil.i UC nut ol' every KKI had youn.(
)»njts in them. The hoats would lirinji the s'-als on Imaid the \csHel, and we would
take the .\oun<; |mi))s out a'ld skin them. I ihe {inj* is irood and a niee oim>, w<i
woe!. I skin it and iveep it lor oiirsel ve;'. I h. id eiu;hl sueli skins nivselt'. lour out
«)!' live, if I .•m;;hl in Ma\or .Intif. vvoald lie alive when we cut tiieiii out ol their
mothers, line of them we krpt for pretty ne.ir liiree week« alixe on deek !■> feetl-
in<; il ii:i condensed luilk. One of IIkmiich liii.illy killetl it hecansi> it cried so piti-
fully. i.Vllldavil lit Alfred |iar<iean.)

The rexcrse si(U' <if the <]uestion is that held by the av<'ra;ie pelaj;ic
Healer, vv ho kills the mother seal and cuts out her unborn \oun}j;ov
leaves the born youhf; to slowly starve to d<'ath on Ihe rookeries.

SEAL LIFK ON TIIK I'KIIllLOF ISLANDS.

a .M-

Till' British iJcriiij? Sesi coiiiniissioiuTS in tiiia coiiiicction staled:

'I'll!' I'lir of tin' It'iiialo is ninally <xom\ with tlint nf tlie iiiiilc, iinl iiiidtT tlic <(inili-
tioiiH ii'idei' wliirli tli<! Iiniiiiiiji is currii'tl on, tlii'n* isriMiiii lor no sciitiint-utal consid-
erations in lavor of oitbor sex.

1 \vi!s intoriiH'd by tlir Trcasiiry Wi^eiit and otliers w lin liatl wintered
on the s«'al islands tiiat tiie w inter df IS'.t.'MU had been ttne of unusual
sev<'iity, liijor, and ]en};th, and that the seals liad been nincli later in
hauliii;Lj oui lian for nniny y<'ars past.

TMs happens oeeasionaily, I'or whenever it is unusiiiilly cold dnrino; the
sjainji and early summer mtjaths, and the ice hanu.s iiiound Iheishinds
till the latter end ot May or early June, the seal.>* will not or v.m not
haul o'lt until jjassaj^es are ma<le and the ro<'ks and beach cleare<l ot'
it'«': all of which had to be done last season.

i-roni the saii<! source 1 also learned thai never before, since the
United Slates o.ned the islands, were seals so few upon the rookeries
during' the killing; season of dune and duly, and that the w'(>,4M)0 killa-
bh's allowed to be taken this year were not to be found unless the
standard weioht and size should be lowered by the lessees :ind smidler
seals taUen. As the lessees have not taken any skins wei^hinii less
than 7 pounds, and havj* killed some l(i,00(» lirst-class seals, I ha\e no
<loul»r of Mieir beinjj; able to -.et LMM»(«» had they chosen to take ».<HM»
skins wt joain;"" from "> to (» poutids each.

This opens up a (piestion of the utmost impoitanee toourCiovern
ment. (or if wecan not find L'(>,(><'" ycauiji: inah' seals on the seal islands,
whose skins will weij;h from 7 to lli pounds each, altera modus vivendi,
and a ^-oiieral rest of nearly f(air years, it is most assuredly time for us
to search i'tr the cause of the steady decrease of the fur-seal herd.

To dl thoi'e whose lono- and |M-acti«'al e\]H'i'ience on the islands and
amon^ the seals };ives them a rij^ht to l>e heard, the explanation is not
hard. hvA 'anfortunately. b«'cause of many clashino inti're.>ts, there has
been a glamor of s^'crecy and sa<'r»Mlnc.ss tliiown around the fur seal
(piestion. by and thioujih winch iilain, practical, business mi'U have
been debarretl from expressiu'; an opinion, or. havin;^ dared to exjaess
oiu', have been talK>oe<l by interested parties. For >ears the caust; of
the (h'crease in the seal herd has be«'n discussed with unaltaled vi;:or;
so-called im]M'ovcd metlnals of all sorts have been snyoested, and a
few of I hem tried : and, tinally, when tlu'ijuestion assumed international
jadportions. arbitration was le.sorted loin hopes of forever settlinj; a
vexed <|iH'sti(ai and of sa\ ino- iVoni total extinction the remnants of our
seal herd that had, only a f«'v, years a<;<), been tiumbeied by the millions
and valued at nearly >«ln(».(Mio',noi),

In spite of all that has be<'n done thus f;ir, howexer. the seal herd is
rapidly decreasinf«-, and in the very nature of thin.us must contiiiiu' to
decreasi' so lonj;' as scores ol" ships and thousands of men are permitted
to iiuiit ihem In the opt>n sea and kill them without le^aril to ap-. sex,
or c<aidition.

There is no more mystery about , he cause of I he decrease an«l destrue-
tiiai of the fur seal herd than there woidd be about the decrease of a
herd of cattle on the ]>lains of ('olora(to if the owner should continue to
sell or kill.oi' alhiw .someone else to sell o" kill, his l.reedinj,' cows for a
seri«'s of yeais. or until they weiji all jjoiie.

Twice since the discovery of tin* seal islamis and dnrino- |{ussian
occupation have the seals been ahnost exterminated be«-aus«' of the
indiscriminat*" slani^iiter of the female, or mother seal, for it is well
known that the Hnssiiins continued to slaughter everything on the

) !

SKAL LIFE ON TIIK PkllMLOl" I^M.ANUS.

islands without rcfjard to aj^e, sex, or coiidition until l.S;U, when the
question of total extermination stared tiicni in the face.
Veniauiinov tells us:

Fntiii tlie time oltlic (li.scoveiy ot'tlu' I'riliilof InIiiiuIs up to ISd". tin- Liking of Cur
RcalH |iro)rr*>Nse<l witlioiit (-oiint or Uxis. mihI witliodit rcHiionsilile hc:i<ls or c-liii-t'H,
bec.-iiiKf then ( 17S7 to IH()5, iucliiHive) there wci"' a iiiiinlier ol' coiiipiiiiics, re])rc.seiite<l
by !(H iiiaiiy a^entH or leatiers.iiiHl all ol thciii vietl with eaih otiu'r in taking hs iiiaiiy
an they (Miiihl hetoi'e tlio kiliin<; wuh Nto|i])('<l. After thiH, in ISlili anal ISO?, th<-re
were no Heals taken, anil nearly all the ]ieo|il<' were removed to riiala^'ka.

In IWIK the killinjt was again eomni«''nc«'«l. )>nl llie |ieo|»le in this year wvvr allowed
to kill only on St. (ieorj;e. (hi t»t. I'ai;l hunters wcve not iirrniittt'd this \earor tho
next.

It was not nntil the fourth year after this that as many as half the nnnilier pre-
viously taken were annually killed.

From this tinw (St (ieorj;f 1W)S and St. I'aul 1SI(H up to \XJJ, tiikiuy: fur srals pro-
t;res8ed tm both islands witliout ccoiionty and witli slight cirennispertion a> if there
were a race in killin<; lor thi> most skins. Cows wi-rc taken in dines ami killed, and
were alsodrivi-ii from the rookeries to plares where they were slaughtered, i lOlliott's
translation.)

And Mr. Klliott, coinnientinj: on N'eniaininov's /apieska. tells tisthat —

.\ study of this killing tlirou;;li(>iit the zapooska of 1S34 on St. I'aul Island shows
tliat for a period id" sevrii years, from I'^Iio down to the eloseof the season of IS-II, no
seals praitiially were killed save those that were needed for food and elothiiif; l>y tho
nativi-H, and that in ls;{.'> for the first tinn- in the history of this industry on the-se
islands, was the \ ital jiriiieiple ol° not killinjj; female srais reeii<;iii/.iMl. It will he
notiued that theentry for eneh and i.-veiy year distin<tly siieeilies so many haehelor
seals <u' hollusehii'koN kotovie.

The sealing in those days was carried on all thron^rh the summer until the seals
left in Octohcr or Novemher. on aceouni of the tedious method then in vo;;iie ol' air
dr\in<; the skins. This caused them in driviu<;al'ter the hreakiii;; up of the lu'eediu^
8«-ason hy the end of .Inly, to lake up at lirst hundreds, and thousands later on, of tho
females, liut they never s| ared those cows then v\ hen they arrived in the droves on
the kiliin<;'.urounds, )iriiit to this d.-ite aliovei| noted, of is:i.">. ( l''.lliott's re)iort, IMIKI,^

I{>'ii()riii<>- for the tnoineiit all that has l)eeii said about the thou{;^ht-
lessness iiiul brutality of tht^ Russi.in inethoils of di iviii^ and Uillinijf
seals, and of tiie incalculable waste arisiiiei- therefrom. whi(!ii resulted in
the almost total destrinttion of the species on two occasions, it is never-
theless true that after many yetirs of bitter expeiience tln'y ditl leitrii to
do better; and when they turned the property over to the I'nited States
in ISiiH iliert! were nearly r),OUO,(M)0' ot setiis on the Tribilof Islainls,
smd that for a peiiod of si.xteen years afterwards there was neither
decrease nor diminution pereeptiblein tho.seii. .en.se antl valuable herds.

Dr. 11. II. .Mclntyre, who wjis the ;ieneral superintendent lor the
Alaska Commercial Company duriii};' the whole time of their twenty-
year leaseof the seal islaiuls. writir ', confident ially, to his emi)lovers iit
1881), says :

The tireeilin;>- rookeries fr<uu tlie hejrimiiuu of the lease till 18S2 or \HH'A were, I
believe, ciinstaiitly iucreasinu; in area and popiilat ion, iind my oltservations in this
direction are in accordance with those of .Mr. .Morjjan, Mr, Wehster, and others, who
have been lor many years with me in your service, and of tlu) Lite special Treasury
a^ciit, .1. M. .Morton, who was on the islands from IHTO to ISHU. (See II. II. .Mclntyro
to .\laska t'ommercial Company, .liily Hi. lSS!t. .Vppendis s

Ami Mv. Henry \V. Illliott, writiii}; in ISSl, fully eorroborates the
fore^oinj; when he tells u.s —

There 'veie no more seals seen hero hy human eyes in 17S() and 17S7 than there are
now in IHSt, as far as all evidence goes. ( F.lliott'H Seal Islands of .Vlaska, p.tMi,)

'(iraiid sum total lor the rriliilof Islands (season of 1H7I)), breediiiK seals and
yoiiii).;, :t.l!*:i,l'_'(i. The iionbreedine; seals seem nearly ei|Ual in niinilicr to that of the
adult lireeding seals: Imt, without initting them down at a ligiire i|uil(* so high, I
niuy s.'ifely say that the sum I'dal of L.^iNLiKiO. in round niimheis, is a fair <>numera-
lion, and i)Mite within hounih. .if fact. This makes the grand nuiii total of the fur-
Heal life on the I'riliilof Islauds over l.7<i(i,iMi. (Klliott, The Fiit-8eal Islands of
Alaska, pp. til, (>'.'.)

SEAL I.IFK ON THl'. I'RIHILoK ISLANJ^S.

r)9

It was in 1873 that Mr. Klliott «'stirnato(l tlu' uuinlxT of seals on tlio
I'ribilof Islands at 4,7(M»,(MK), and lie again tells ns in ISSl that the
seals never had been more innnerons than they were then; Imt in I.SJMJ
he fonnd them reduced to !).V.>,.'i!»;» seals, ineiudin;''' <>vervthin{; on the
islands, or about one titth ot' what tlie herd had been in 1.S7.'>.

In ItSDl tlie Treasni-y a^ients on the seal isla uls were instrneted Uy
make <laily visits to the rookeries during the breeding season for the
purpose ot noting the peculiar habits of the seals and carelully j'stimat-
ing their numbers at various dates on each rookery, and the highest
estimate made, not including the pups, was somewhat less than half ik
million.

1 was one of the agents who did this work in IH'.M, and 1 have spent
hours aiul days and weeks, in turn, watching the (-ows from (heir llrsl.
landing. They would often stay away from their offspring for a week
at a time.

1 have selected a favorabh' locati«)n on the IJeef rookery, where i wa.s-
some .{(> feet above the harem and oii{ of danuer of being dis«'o\ered by
the seals below, and I have wat<hed <tne particular i)U|> from its birth
until it was a month old; and I f(»uiid that the cow left it for an hour or
two only at first, then tor a day, and Ity tiie end of the month for four
to six days at a tim<>.

This fact, coupled witii another that I ()bseived in IS'.KK convinced
me that the fiir seals do not digest tlu'ir food as rapidly as some other ani-
mals, and consecpu'Utly they can live long<'r witiiout eating <U' drinking.

The otiier fact referred to is this: In iStlO we killed foi- the natives
on iSt. Paul Island some L',.'iti4 pups, after all the cows had been gone
from the island for more than two weeks, and we fonnd the stomachs
of all those pups full ot pure, nndigested milk.

I walked over all the rookeries on St. Paul Ishunl twice during the
season ot ISiM, beginning at Halfway Point on .Inly 7, and completing
tin' s(>cond Journey at Nortlieast Point on -Inly -L'. and the highest esti-
mate i made ot the nund)cr of seals (Ui each was as follows:

l.'oilkiM '^

Seals.

\iiillun-.i I'liiiil lllt.'.lT.'i

Kelt lt:i i:,(l

HiiH'vvjv I'lDiit 111. "iilii

Tiilstiii ami I .iiuiMtn !»:;. i:.'iii

Ziiiiaclnir mill Kant Zaiiailnii' Mil. Jllii

Kiiyliili lia\ :r.', urio

licMlkclV.

^lals.

Mid. II." Hill r,,15<»

K.la\|.' 3,0T."»

I.iil.aiiii.iii 10,60(1

T.'lal, ii.il iiiilii.liii:.' pups 1«1, 3.111

■if

were, I
ill tills
wlio

's the

Ih siihI
nt'tllO
ligll, I
IllU^ld-

n« fiir-
iiiIh of

This estiniiite was made »m the basis of an a\erageof K) cows to each
ball, and it was assumed that, only one hall the bulls ^^(•re in sight at
any one time, or, in other w(U'ds, we «*ould not* get close enon.uh to see
them without disturbing the seah, so we multiplie<l the nnnil)er found
by L*. and the product by 10, in (uder to obtain, approximately, the nuiii-
Iter of seals ofi a rookery.

It is possible, of course, that the nu'thod of compntati<Hi ado])ted was
not the best and that we jirobably missed iiu> real number liy many
tlmusanus, plus or minus, but for all practical puiposcs of comparison
hetwi'en the condition of the rookeries in ]S\\l and IS'.M i) i.s as good as
peit'ection, fin- it is enough to show that no matter how many seals were
there in l.S!H. n«>t to exceed one half of the nuiuln'r were to be fcmnd in
l.S!H.

The saiiH^ is eciually true of St.deorge, where the rookeries, beo.iuse
of their relatively snuiller area, show the decrease ut a glaru'e. to any-

si:ai. i.ifk on tiik I'Uir.ii.oF islands.

one wlin was on tlio island a few years ajio, iiinl who ever \k\U\ any
attention to tiie seals when the I'ookeiies were filled out to their fullest,
aiui lliousan<ls were to hv seen sporting' in the waters around them.

Intleed. i do not hesitate to say that there was not to exeeed .')0(>,(M)(»
seals (11 St. I'anl and St, (le(M}«e islands in An;;nst, 1S1)4.

It i.- here the (inestions naturally arise. "What is the cause of the
decreasi' of the seal herd.' Is theie a renu'dy; and if so, how <'an it
be aj)|»lied V

I shall attenipi to answer the <]uestions in tlie order in whii h I have
state<l them, and 1 aim to show tiiat all of my own views are in strict
accord with those whose disinterestedness, |)ra<-tical knowh'djje, or sci-
entific attainmentvS warrant them in expressinjf views <»n the (piestion at
issue.

And it will l»e found, I think, that while we may difCei in our estinnites
of the numiter of seals on the islands at any jM.'rticuIar time ov period,
or that our notions ahout methods and nmmi<;ement may never be exactly
alike, we are all agreed that the cause of tli«' decrease of th«' fur seal herd
is jielaj-ic sealing.

Speak injitor myself, after an expericncetd" six years on the seal islands,
I have no iloubt that were it not for pela{;i<* scalinjj[ the seal herd would
be as nunu'r<uis and as llouiishin^i' to day as it was in ISiiS or 1881, or
at any other i)e:iod since the discovery of the islands; n^n- is it at ran-
dom or without lonjr study that I say this, lor I have jiiven the subject
a Invent deal of serious ihouyht durin;;- the worldwide (liseussion of the
question sim-e 1S{)0.

When the (|ncsti<»n of the deerease of the seal herd was first men-
tioned publicly as a reality, theoiies as numerous as the men who enter-
tained them were oflered in exidanation of the cause of siu'li decrease,
aiul ior awhile it was arj>ued with consununate ability and persistent
ener;>y by Mr. II. W. Elliott, who was (considered an authority on all
that relates to fur 'als, that the drivinjjf from the hauling; to the killing
grounds injuie«l the young males to the extent of imjujteiuiy, and thus
unfitted them at maturity for service on the breeding grounds.

A meie idle guess at liist, this theory was pushed t(» the front with
energy, althougl», coidd angry personal feelings and prejudice have been
eliminated from the controversy, the gentlennm might have discovered
what every scientist, naturalist, and imi)artial observer saw from the
first, that so long as all the cows on the rookeries had pu|»s beside them
in season, an«l eveiy nniture cow killed at sea was either a nursing
mother or about to become one, the theory of a scarcity of bulls could
not be maintained. An<l alter the passions and jirejudices existing on
the seal islands in ISKO cooled down or had ceased to exist, Mr. Klliott
made an aflidavit in which he says:

A It IT carcriilly fxaiiiininji- tlio situation, artiiai rcconls. ami trust worthy tcHtiuiony
of lueu fuga};r<l in scaliuK witii wlioui I liav« <'<inv«irHi!il, anil also I'roiu kiiowhMJjjc of
the iui>;rator,v lialiit ami itcculiar rjrc-uiiiHtam'cs of Hcal lil'r, I am of tliu o])inion tliat
iiu('li(>t'k*'(l jx'laiiic scaling is suro. s|h'(mIv (It'structinii of tlio I'riliilof lionl of fur
Buals; tiutt if allo\v(Ml to coiitiuuc and Mio lleut incrt-ascH in nunilicr of vukhoIh anil
incrcaH(>;li tliu |ii'Osi'nt nioilns vivcmli slioulil remain in
forct'. it \voul<l result in tlio uttrr rommorcial ruin of tli<- lii-ni; that in onhir to pre-
sorvi' the seals from comph-ttMlfstrurtioii, aw a romnii'rcial factor, it in nrcfMsary that

1)ola};ii' sr.'iiini!;' hIiouIiI not only lie |iroiiiliit)'<l in Itcriu^ S(*a, hut nlao in tlio North
?ai ilic Irom the Ist of Ma,\ until tim t'lxl of (WtolKM. annnally. 'i'he ])i>la);ic hunters
to-day kill at least !Ml |»rr cent eo\v« (the <^roat majority UeljiK witli young, noiirly
rca<ly for delivery) in the I'aeilie Oce in.

Ah the phyaieal conditiouH are Hiuh that it in utterly impoHHllde to ilistriminate in
matters of sex or n^e when siiootiug or Hpeariii}; in the water, it is evident that

Iiela^iesealiiii; can not he refrulatiul in the slin;htest degree heyond itH complete )*ro-
libition within certain limitH. iKlliott'H aOidavit, li-dJ\ see Appendix.)

SKAI, LIl'K ON TIIK I'laiUI.OF ISLANDS.

illing
thus

with
been
/ered
the
them
rsiiijj
coiihl
Iff on
llliott

mony
iljjc <»(■
II that
of fur
Ih aiul
mill ill
<> iiro-

V tllllt

North
inters
loiirly

lite in

that

pro-

of all the tcstiinoiiy coMccted iliiiiiij^ tiic iMi-piiration ol' tlic ('nited
Statt's civse lor tiie 'riibmial of Arbitiatioii, I know of nothini; rlcarer
or more explicit than tliis of Mr. Miliott, ami to me it seems pitifnl,
indeed, that one wlio has sneli a grasp of the snbjtu't, and tliealiiiity to
express it so \veii,slionld havebeen allnred Wtr a moment from tlu'itlaiii
path of fact toloilow tin' ignis fatniis of theory tiircnigh so many lanes
and iiyways to the sorrow of so many of iiis Iriends ami admirers.

IJeading iiis ditferent i>aiiers, in tlie liglit of snbseqnent events, their
pernsal nndces one feel sorry, indeed, tiiat he did not atlopt W ebster's
views and follow his advice? when tiie old veteran sealer con veised with
him on .St. (iecn-ge Island that LVJtii day of .Inly, l.Sl»(>. uf which Mr.
hllioti writ«>s:

ll.iliirl \\('l)stt'r is the vi'ttTiili wliitt; ■sciilfr on tlicsn isl;imls. lid ciiiiif to >t. I'iilll
Islanil in IStiS, jiiitl, sa\o tlic st'iiMnii ol' IHTti i lln'ii on ii tri|. to tin^ U'ussiiin .seal islantln),
lu! lias been st'aliii}^ here i^ver since, lieiiij: in flKir;;t' of llic work at Northeast Point
uiiiinallv until this snnniicr ol' Isilii, nyIumi lu- liasconilticti'il tlic Killin<{ on St. (ieiir;;e.

Ilcspoki; \ ei'.v freely to nie this al'teiiioon while eallin^ on ine, and said there is iio
use trying; to Iniild thest; rookeries np a;;ain so as to seal here, aa lias lieeii done since
IStiS. nnless these aniiiiuls are proteeted in the North I'ueilie, ()i(!aii as well as in
Heiiny; Sea; on this point the old man was very enipliatie. (IJliott's report for
1S!I(), p. 250.)

Wliat wonder is it tliat Webstei- should have been emphatic in his
remarl<s on pelagic sealing? l-'or more tlian fifty years lie has lieeu iu
Bering Sea, thirty yetirs of whii-li have been spent iiiiioiig the fur seals
of whicii he Ims had tin' practical management, and handled ;ind killed
more of them than tiny other living man.

A plain, l>lnnt, roiigli, practical seaman, honest jiiid patriotic to the
core, he conld not be wheedled into new-langled notions or airy theories
which are repngnant to good, comimMi sense, and .so he makes oath that:

My ohservation has been that there was an exjiansioii of tli(! rookeries from ls70
to 1S7!I, whieh fact I attrilnit<' to the earefnl m;iiiai;eiiii nt of the islands by the
I'nitetl .states (iovernme.iit. ' There was never, while 1 have been upon tlio

islaiid>, any scarcity of vi^roroiis bulls, there, always beinn' a millieient niiiiiber to
fertili/e all the I'ows eoiiiinj; to the islands.

'I'he se.'ison of ISltl showeil that male seals had certainly been in Mnllicient number
the year before, because the pups on the rookeries were as many as should be for the
iiiiiiibcr of cows landiiiLT, the ratio beinji the same as in former years.

'I'heii, too, there WiS a surplus of vi;;orons bulls in 1S!*1 who could (ddaiii no cows.
' " ' At Zapad'iie, on St. (ieor<;e, the drive to the killini; irrouinls is less than s\
mile. The seals ar^' now beini; killed there instead of beiiij^ driven across the islantl,
as they were jirioi to 1S7S, when it took three diiys to make the Jourinty.

At Northeast I'oint rookery, on St. I'anl Island, the lonH;est drive is '2 miles. la
former times tin KMissians used to driv(i from this rookery to St. I'aul villaiio, a ilis-
tance of IJi milts. (See Webster's allidavit, A|)pendis.)

Yes, let it n'>t be forgotten for a moment that from the first taking of
fur .seals for their skins on the I'ribilof Islamls to 1S(».S they were driven
a distiince of \'2\ miles — or from entl to end of .St. I'anl ishind — and
that uo distinction of sex was made, male and female being driven and
sliinghtered indiscriminately, until the almost total extitu-timi of the
species in lS34eonipelletl the IJnssian Ainericiin Company to investigate
the ciiu.se of the decrease, which rcsiilt<'d in [irohibiting the killing of
females forever afterwa ds.

It seems that in spite of their igmiraiit and biirbaions nu^thods and
their possible lack of sc'ientilic iicunu'n, these b'ussians were pracrtical
fellows after all, for the seipiel certainly shows that the plan iidoptcd
by them of saving and pr<>tecting the female was the tiiie one. Mr.
Elliott's own estimates show that from IH-'i') to ISSl the herds had
steadily increased up to .1,()(K>,0(M> seals, or up to a point beyond which
it Wits impossible to go. Speaking of the increase of seid life, he teilsus:

I mil free to say that it is not within the power of human maiiajremeiit to promote
this uiid to tbe slightest tippreciublu degree over its present extent und couditioD as

SKAK LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

it HtaiMls ill the .sfatt* of iiatun- liortitofonf ilescribeil. It can not fail to bo evident,
from my detailed narration of tlit; liahits and life of the fur seal un these islands
during NO lar;;e a part of every year, that could man iiave the same snoervision and
coutrol over this animal during tlu^ whole season which hi; lias at his command
while they visit the land he mit;ht <-aiiNe them to multiply and increase!, as lie would
so many catth-. to an iuclelinite number, only limited by time and the means of feed-
in;; them. Knt tlii> case in i|ueHt!on. unfortunately, is one where the fur seal in
taken, by demands for food, at least six months out of every year, far beyond the
rea<di or even co^ni^^ance of any man, where it is all this time exposed to nuiny
known powerful and destructive natural enemies, and probably many others, eipially
8o, unknown, which prey u))on it, and, in aci'ordance with that well-recogni/.ed law
of nature, keeps this seal life at a certain number— at a li;j;ure which has been
reached for ajjcs jjast, and continue to be in tlm future, as fara.s they now are — their
present inaximuui limit of increase, namely, between 4,<X)i),<KM) and .5,(HH),()0l) seals, in
round numbers. This law hcdds nrood every w'jre tlirou;;liont the animal kingdom,
re;;ulatiii;r and preserving; the ei|uilibrinm of life in the state of nature. Did it not
hold good these seal islands and all Hcrin;; >Sea would have been literally covered,
and have Hwarmed like the medusa- of the waters, loni; before the Russians diseov-
4M'ed them. Hut, aecordin;; to the silent testimony of the rookeries, which have been
abandoned by the seals, and the noisy, emphatii; assuranei; of those now oixupied,
there were no more seals when lirst seen hen^ by liumati eyes in 17Wi and \1H7 than
there arc n(jw In ISSI, .as far as all evidence •toes. (l';iliott's .Seal Islands of .Alaska,
p. 66.)

VVliiit SI I'it.v it i.s Mint Mr. lOIliott should have forgotten in 1890 the
fact tiiat tlie loii;; drives of lioiii <• to 12 miles were continued by the
Kussians as long ;is they were in jw»ssessj(tn of the islands, and that
from 18(»8 to 18S1 the Americans killetl, aiiMiially, 10(>,0(H) young male
Heals without <-aiising diminution or decrea.se, tind that during the entire
forty-.seven yeai-s, from is.il to lS.Si, the hen. increased to marvelous
proportions in spite of the long drives an<l tlie killing of so many young
males, until, as he himself .--^ays, ''there were no more .seals when fir.st
seen here l>y huntan eyes in ITStJ and 1787 than tliere aie now in 188],
as far as all evidence lities.'*

DECREASK OF SEALS — LACK (»F MALE I IE NOT THE CAUSE.

In this <'onnection it may l>e well to notice some of the testimony bear-
ing on this very question of ill! excess or a dearth of bulls on the breed-
ing grounds, collected by the United States when preparing their ca.se
for submission to the 'rribunid of Arbitral ion, \vhere the British coun-
sel laid such stress njion .Mr. Elliott's rejiort of 18".M>, with his theory of
overdriving, impotem^y, <leartli of bulls, innumerable bai-ren fenniles,
and a conse(juent tlecrease of tin* .seal herd as a whole.

In their report the Jiritish Uering Sea Commissioners say:

Upon the I'ribilof Islands in lH!tl we did not ourselves note any ;;reat abunduuce
of barren females, but the facts in this nuitter would be scarcely n])parent to those
not intinnitely couneeted with the rocdvcries for nuirc! than a siii<;lc year. In his
oflicial re]iort on the couilltion of the islands in lKi)(), .Mr. Klliott states that there were
then 250,<M)0 females ''not bearin;; or liot served last year and this," but h(> does not
explain in what way this nunuMical (estimate was arrived at. (K'epoit ot Itritish
Connnissioners, sec. \'Xi, p. 77.)

Not only did they not note " any great abundance of barren females,"
but it is an open (|uestion whether tltey noted any, for the fact is there
were not any such animals there to be seen, but they gladly tjuote Mr.
Elliott's story of 1890 about the 2.'»0,000 barren females which lie observed
on the i.slands.

There was not a single day of the breeding .season of 1891 when some
of the lour Treasury agents were not out on the rookeries making care-
ful examinatimi of the condition of seal life thereon, and, although I
was one of the four, I have yet to hear the lirst word from any of them,
or from any one else who has ever been on a rookery (excepting Mr.
Klliott), about barren females.

SKAL LIKE ON THK PRIHILOI" ISLANDS.

It has been amply deinonstiatt'd by ditt'ereiit iiidividiiiils, iiiid in many
ways, that tliere was not a sha<ls)w of truth in Mr. ICIIiott's tiu'ory, and
many of his own most intimate friends and follow \v<M-kers, who are well
ijualilu'd to si>eak as scientists on the seal (jiiestioii, are amonj; the fore-
most of those who Hatly cuntradi<t him on that point.

Prof. li. W. Kvermann, of the United JStates Fish ('ommission, visitetl
St. Paul Island while 1 was there in l.S!)-', and he very eaiefnlly inspected
the seals on many of the rookeries, beyinniiig July IS and endiny on
the 31st. iind here is what he found:

Lt'KANN«).V UOOKKHV, Jltljl lU, ftom f JO to 4 p. IH.

Ilari'iiis.

; ItiilLs.

( 'oWS.

III
■J

I'll

:;ti

IHI

•ji

5
12

u
u

» .
III..

11..

llflll.s.

Ill

ills.

i:i

Cows.

.'»
1-J
4
5
(i

IMI

I'lipn,
3

■>

•JO

:ii)

loin

—

211

f ...

lales,"

there

~te Mr.

^erved

li some

h care-
Ill f?l» T
Ithem,

k' Mr-

liKKK lUtitK\ [l\, Jill jl JO, p. m.

' ' ' Many <|iiit«' liirgo Imlls \v<'re hi-oii aiiionjf tln^ liiicrlitlorH, jiimI tlicii' im no
iloiilit ill my iniiid hut that the niiiiiliur of aviiilabi*' IhiIIh is considoraltly iii)'\ri-HH of
tile niiiulier luu'cHsary to scrvis tin- cows.

NtHMiiiAST Point Hooki'.uv, Jiili/ ;i.i.

Several lioiii's in tlio iniildlf of tlif ihiy wiTf spent in <-xaniinin<>; tlilH rook-
ery. * ' ■

.limt west of tliiH is a Itiincii of about Id ^ooil-si/cd Itiills tliat liail no cows alioiit
tlicni at all. TheHO were not old. sn)i(>i'aiiiinat<'d bulls, lint yoiin<;, vi<;orons ours, and
iiTidoiiblcdly well able to maintain liarcms were there a ureater number of cowa.
This and iiiimerons other similar sijrhts ronvinre me that there are even now a fjood
many more bulls than are necessary to ser\ c the cows, f Notes on the Inr seal, l>y \i,
\V. Kvcrniann, C'onnter Case, liiited Slates, p. ■_'(!(.)

And ('. n. Townseiid, of the Tnited States Fish Commission, who
has had many years practical experience amoiij>; fur s«'als, aHoat and
ashore, and who was on duty in Bering Sea during the summer of 1892,
makes allidavit as follows:

.\s already stated above. I was attached to the ste;imer Corwiii during tlio jiaat
Slimmer, and 1 made :ill the examinations of the stomachs of the seal ' relerred to iu
('a]itain Iloojier's report. co\ erin^ in all IW seals. ' ' " I hes<! seals weie taken ou
the 2il day of Aiifinst, 1S.I2. at a distance of about 17.") miles from the islands. * * *

From the fact that amoni*' the females thus takiMi and examined there wei'c found
mostly niirsini; cows, with a small number of vir]i;in cows, it is rcas mable to concliidu
that there an; practically no barren feiuaUs swimmin;:' about in the sea unattached
tn the ishinils, or that at any rate, if such seals exist, they are rarely, if e\er, taken.
In all my exiterience I never saw anything; to lead nie to the conclusion that tlitMe is
such a tliiiii; as a barren female. In the case of the viry;in cows, a carelii! examina-
tion of the ntorns proved them to be too immature for conception, (('. II. Town-
send; see atlidavit in Appendix.)

The testimony of Professor Fverinann and Mr. Townseiid is a fair
sample of that given by naturalists generally, and it is dnublyvalualde in
this instance, because it comes from personal friends of Mr. Klliott, and
from friends who rather inclined to his tlieory until they had t>pportunity
to investigate for themselves, and to demonstrate to their own and the
world's .satisfaction that there never was an impotent bull or a barren
cow seen on the breeding grounds or rookeries of the Pribilof Islands
or in the waters adjacent thereto.

Additional testimony of tho.se who have had experience with the fur
seals, and whose practical knowledge of the whole subjectt of seal life,
its gr»»wth, expansion, and decay, and the csiuses thereof, entitles them

ii?

SKAI. LIFE ON THK I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

to a licariiii; oti the point at issue, is most rospocti'nlly submitted to the
earnest eonsideintion of all who are interested in the peijietnation of
the Aliiskan fur seid.

Mr. Joseph Staidey-lirown, whoalsowason the seal ishmds in l!S!H-!»2,
testilies as follows:

No iiitclli;r(Mit oltserx t-r \M»nl«l Uv, s(» bold as to iiNst'it tliiit dnriii;;; the sriison of
IHU'J tlicr*> was not an aliiiiKlaiu e of iiialt's of coiiipftoiit virility, (lcH]iit« tin; occiir-
rf'iii-i' of o<M-asioiial lar.i^o liarttiiiH. 'i'liu a('('oiii]iaii,viii<; |iliott>>;ra|ili.s' show that fven
at the h<-i<;ht of th*< s<-as(>ii. aiitl Just |ir(;vioii,s to tlio (li^inI(■<;lation of tlitt liiffiiinjir
^roiiiiils, then; were, iii)sii|i]ilii'<l with cowk.oM males which had takt-n tht-ir stand,
and friini which 1 was nnal)lc to drive tlieni with sloin's.

I slionld have been e\treniel,v ^hid to have been aide to note a ;;reat many inoro
lar^e harems. Imt the work of tin; ])ela<;i<! hunter anion;; the females has been so
effective, that the averajje siy.<! of the harems is ;;rowin,i{ smaller and smaller, while
the number of idle bulls is >teadily increasing;.

Tlie abundance of mab- life for service upon tlio rookeries was evidenced by the
number of youn;; bulls which eontiiui.-illy sou^^ht lodgment upon the breeding
grounds.

It is highly inipnd>alde that the rookeries have ever sustained any injury from
inHiitiieieiit service on the ])art of the males, tbr any male that di harem by
either bis neii;bbor or some lusty youii;; aspirant, .-iiid this disiiossessiou would bo
rendered the more certain by the disloyaltv of his consorts.

The seal iM-ing poly<;anions in habit, each male beint; able to iirovide for a harem
averaging; twenty or thirty membeis. and tlie pro]iortion <d' male to female Ixu'u
l)eing e(|Ual, llieie must inevitably be lelf a reserve of young immature males, the
death of a certain ]iro])ortion of which c<mld not in anyway alfcct the annual su])ply
coming li(un the breeding gr(Minds. I'liese conditions existing, the (iovcrnment has
permitted the taking, with three exce)>tio!is up to IS'.'ll, (d' a (|uota of alxmt l(i(),(0O
of these youii;; male seals annually. When the abundance of seal life, as e\ idciiced
by the areas formerly occupied by seals, is consideit-d. I do not beliexe tliat this eoiihl
account for or ]day any a)ipr(!ciable part in the diminution of the herd. " '

From my knowledge of the vitality of seals. I do not 1 elieve iiiiy injury ever
occurred to tin; re))ioductive jxiwcra id' the male seals from redriving that would
retaril tin; increase ol' the herd, and that the driving id' ISiK) necessary to secure
about :^L',(MMI skins ccuild not liaxe caused nor ]>liiyed any important part iu tlie
decrease that w;ls ap])arent on every hand last year.

Karp Buterin, native chief of St. Piiul Island (see Appendi.v):

I'lenty of bulls all the time on the rookeries, and plenty bulls have no cows. I
never seen a 3-year idd cow without a pup in July ; only 2-year-olds have no pups.

II. N. riiirk, lociil UjL>«'iit for lessees:

I never noticed any disproportion of the sexes tliiit would lead nie to sus]iect that
the bull seals were too few, nor more than nn occasional barren (U)w'. Tlieije latter
were so few as to excite no remark, but if any such di>proportion di<l in fact exist
in \HHH and in ISS!), it was the fault of those who killed them at sea, because' it never
oceiirred at all until the marine hunters became numerous and aggressive. I mention
this matter here, because since 1 Icit the island I have heard it asserted that the mis-
management there caused thedeerease of seal .'ife. The niauageinent there was Just
siicb us 1 woiibl follow if all the seals bebuiged to me.

C. L. Fowler, loeal ajjent for k" ' es:

I never saw ■•my impotent l)nlls on tin .ookeries, and do not believe there ever was
any, unless it was the result of age; nor do I believe that ycnuig imtle seals were ever
reudered impotent by driving. 'I'berc has always been a ]>lenty of bulls on the rook-
eries for breeding ])urposes ever since i have been on the islands.

John I'ratis, native sealer, St. I*aiil Island:

I never knew (d" a time when there w«mo ncd, plenty of bulls for all the cows, and
I never saw a cow sejil, <'xeept a 2-year old, without a jnip by her side in the jiropet
season. I mver heard tell of an impident bull seal, uor do I believe here is such a
thing, exce))ting the very old and feeble or badly wounded ones. I have seen hun-
dreds of idle vigorous bulls upon thi' rookeries, and there were no cows for them. 1
saw many such bulls last year.

'Not Kiven here.

SEAL LIFK ON THE PRIIJILOF ISLANDS.

65^

lect that
latter
. cxi«t

I IlOVtT

iifiitiou

tilt' iiiis-

asjust

kvs, uihI
proper
Hiicli a
i< hiiii-

lOIII. 1

II. N. Gliddeii, Treasury ageut:

Dnriu}; these years there wiw always n HiiHleieiicy of vi>;oroim male life to serve all
the female seals which eaiiie to tlie islands, and certainly during; this period seal life
was not ail'etted by any deticieiicy of males.

Alex. Ilansson:

The orders of the boss of the gang in which I worked in l^S and 1^8!), nuder the
management of the Alaska L'oniniercial Company, were not to kill the o-year-old
bulls, becanse they were, be said, ueedc<l on the rookeries.

Aggei Kusheii, native sealer, St. Paul Island:

W*^ noticed idle, vigorous bulls on the breeding rookeries, because of the scarcity
of cows, and I have noticed that the cows have decreased steailily every year since
IHHti, but more particularly so in 1SS8, 1HS!«, 18t)(), and 1M!)L

II. U. Mclntyre, general superintendent Alaska Conimercial Com-
pany:

And I am satisfied a sufficient number of males was always reserved for future
breeding jiurposes.

That during the twenty years I was ui»on said I'ribilof Islands as general agent of
said Alaska Commercial Company there were reserved upon the breeding rookeries
upon said islands sufficient vigorous bulls to serve the number of females upon said
rookeries: that while I was located upon said islands there was at all times a greater
numlierof adult nuile seals than was necessary to fertilixe the females who lianled
upon said rookeries, and that there w as no time when there were not vigorous bulls
on the rookeries who were unable to obtain female <'onsorts.

So well was this necessity for reserving sufficient mature male life recogui/.ed that
when in 18S7, 1X,S8, and 188!t the depleted rookeries (dcjtleted from causes that will
be cx]ilained further on) would not furnish the quota of 100,(KX) large skins, 2 and
3 year-old male seals were taken to nuike up the i|Uota in preference to trenching
upon this reserve of maturer male life.

The ])olicy of the Alaska Commercial Company during the whole period of its
lease was, as might be naturally expected, to obtain the best possible skins for
market and at the same time preserve the rookeries against injury, for it was not
only in their interests to be able to secure every year, until the expiration of the
lease, the full (piota allowed by law, but they conlidently expected, by reason of
their good management of the business and faithful fultillnn^nt of every obligation
to the (iovernment, to obtain the franchise for a second term. I was, therefore,
always alert to see that the due ])roportion of breeding males of serviceable age
was allowed to return to the rookeries. This was a comparatively easy task prior
to 188:^, but became from year to year more difficult as the seals decreased. No very
explicit orders were given to the bosses upon this point until 1888, becanse the bulls
seemed to be plentiful enough, and becanse it was easier to kill and skin a small seal
than a large one, and the natives were inclined, for this reason, to allow the large
ones to escape; but in 1888 anil 1889 there was such a marked scarcity of breedius
males upon the rookeries that I gave strict orders to spare all 5-year-old bulls and
confine the killing to smaller animals.

Anton Melovedoff, native chief of St. Paul Island :

I have never known or heard tell of a time when there were not bulls enough and
to_ spare on the breeding rookeries. I never saw a cow 3 years old or over in August
witiiout a pup by her side. The only cows on a breeding rookery without pups are
the virgin cows who have come there for the tirst time. I never went onto a rook-
ery in the breeding season when I could not have counted plenty of the idle, vigor-
ous bulls who had no cows.

Talk of epidemics among seals and of impotent bulls on the rookeries, but those
who have spent a lifetime on the seal islands and wh«)8e business and duty it has
been to guard and observe them have no knowledge of the existence of either. An
impotent bull dare not attempt to go on a rookery even had he a desire to do so.
Excepting the extremely old and feeble, I have never seen a bull that was impotent.

Simeon Melovidov, native school teacher, St. Paul Island :

Nor is there any shadow of fact for the idle statement made from time to time
about a dearth of bulls on the rookeries or of impotent bulls.

I have talked to the old men of our people, men who can remember back over fifty
years, and not one of them knows of a time when there was not plenty of bulls, and
more than enough on the breeding rookeries, and no one here ever heard of an impo-
tent bull. * * * It has been said that cows are barren sometimes because of the

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 5

•a

m ill

i I

SEAL LIFK ON THK PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

«k-artb of hiillN, Imt niicU Ih not tli*; case at nil, for t\w oiilv cowh on tliu lirctMling

ii-ol<l»
come on tlio rooki-rioM lor tbe first tinn

rookcrioH in .Inlv or Aiif^uHt williont ]>ii|is ant tlit> :^-,veui

8 (virgins), whicii have
Alaska Coininercial

T. V. Morgan. t'ortMnaii on I'riliilof islaiuls tor

Coin))aiiy :

Despitt' the hiwerini' on the stiinilaiil wcijrht of skins, I'uro was taken annually on
St. (!»'or<je that the residiif of avaiialilo inalf lirmlcrs was sntlicieiit for the needs
of the rookerit's, antl instrnctionH to that cttVi-t were ){iven to the asHistants by tlie
Huperintendent ol the Alaska Ciininicrrial Company, in thiu we were aided by tbe
inac^cessible character of Home of the hauling ^roiindH.

I. H. Moulton, Trt'a.siiry anient:

During thcHe years therti were always a snllllciency of male seals for lireeding pur-
poses, and in every yrtiv I saw great numbers of idle, vigorous bulls about and back
of the breotling grounds which were unable to obtain females,

S. 1{. Nt'ttletoii, Treasury a<;«'iit:

During my stay <m the islamis I have never seen a time during the breeding season
when there has not been a number of large, vigorims ycuing bulls hanging al>out the
borders of thi^ rookeries watching for an opportunity to get a ])ositiou of their own.

L. A. Xoyes, M. I), (svv aHidavit in Appendix):

The "dearth of bulls theory" has been thoioughly and imimrlially investigated
without discovering a cow of It years idd or over on the rookeries without a )iup by
her side at the proper time, and I am convinced that the virgin females (coming onto
the rookeries for tin; tiist rime are the only ones to Ix; found there without |mi]>n.

The investigation established the additional fact that hundreds of \ igorous bulls
TVere lying idle en the rookeries without eows, and many others had to content them-
selves with only one or two.

The theory of "impoteney of the bull through ov<rdriving" while young was also
found to be untrue, an<I it was shown that after 1S7H all long tlrives on both islands
had been abolished, and instead of driving seals from ii to 12 mihvs, as was done in
Russian times, none were driven to exceed 'Jk miles.

It is also a well-know n fact that none luit the jdiysically strong and aggressive
bulls can hold a position on the rookeries, and that a weak or an impotent animal
bos no desire to go there.

J. ('. Itedpatli, lessee's aj,'ent at tlie .- 1 islands (see aftidavit in Ap-
pendix):

A dearth of bulls on the breeding rookeries was a ]»et theory of one or two tran-
sient visitois, but it only needed a thorough investigation of the condition of the
rookeries to convince the nu>st skt^jitieal that there were ])lenty of bulls, and to spare,
and that hardly a eow <-ould be found on the rookeries without a pup at her side.

For five years I have given this ]iarticular subject my most earnest attention, and
every succeeding year's experience has convineecl nu'tbat there is not and never was
a dearth of bulls. The theory of imjiotencN of the young bulls be(^anse of overdriving
when young is not worthy of consideration by any sane or honest man who has ever seen
a bull seal on a breeding rookery; aiul as I have already answered the questiun of
overdriving, I will only .add here that no young bull over goes upon the breeding
rookery until he is able to tight bis way in, and an impotent bull has no desire to
tight, nor could he win a position on the rookery were he to attempt it. The man
is not alive who over saw a 6 or 7 year old seal impotent.

B. F. Scribner, Treasury agent:

There was always in both seasons a great suttieiency of adult males to servo all the
females coming to the island, and I noticed each year a great number of idle, vigorous
bulls beliiml the breeding grounds who could not obtain consorts, and one of these
extra bulls always took the place of an old male unable longer to be of use for
breeding purposes.

J)aniel Webster, lessees' agent at the seal islands (see affidavit in
Appendix) :

There was never while I have been on the islands any scarcity of vigorous bulls,
tliere always being a suHicieut number to fertilize all the cows coming to the islands.
It was always borne in mind by those on the islands that a sutHcieut number of males
must be preserved for breeding ])urposes, and this accounts jtartly for the lowering
of the standard weight of skins in 1888. The season of 18!)1 showed that nuile seals
had certainly been in sufficient number tbe year before, because the pups on the
rookeries were as many as should be for the number of cows landing, the ratio
being the same as in former years. Then, too, there was a surplus of vigorous bulls
in 1891 who could obtain no cows.

SKAL LIFE ON THE PKIUILOF I8LANDH.

W. n. Williams, Treusiiry agent:

|)ni'iii>; tlif MeuMoii ot' IWM lusirly cverv iniitnrc I't'iiiale cuniing iipon tin- rnokerina
^iivi- Itii'tli to II yoiiii^ sciil, »ihI tlien^ wiih Krcut aliiiiiilaiiitt ofinali-N olHiitlkiciit age
to ttfiiiiii yo upon the hrcciliiin ^roiiiDlH tliat \«'ar, as was sliowii liy tlif iiialiility of
lar;;i' iiuiiiliers of tiK'in to Hc<'iire more tliaii one to livt> rows *>Mt'li, wliileqiiittMi iniin-
lit'i- (Miiilil sei'iirt- iioiii- at all. My iiivrHti^atloii i-nntiriiis wiiat has liceii so otteii Hniil
b,v othvrs will) have ru|iort*-(l ii|ioii this siiltjt'ct, an<l tliut is that the I'liWilot' litlaiiils
nn> thit ;;rt<at hrecdiii;; KroiinilH of the fur seals, and tliat th<\v can he reared in^reut
nniiihers on Haid iHlands, an<l at the same time, under wise and JndieionHrestrictionH,
a certain nuniher of male seals can he killed Ironi year to year without injury to the
hree<lin>; herds, and their Hki lis disposed of foreoniniercial purposes, therchy linilding
ii|i and perpetuating; tliis );reat industry iiidetinitely, nn«l tliiis adiliii); to tii<> wealth,
happiness, ami comfort of the civili/ed woild, wliile, on the other hand, if |iehigic
hunting; of this animal is to continue, and the harharous ]iractice of killing the
mother seal with her nnhorn youiiir, or when she is rearing it, is to go on, it will be
Imt a Vi ry short tinx hefore the fur seal will ]iraeticnlly lieconie extinct and this vnl-
iiahle imlnstry will jiass out of existence.

There is the testimoiiyoflwM'iity men who have beeimii tlieseal islands
for years, some of tlieni being boiii anil raise«l there, and several of thent
liavinj:' hatl from fifteen to twenty-live years experience, while every one
of them have been tlireetly interested in the bnsines.s cither for the
(lovernnient or for the lessees, and two of them, at least, are natural-
ists of repute, who could wnt l»e induced under any circumstanees to
vary from the truth and fa<'ts as they tound them.

1 have made the (luotations from the '•(,'a.seof the Unitetl States," as
it was prepared for the Tniti'd States ijounsel before the Tribunal of
Arbitration, and I (;ould quote many others to the same purpose were
it necessary.

IJein;,' personally acquainted with most of the gentlemen named, and
knowinj; the truth of their several statements, I tleeni it quite unneees-
sary to add another name from the scores at hand.

DEAD Pl'l'S.

Assuming then that the "dearth of bulls'' theory has been disproved
and disposed of, we will now take up the subject of dead pn])s on the
islands, and .show that until the work of the pelagic sealer in IJering
Sea became an industry of some importance, dead i»ups by the thousands,
or l)y the acre, were unheard of aiul unknown; but as thepelagie sealing
industry flourished an«l grew, and the fleet of schooners midtiplied and
dtnibled in numbers from year to year, the numL>er of dead pups was
found to increa.sc on the rookeries in the same pr<>portion.

That this ]>n)i)08ition has been, and may still be, denied by the inter-
ested ones; that uumi nniy be tbund who will swear to the contrary is
already conceded by me, for I have met them who did it; but, iu every
instance, they were men who.se whole interest, capital, and labor were
engaged in the business of seal hunting, and who would follow a seal
wherever it went, on land or water, uidess the strong hand of a i)ower
superior to their own intervened to prevent them.

Another class, in whicli are to l>e found men of the highest intelligence
and per.sonal honor, argue that possibly a stanipede or an epidemic, or
something else of which we may not be aware, is at the bottom of the
trouble.

Of the hitter class are the British Bering Sea Commi.ssioners, and I
quote them in full:

(D-MOKTAMTV OF VOUNC, SEALS IX 1891.

341. In the season of 18i)l considerable numbers of dead pnps were found hi certain
places upon the rookery groniuls or in their vicinity and various hyiiotheses were
advanced to account for this nnnsnal mortality. As some of these have special
bearings on the general tiuestiou of seal preservation, it may be well to devote a few
words to this particular subject.

SHALL IFK ON THK IMUHILOF ISLANDS.

:U5. Ill onltT to I'xliiliit tlit* cIk iiiimtaiKi'H Hiiri'itiiniliii}; this tut-t iiimI to iirrive nt u
^rulialile oxpluiiutioii ot itH true intuniiiif, it will In- iintcNMaiy in the IliMt iiiNtaiice
tii give in Hiiiiiiiiaii/cil t'orni tiiu oltHerviitioiia iiikI notes lieuriii^ ii|iuii it iiuiile on tlie
gruiiiiil )i,v onrMt'lves,

346. \\ lii-ii visiting Tolstoi niokcry, St. I'anl iHlitinl, on tli» l'!)tli ot' ilnly, w«
obmM'vcd and I'alli'il attiHition to ho\ era! Iiiinilrcil (lead pup.s wliicli lay Hcatlered
about ill u liiiiittMl art^a v>ii a Nniootli h1o|>c near tbe nitithi'in or in'and eiitl ol' the
rookery Kronnd mid at moiii<- littlu distaix-o Ironi tlie sliore. 'I'lic bodifH wero partly
decoiii]>oHed and appf>ir<<l to have lain wliure lonnd tor a week or iiioru, wliivli would
place tbe actual datt- of ibe dt-utb (d tlio |>MpH, say, li«!tw<M-ii the l.'itb and 20tli of
July. Nidtbe: tlio (ioveriinit.Mt u^rciit who was witb iih. nor the nutivt's forming our
boai'H crew lit tbe tini*-, would at lirst liidittvt' tbat tbe oli.jectH seiMi on tbe roukory
were dead pup»f, allinnin^ that tliey wi-ru stoiifs; but wlicn it liecainci'liMirly apparent
tbat tins was not tbe case tliey could Hii^Ucst as caiisi-s of deatb only overrunning
by IiiiHh or surf aloii;r tiic sliore, iicitber one of wliicb apjiearcd to ns at tbe time to
be HatiHfacttU'y. Mr. I). Wcltstcr, interro^ratcd on tbe subject some dayn later un
St. (ieor^e Island, oD'eicd merely the Hanie su;:KeHtions, hut a few days Htill later,
both whites and natives on tbe islands were fohiid to have developed (piite other
opiiiioiiH and to be reaily to attribute tbe deaths to the operations ot iiela^ic sealerH
killiuK inothera while olt at Hi-a and leading; to the death of pups from starvation
couHn(|ueiit on hiicIi killing;.

347. Helievin); the matter to be one(d' considerable importaiu'e, however, it niiuht
be explained, jtarticiilar attention was ]iaid to it on Hubseipient visits to rookeries.
On tbeHlstof .Inly and the Istof AuKiist the rookeries of St. Cieoi^e were iiis|ieeted,
but no siinilar ai>|)earabces were found, nor was anytbiiiK of the same kind apiin
seen till tbe 4th of August, on Tolavina rookery, St. I'uul Ishind, where, near tbe
Boiitbern extremity of tlie rookery, several hundred dead pups were a;;ain f'viiid by
us, here also covering an area of limited size, which we were able to examine care-
fully without distuibin;:; the breeding; seals. It was estimated tbat tbe jinps here
found had died Itetweeii ten days and two weeks before, which would place the actual
date of death at about tbe same time with that of those tiist rct'erred to.

348. On tbe following day the extensive rookeries of Northeast Point were visited
and examined, but very few <lead jiups were anywhere seen. Mr. Kowler, in charge
of these rookeries for the company, was specially (luestioned on this point, and fully
contirmed tbe negative observations made by ourselves at the time. It may here
be mentioned tbat the viciidty of Nortlieast Point lia<l been tlie principal and only
notable locality from wbiih, u]i to this date, sealing vessels lia<l been sighted in tbe
otting or bad Itecn reported as shooting seals within hearing of the shore.

349. On the l!)tli of August, after a cruise to tbe northward of about a fortnight's
duration, we returned to St. Paul and on the same day revisited Tolstoi rookery.
On this occasion tbe dead pu])s previously noted were still to be seen, but tbe bodies
were flattened out and more or less <overcd witb sand by the continuous movement
of the living seals. There were, however, on and near tbe same place, and particu-
larly near tbe angle between Tolstoi rookery and tbe sands of English Hay, many
m«>re dead pups, larger in size tiian those tirst noted and scarcely distinguishable in
this respect from tbe living pups, which were then "podded out" in great numbers
in the immediate neighborhood. Messrs. Fowler and Murray, who accompanied us
on this occasion, admitted the mortality to be local, and the first-named gentleman
stated that in his long experience he had never seen anything of the kind before, and
suggested tbat tbe mothers from this special locality might have gone to some par-
ticular "feeding bank" and have there been killed together by sea sealers. On the
same dav we visited the Keef rookery again, and a search was made there for dead
pups, which resulted in the discovery of some of approximately tbe same size with
those List mentioned, but probably not more than an eighth, and certainly not more
than one-fourth in number as compared witb the inner end of the Tolstoi rookery
ground, and proportionately in both cases to tbe number of living jmps.

350. While making a third inspection of the St. Paul rookeries m September, on
the 15th of tbat month, the Keef and Northeast Point rookeries were again specially
examined. The rookery ground of the southeastern side of the Reef Point was
carefully inspected, area by area, with tield glasses, from the various rooky points
which overlook it, and from which the wlude tield is visible in detail save certain
narrow, stony slopes close to tbe sea edge, where dead pups might have been hidden
from view among the bowlders. Subsequently, tbe northeastern sloping ground,
named Garbotch on the plans, being at that date merely occupied liy scattered groups
of seals, was walked over. The result of tbe inspection was to show that there were
on the southeast side a few dozen dead pups at the most in sight, while on the oppo-
site side perhaps a hundred in all were found in the area gone over, being, probably,
the same with those seen here the previous month, and in number or contiguity not
in any way comparable with those seen at the inner end of Tolstoi.

351. On tbe same day a final visit was made to the Northeast Point rookeries^ then
in charge of three natives only. Two of these men went over the ground with us

SEAL LIFK ON TIIK PKMUI.lU' ISLANDS.

♦>9

es^ then
with us

ami were i|ticHtioiu)il on varioiH Hiili.jectH, iiiclinliiii;; tli:it of ilciiil piijis, lliroii;;li oiir
AltMit iiiti'iprcti^r. Tln'V would not uiliiiit that tlu-y liail Mct-ii :iii,\ Ki'cat niiinlitM' 4if
(Iciiil |Hi|)H on the nurtheuNt' ]>arl thirt .M-ason, anil liiil not hwux to he in any way
inipD'HMcil with tile idea tiiat thci'r had hci'ii any nnnsual mortality tlii'io. I'hn
j;ioiind to tht^ nortli of llutchiiiHon Mill was, however, carrfnlly t-xamincd liy nft
from tiiu ?«lo|)es of tho hill, and » fmv drad |in|is wi-ru inadit ont thfii'. A;rain. at a
|dai:u to the north of Si>a Lion Neck of tin- phuiM, and Ix-yond tlir sand heath upon
whieh hollnrtchickie ^eni-rally haul out, a slow advanee wiis niadt! amonj; a lar^o
herd of fcnuiles and pnps, tiion;:li jiart of tiiese were neersnarily driven oD' tho
^ronnd in ho doint;. An oceupied area of rookery waH thus walked o\i-r, and tho
dead pnpH wliieh a|ipeare<l at thi.s spot to ))e nnusiialiy almndanl wcreeonnted with
approximate acenraey. A very few were found seatler<!d over tin' general Hurfatru,
Imt on a]i)iroa('hiiitr thu nliore edjrc an area of aliont LM),*MJ() sijuare feet was noted, in
wiiicii ahoiit llin dead pups were assemided. Some of these lay within iiaeh of tho
Hiirf at lii;;h tide. .Most appeared to iiave lieen dead for at least ten days, and HiiV-
eral wore liroken up and mangled hy tiie movement oi' the liviiiij seals on and ahont
them. This particular loeiility showed a greater niimlter of d>'ad pups to area tliaii
any other seen iit this time either on the .Northeast or l{»'ef rookei ies, lint in niimlier
in no respect comiiarahle to that ]>ri^vionsly noted at 'I'tdstoi, or even to that on tho
south part uf l'<davina,

Xt'2. We were informiMl on this our lust vi.sit to the I'riltilof Islands thai siihso-
ipUMit toourdiseovury of andeomments upon the dead pn|>s at the two last-mentioned
places, the attention of Mr. .1. Stanley Mrowu (who was enjfay;ed diiriiij; the snmmor
in making a special examintition of tlie rookeries for the I'nited States (iovernment)
was called to the circumstance, and that he undertook Home further examination of
it, of which the result will no doubt eventually he rendere<l available. 1 >r. Acland,
who bad Just lieen installed ua medical ollicer on .'^t. I'anl, also t(dd lis that In; had,
within a lew days, examined the bodies of six of the pups t'rom 'I'ldstni, and that
though rather too much decomposed for correct auto]isy, he had been unable to lind
any si^^ns of disease, hut that all these examined were very thin and w itliout uod ia
the stoMuichs.

%:t. It imiy be imted here that the carcasses thus examined must hiive been those
of ]nips which had dietl in the month of Se|>tember, or when no sealing' sehjoners
remained in Keriii^ 8ea.

Ii.")(. The body of a jiuit found by nson tin; Northeast rookery on the.'tth of AuKUst,
which was still umlecomposed, was jireserved in alcohol, an<l has sincu; lieen sub-
mitted t<) Dr. A. (innther, F. I{. S., of the Itritish .Mnseinn, who kindly olfered to
make an examination of it. This is qnoted at length in A^tpenilix (D). Tluj stom-
ach was found to contain no food. The body was well nourished, with a fair amount
of fat in the subcutaneous tissue, but no fat about the abtlomiiuil or<;ans. The
lnn;;s and windpipe were found in au intlammatory condition. Kesjiectin^ the actual
cause of death, Dr. (iunther says : *' IJotli the alisence of food as well as the condi-
tion of the respiratory orj^ans are sutlicicnt to account for the death of the animal;
but w Inch of the two was the primary cause, preceding; the other, it is impossible
to say."

!{,"> It would be inap))ropriate here to enter into any len^^theued discussion of the
bearinirs of the above facts on the mellio<ls of sealinji at sea; bi t as. after the ten-
tative adoption of various hypotheses, the mortality of the your.f^ seals was with a
rennirkablo nmmindty attributed to ])el«<{i<' soalinjj by the ^jentlemen in any way
connected with the br(;edin}r islanils, and as it has since been widely and consistently
advertised in the i)res8 as a I'nrther and striking; jiroof of the destructiveness of pela-
j;ic sealin;;, it nniy be |»ermissible to allude to a few cogent reasons, because of
which tlu^ subject seems at least to reijuirt; consideration of a much more careful and
Bearchiu"; kind:

(1) The death of so many yonn^ seals on the islands in lX!tI was wholly excep-
tional ami un)>rccedentcd, and it occurre<l in the very season tlurin;; which, in
accordance with the modus vivendi, every effort was beinji made to drive all pelagic
sealers fnun Herinj; Sea. Those fannliar with the islands were evidently ]>ii//.Ied
and surprised when their attention was first drawn to it, and w ere for some time in
doubt as to what cause it mi<j;ht be attributed.

(L') The ex])Ianation at length very unanimously concurred in by them, viz, that
the young had died because their mothers had been killed at sea. rests wholly upon
the assumjition that each female will suckle only its own young one, an assumption
which ajipears to be at lea.st very doubtful, and which has already been discussed.

{'■<) The mortality was at lirst local, and thougli later a certain number of dead
piips were found on various rookeries examined, nothing of a character comparable
with that on Tolstoi rookery was discovered.

(I) The mortality lirst observed on Tolstoi and Polavina was at too early a date
to enable it to be reasonably exi)lained by the killing of mothers at sea. It occurred,
as alre.idy explained, about the l.'tth or liOth of .Inly, at a time at which, according
to the generally accepted dates as well as our own observations in 1891, the females

I !

M'.M, LiKi: «»N riiK pmmt.oF isi,\m»s.

l»!ul !u>t l>''i:uii to li'.n i> tlii> ■•iiol>«'fi<v» in li*. ■ iit> tiiimlit>i's, nr, wlicn li>:n ill;; iIumii, (o tin
no iiioro iliaa Hwim tvr )>liiy iiIumiI i'Io.>«i< to ilii> nIhmi'. It \\:ts jilmiilx iit'i-ti si|iili-i| tli.'it.
Hrv'iiit ^;i\r^ fln> '.'.'"ill of .liil\ un iIii> o|M'nni<; ul tho |irrioil in wliii'li tlu> iciiiiilfM
!i('^;iM to liMNi- the roiikc) i<>>^. M;i,\li'ivii ^l;ll^s tltul tlii' Ixills. rows, mihI jiiljis i.'illllill
witliiii (III- loiiKiTX limits It) till' H;itiii< i);iir-, \\liil<' 1 IliotI |«l:i«'c>' tliis cliiiii);!' in llli<
rookollt'M )u>t«ri'ii liic«Mnl of .htl\ :inil ll ."illl lUlil Mil ot ' iijjlKt! It m. liiiil't>o\ i>l',
nrUiKiu NmI^i'iI Iiv iIh' li(>><t .iiillioril i«'s tiiMt Ilio diitcH in sc;il lilr upon tin- iHliinilN
h(tvi' .ii<<<onu> liiii'i I MtluM' t li:iii <<tn'lii't' in ri'icnt vcmin, iis <'oiii|i;irf(l willi lliosi> in

wllicll ih<" tl;it<'« ;lliii\ r ritfil w t'li" :|srl:iillt<il . Ill t IliM'ilsc of t lie iIimI Ii oI |iii|is ilftiT
tt)t iiii(lil!i> ol August, it nii<::lit lii> n>\ ,'iiliniNNilili' l-.v|)<it Iii-nis tli.'it tin- niiitlicrs liml
(i(><Mi l\ill> il at s{>:\ iiiiil thai siiliM<'i|iirnt ly to miiiIi Killin;; tlio yotini; iiaii liail tiini' to
Ntiirv i> to ilea til. Iiiit not at il,itr> carlii-r tliaii iIim. Ii tin' |ii-t>H<Mit (■aN<> t In' iiiorl;ility
li<');an ion^ lii'lorc that dali'. ami it .scciih |ivo)iaM<> tinit tin- iIi-diIim wIiIcIi oi i-iiri'i><|
lattM iiiiist I"' «'\i>l,iiin>il li\ ill" siiiu< cause, \\liati-\iM it ni!i\ Iimm' Ihimi, ostcinlitiK
from till- ii)ii;inal localitii". ami lin ;'!;:iiin mni'f L;i'm vai

.■)">(> rill' I aUNi'> to\»lii'li till' iii'Mtalily noti'il may ln< at tiili'it '<l "illi i^icati'Ht.
prolial>ility all' tiio folinwiii^, lint tlii< I'viilnnit git proxi'iit at illNposal Hrarccly ailmitN
of u tirial at t I'l! .itiot) to viiic oi oilii'roi' thi'm. If, Imiwi'Vit, tl.r I'v.iininal ion inailit
1»\ I 'r. Ac III ml ol' M'\ iT.il I'l' the Mri-asm's lir ronsiili'ii'ii hm iiiilirativf ol thi' Mlatf of
tlit> wIio'h", oiii' of till' t « tt lir<t In liUrly to allonl tlir I'oi irrt I'v plana I ion :

((M It i^* wi-li Known that in consi'iiiu'iiii' of tin- ili-cri'axi'il iiiimhrr ot' Killahlos

foiinil oil till' h.'iiilin',; ^I'oiiniN ;n lati' voars it liai* In'i'ii toi'inl m Msaiy to coIIitI.

tl>o»»« I' lose to and I'vi'ii on the < djji'-' of tln» liri'i'diii); lool.crii'H, and t hat it liaH iIiiih
lii'tMi iiitposHildi' to , I void thi' «-i'!li'ftion and dii\ in« to t lir l» illiii<; kioiiiiiIh, with tim
killaldi'M. 1.1 all Mill Is of hi«i»In irit ri'ipiiri'd, iiiclniiiii),' Hi'iciitiliii' iiiiil li'tiiali'M, li is
»Uo ,'v>io«n that tlir driviiii: and killiin; in Ihr early part of tin' season of IM!t| was
jnisii.'d 'villi unwonted energy, taUiiti: into loiisidi'iiii •in the ii'din'ed iinmhiT of
atMtlH, I lid if app -ais to he iinite posihlo that the leinales thus diiveii t'loiii tlii'ir
yo'tnv;, ilioii^li alli'iw .irds tiifiu>d away tVom the killio'^ ;;roiiiiils ivi an cshansttMl
and tlioioiii^hly iiri'ilii'd Mate, nexer .itterwards toiiiid tin ii' way haiK to their oii;;-
inai h;eidiliu plaies. lull either went oil to sea or landoil elsi'wheie. Till' places
wher«' the jiieafe.si niiniln'i' n|' dead pups were liist seen on Tolstoi iiinl I'olaxiiia w«m«(
JiiHt t losi' iVoni the iiiimediate \iciiiity ot which diiM . hoio niost freijin<iilly imido.

(/•» I'lii' .ippearanccs, imlieatiii^ a local lusiiniiiii;; and ;creale,st intensity of iiior-
tiility, with its siil>sei|iient eNlt'tision to greater ai eas. inii^h; re.isoniihly hi- I'vplaiiicil
by ''u.> oriiiina ion and ti ansniissioi! of 'ome disease ol an epid'-itiic ehar.ii'tei .

■,i > The ciriMii>>s|;iiic,.s where the iiiorialit> w as oloerved to he greatest apjuviri'il
to hi> sm h a" io li>< evplicMlde l>y a pan if and stMiiipcdt', w it It co'isei|iient overrunning
of ti'le yoMii;; loit. if so,>ii<li stampedes niiist have occiiired nmre than once. Tliry
>ni;.;lit I'.ot im|iroliatd\ Icive lesiilied troni attempts to collect drives too near tlii<
hn'i'dii!'.'. rookeries.

[<{■ 't i;. eitiiely \xitliiii the lioiiiidH ot' proli:i liility tiiat ( liileiN may have landt'il
Oil at least Tolstoi .ind i'ol.i > ma rookeries wii liont an\ onr upon i he islands liecoming
coLrni/anf ot the fa> t . !'■ malis w oiihl in such a c:is»> he killed in eri'.'iti'si nnnilierx, for
thi'.se oi'ciip\ the s!:itioiis most "asily uol at •'rotii tin' •■easide, .mil (he killlii}; upon
the rookery ;;ioiiiid would also nnuMiidaldv h.i i' reHiilti'd in slumpcdiiiK; lar^i niiiii-
hiTs of sea's of all chissi's. ■. Iit'porl lit' Kniish iU-rinji Sni ('oinininsion«'rs, pp.(il-tM.)

A hfiol' ii'vit'w ot till' ;;nli(Mit piiiiiis of till' (oit's'oiiifj will not !>»> out
of |»!i\<".' Mt tilt' \\r{> 'It tinu'. o\«'ti llioii;:li (In- 'rriltiiiiiil of .Krhiiiiitioii,
ht'foTo wliicli tln'y u is' iMtnsKU'rcd mhI upon wliitli lln>y t'vrted tin
inlliH'iic*' |n'Tlia|i>. i."< in>\\ a tliiiiy: of tin- past.

In .«.»'(' lod .ittl tin'v tell its:

U°r olisi>i\ «<d and called aiictitioii to si'\cral Imndied diMil pups. ' ' Tbo

bod ii's were )i:iitl> decumposed iiml appeared to have l;iiii wneie foiind for a wci'K or
luort'. ■ Neither the ' oi\ el nini'iit a;.eiit who wiis with iis nor the iiali\«'i«

funiiiiit; onr )>iiat'.> crew at li.e time would iit first hclieve thai f he olijects seen on
tin' roiiker\ weri'de.'.d pups, a'lirmiii^ that thi',\ were stones.

Now. all that jM'tMns plain «'iii»iio;li, !mii dofs it iioi .sotind ratlicT Ituli
CToiis, to say flic loasf. win'ii if is a!li');»'il liy any man that a lM»at"s('ivw
of inttivo scalers, wliiisf liii-work is rlic liandliii^ of seals, roiiltl not tell
the (litVefcin'c Ix'tween tin* (Ici-oinposftl fafi'itssot'ii ])iips('al anil it stone,
'wln'ii those vim liail iie\'ev ix'en to the seal islands heioi-e saw the dit'-
rorenei' ;it u K'i"!'*'' 1 he I'lniiinissioiiers eontinne:

rill* Todies vverr paitl,' iK ruininmeil and iipju'uti'd to h.kvo lain wiuic lonnd fur a
week oi iiioro.

SKAL 1,11 I'. ON TIIK n."' I,0|' IKI.AMiH.

!)«> out

I'lition,

i-iod ail

To iinyoiic not Unowiii;; tlio rnil roiuiitioiiH cNislin^ at Tol.st«ii rooUcry
oil tliat |iarti<-iilat' 2!Mli olMiily. tliti wonis i|iioI<mI would iMi|>i.\ that tlii)
iiH'ii \v!io "lomul" tin' ImmIh's of Mm- "(It'coiiiposotl |mi|>n" wvrt' walking;
around on tlir rookery, liiit the truth is we did n«il hind on Tolstoi rook-
vry at all during; llut 21Mh of dnly, nor did wr liiid any dead pups that
had Ix'cn lyin;4 tlnMo for a week or more, nor did we lind any.

As I v.as the (■ovrriniK'nt a^etit who aeeonipanied the eoniinissioners
and was in ehar^'e of ihe iioat's <-rew of natives, I atlirni that we sailed
fntni the villa;;e Jandin;; to /apadiiio or Southwest l>ay, where we
laiidrd and walked on the rookery without seeing any tiead pups; and
alter'vards we sailed from /apadiiie and follovved the trend of tlieshoro
all aroaiid l</ii;;lisli Hay and over to Ttdsloi, without makin<; a landin;^
till we arrived home at Ihe village. It was while we were passin;; Tol
sloi someone asked the <|iieslion, '*\Vliat is thiit n|t there on Ihe side-
hill!" Kield {glasses wen^ used l»y several of the men, and some said
the oltjects pointed at were dead seals, some said 'Miead pnps," and some
elaim«'(l they were not eerlain whether they were Ixuies oi' roeks.

I^et it he Itonie in mind that >ve were lotd;in;; at a vers steep hill,
Itroken anti roeky; that we wert ir.nn LMHt to .'itHi yards out from land,
and ill a hoat tli^t was on a ehoppy sea, and therefore in eonstant
niotioii, and it will lie readily understood why the native sealers went
so dull ahoiit dead pups on 'i'olstoi rookery.

In sj'clion .*.'!*.> they tell us that —

On III)' Itllli III' AiiKiiHt ' * ' w<t n^tnriMMl to St.. I'liiil, luid oii iIiohuiim- day
i,'('vi>>itril TolNiiii ruoKi'i'v. * ' ' .MrNHt'N. I'nw In- imkI Miiriay, \\ Im arciiiii|iiiiii)Ml
iiH on iIiIh iirt'aHioii. atlinil Icii tin- iiioilality l<> '••' NmmI, and tin- liiHt iianii'd ^nitlr-
niaii Htaliil tliat in Ills lon^ i>n|i('| iriicf lit- had ti*>viT hitii hiivIIiiii^ <d' llic kind
iicl'iiii'. and sii;;t>i'Nti'd Unit tlic inidlnTH litnii tlii.s N|M«<'ial Iticajity mi;; III liiiv <i •^oiu- to
Moiiif |iariiriilar ''I'rfdin;; ItanU" and have I n IuIIimI to^rtliiT l»y mch hhuIi'Ih.

Without attempting; to eiitei iiito an ar;;unieiit of what we artiially
saw and said thai day on Tolsl(«i rookery, I will say that it is true we,
!'"owler, Murray, and Marnes, were astonished at the niiiiil»er of dead
pii|is we Iteheld. a niimlier far exet'edin^; aiiytliiiitf we had ever seen
heloie, and it was in that spirit of astoiiishmeiil that Mi. I'owlei said
lie never saw the like, meaniii};' that he iie\<'r saw so niaiiy at one time,
wliifli is very easily aeeoiinted for now Ity the well known fael that in
no year previous to is*t| were so many seals killed and taken hy pela;;ie
.sealers, as may l>(>s(*<>n by a reference to the following; tahle:

I'uhli iif iiiliifiii- riilrli Iriiill /Si:s li> IS.H, lio'i iiiiliisivf, J'ruiii lln luxl utillmiilifH iiinl
MDiiriTM of int'oniiulfiiii, n-rhiil mnl rnrnrliil hi ihih.

illl

1^9

! Ii

Til.'
« I'i'U or
iiativ t's
Hi>cn on

■I Illdi
"> erew
not tell
I stone,
lie dif-

IXflll

1 rlir.

iiiiiliir

»,:i!T
1. ;:i(l

M. IIHII

III. Illl

r>, mill
:>. 'J'.Mi
:., 8t:i

V.;ll.

IMTfi

IHTfl

NllllllM't

.'i. ii;i:i

IHTli

1M77

."> •-'Ill

IHTI.

IK7H

IMTU

INHU

.'i .'ill

IKT'J

IK73

t* 'ijii

IKTl

:;.

IKMI

10, ;iHj

V.ar.

IKK'.'

Imh;i

IMM4
lHM.'i
I HUH
\Hl<7
IHMH

N imhIm I

l.-.,.v,i

1)1 riH.'!

17, 1h:i
'.'i.imii

:iH !MI4
Ml. Il-.'M

•.;<(, 111. 'i

V.iir.

IHMII
IK'.NI
iHtll
l.llf.'
I Mil
l-'.M

.Viiiiilii'i.

i:i, I '.H
.'.LhU
IKI. 7mH
7.1, ;iU4
loll IKNI
142. IIUU

The it'iil number taken in isDI was 78,1100, hut only tliose actually
iMihi ill |,ondoii iire eoiintetl here, and, as thtu'e is iiodoiiht that from 80
to '.10 per cent of the total catch weie female seals, it is not to lai won
dered at that from i:o,tMM» to .UijOOO pups were found deml on tlie rook-
tMies in the tall of tluit year.

K ■

SKAL LIFE ON TMK PKIMILoF ISLANDS,

What .Mr. Miinav did »s»,v on tkM<t memorable ll»tli of Aujjiist, 1891,
is a matter of r»Mu>rd. uh foll^i-ws:

A<'Coin]((niif<l liy Ayoiil HiirnKH. Mr. Ftiwl*^ «JS ffc* Xortli Aincrirmi Coiniiicrciitl
Coiii)>uii.v, ami l)V the llritisii ronnniHHiDiitM'.'-. I vi«it>-r| 'I'oJMtoi ronkriy on VniriiHt 10,
aisd \\<' roiiiiil tlioiiMuiMlH of ili-ail |>ii)tf . foviM'iii;; A H|iac«^ iit' ultoiit .'i acros, anil thoir
iiiotlici's Iiu<| iiisa|i|it^ai'ril. I >i'. I )a\\ •*Hi. iiiio i*t' tlif i-'DiiiiiiiHHioiiei's, took koilak vicWH
of tlif |iliir<> auil '.' Ik'I) lit* a^koil ww what I tlii>n;rl>>f wjm Ww. canst- of thfir dratii, I
anHWiTcil. "Ttieir iiuitlicrs liavf Ixivn killi-il at sci»

Since I \fA St. I'anI Islanil I have ivurix »•(! a ••Miw from .\;:i'ht llarnes, in which
he .sa>H: " ^ on itMnt'inlttM' tlic .i|i|><-aranrr- <>(' 'I'oNi.h ' viHitt-il Hallway I'oint ahtiig
witli .Mr-. I'owliT aJi<l fniiiid the .^aini' rttati- «f att'Mtt'-H. i<<e wornc: i«uil tlioKc who liave
het'ii to NortiieaHf I'liiit .-Jav it \v. Ktill wornc tlnTc '

Hrai'iii^ in mind tliat NortheaHt I'oin' iit tW \\\.\-'^»X rookerv in tii<' world, it ih uo
«*xiiKjii-raiion In -av tii.it 1.>»<1 w t-en :!n,(MMi mmX .«w.(XHt |,>ii|»k ,ir«* lyiiiu dt-.id at St. I'aul
IhIhikI wIiohc niotliers vv,.|v Hl;iiijfht«M.«d l<y m'jrfawf.'; (♦••'••tooncin in x\w 'tyt-w sea antl the
pnjm left to Htarvc ii|ioti 'lie f'.okrTic.H.

The tlitioFN III' an (ifra^io! -^i <'|iid*'niir anion;; the t«>»nlK ii.i.- Ii^rii WxtachtMl, aud
plaii^ildt' arv''iiiiu'iitii ailvan<'i'r ,1 |»ro- •• thai tin' dei r««as»' m -n'ai il'c.an 'm arr()nnted
for witlioiit iiluinlii'.; the He^liii;,- •<-lioon<>rs Itiit as the ' i>l«lehr inn;*l>irant " on the
islands lian no n-i nlioctioii of mi I'liiii of tin' Kort. aii«l in< »»ii oii*- f\<^ w,\\\ a do/an
dead rows on luy rooki-ry, it - .••''. to Na\ iIhtc is no foniMatiof* l»<r or truth in
the eiiiiloniic tli^-oiy. i.Ninriay- tbfj^wt, IWM, Senate Kx. Luk-. Xi». 1**;, lifty-»ec-
•iid Con^reHM. Merond HesHion.i

It tlof.-< ii«»» sctMiJ po.ssiblc rliaf lit«» jMM'.soii who wrote in f>*^ the n'port
lro*ii wliicli thi' fori'tjdiiifj has Im'ph ropi«'fl could havi- ■■ .Kl'iiiittfd tlio
inortrtlity to he hu-al,'' and, as a nva'tt^r of fart, iw nrver t+id. ih» the
contrary, ln'catisc of ii thirty inonth.s' confimnHis r«'sid«'nr«'on IIm' iKlMids
and a personal a('<|uaintance and very intimate and iriendly i^^atiMis
with every person on hoth. 1 was well aware of the •,%\<iVi\vjs\ iner«»i«ie of
dead pups on the ro(>keiies from tiie time (d"the lirst contlrnu'd sMmk
a^i' of the seal herd in lS.H«i. 'IMiai I lie terrible sifjht whieh met "^mir
ga/e on Tolstoi rookny shonhl have eaus«'d e\«'laniation.^ ot sMrpi'*«r
from all of ns, who knew its leal nieanini.. is not to lie wmi'leicd at, i
think, for the starved ca ••asse- eniphasi/wl the faet tinit in spit>' of
the etfoitis of the ri»M'ts of the I uiti-d Star«'s aiid of (Ireat lirita.n. t»i#
pelajfie sealers' deadly work wa^ heiiiir di»tie w.th aw eneijiy and sue
cess beymnl all pnT«'diiiy sea.s4rfis. :ind '^lial unU-** .'OMiiie other mode of
protection euidd t;«* devj-s^-H hy riie uatums dirertly interested the seal
herd would .soon b«- aiinnk^latfd.

In MM'tion ;W»'J tilt' ♦•<»mn.»<.sioner;« say:

l>r. Ai'laiid. who had Jiini lieen iMHtulled a* iitt-dical olhet-r on Kt. I'aul, aliMt told im
that lie had \\itliin a few da . •< i'\»iiiiiii"! tli*- (todies of sii <«f the y^\»* froin lolstoj-
* ■ * he had Ueeti nnalije t-. (in«< an,\ Wjfiic of ilineitMr !»iit fliut «II tiuMe examined
were very thin a' il without fo<.»' ■ •'■• -'..inaelis.

Dr. Akerly it was who v i he rooki'i i*»«!i tv^A (•\i4Hiii«#*l tb** deH4i

pups, and whosr attid;«vit will t>e C»iind in tlii^ \j'|H'ndix.
ComiiuMitin^ tni section L*.">"i. they »'siy :

(li Tile death of so many yoiihu ■>ea)s on tlie islands in ■">) ^ ih u iiully e\re))tionttl
and iin|H'eeedented, ami il lici'iured in the very season wlii< ii m aerortlanee with the
modus vi\eiidi. every ellort was Weino iniide to drixi' all ih-I.ij^- ■<ealers Iroin Itering
Sea. Those familiar with the islands were evideiitl\ jin//lei' w n' snr|iriwil when
their attention was tlrstr drawn to it, and weie for some time it^ donl>t an to what
cause it mt^;ht lie attrilmted.

It is trtie we were rather aslonisin •' at fhe mimher ol dead pups oa
the rookeiies, and bciner ,iware "that every etlbrl wa* bcin;; niatle to
prevent pcla;ii<'. sealiny;," we were puzzled t«» aceoiint foi it at the time,
for we knew of no cause other tlmii the killinj,ifof the females at sea by
which it coiihl be ae<-ountcd fwr.

Hub.st>(|iient'y, however, we learned of th** iinprccedeided catch imido
that season by the sealing' fleet, and, naturally, we eonchided that our

SEAI, LIFE ON THE I'RIIIILOF ISLANDS.

tciid

■|>t loiial
itii the
r.'Tiiig
I wlicn

Ii> VVlllit

iips «>n

l(l(* to

' tiiiM%
sea by

iiiiuie
lit our

conjeftures were con tinned. Xor have I had any infornnition since
suliiciently reliable to cause a ('Ininj^e of opinion.

(3) rii*' mortality waHiit lirHt lucal, aiitl thou^li hiteracertaii) luiiiilierof tiead )Mips
wurc louiiil iit varioiiH rookorifa isxainiiieit, iiotliiug of a iliaracter coinparablo with
that oil Tolstoi I'ooki^ry watt diHcovernd.

Treasury A ;;ent l>arnes, wiio was «)n St. Paul Island lonj; sifter the
«-i)iiiniissioii(>rs h>ft in the fall, is uiyauthoiity for sayin;>' that the'' same
state of affairs or worse was found later on i'olavina and on Northeast
lNtint,"the two rookeries visitetl by him.

I 1 1 'rh<> inortality lirst ohscrved on Tolstoi ami I'ohivina was at too <;arlv a ilatr to

oiiiihir it to lie I'faHoiialily t'xiilaiiivil by the killing; ot' iiiuthtTH at Hen. It orciii'i'i'd,

as iilrvaily cNiilaiiD'il, about tlitt I'lth or L'Olh of .Inly, at a time at whii'li, according

^ to the ^ii'iicraily accc'iilfd ilatcs, as wt'll aM our own olisrrvatioMw in 1H!(1, the females

S[ had not lii'jj;iin to leave tlie rookeries in lary;e nninbers. or wlieii leaviiifj them, to do

' more than swim or play about elose to the shore.

As already shown, there were no dead pu|>s seen — most certiiinly
notliin^ worth noting — until August 11^

As the c(>minissiotu;rs did init land on either of the seal islands till

I the liitter end of tJt ly — about the 2Mth, if I remember rioiitly— I <*au

not see how they could Imve per.sonally observed the mo\ euu'uts of the

lemales oi the condition of the bree<liii}'};rounds about the l."»th or 20th

of .lidy.

Sertiiin :>.">)>. I'll It is well known that in i'onsei|iien('e of the decreased nninber of
killaldt's I'ciiind on th<' lianlin;r ;.;roniids in late xears, it has been found necessary to
collect these close to and even on the ed;;cH of the brcediiiH; rookeries.

It is ,'i]so known that the <liiviii<; and killinu in the early part (d' the season of
l.yil was jnishcd with niiwontcd ener;{y, ' " " and it appears to b(> <|uitc possi-
ble th.'it the I'eniaies thus driven from their .\oun;;, thoMKli afterwards tiiriii'd awiiy
from the kiliiii}; }rron>uls in an exhiiiisted and tlioron^hlv territied stiite, never after-
wai'ds foiMid their w.ty liaek to their <M'i;<:inal breeding; places, but either \veiit olf to
se;t or landed elsewhere The pbn t's where the y;realeMt nnniber of deail pups were
lirst seen on I'olstoi and '" davina were just those from the immediate viri;iity of
whicii drives were most l'rei|i.cntly made.

The readin;; of the above (|Uotation stajij^ers one who ever had expe-
rience on a rookery or a killiu}; };roun<l.

The "it is well known." is surely iinw(Hthy of the commissioners.

VVIiicii of the men on the islands ever said such ti thinjif Whoever
said that seals were colh'cted close up to the breedino' ffroiinds? No
nuui who ever made a drive or saw one made. VV^ho is responsible for
the story of the driviiiff of feniides in the early pint of the .season of
1S!»I ,' No .sealer, of course, It f he woul'.l know that there are no fenudes
on the rookeries in the etirly |>art of the season.

The commissioners found ni')r<> dead p>ips on 'Tolstoi than on iiny
other rookery, iind they einlcavtu' to show that collectiii};' aud driviiifj
of seals from near the breedinj; rookeries and the coiiseipient taking of
Home females or the disturbance ot the lu'rds caused the death of the
]m|)s.

riic island reitords of all the tliives made on St. I'aul Islatid in IH!U
are ai iiaml, and I will produce a c«»py for tin- purpose of showinjf that
»»o drives whatever were made from either Tolstoi or INdavina diirinf.(
Mfe year ISiH !

Ami y(>t the commissiuners, who were supposed to make an impartitil
report, say:

I lie placcK whertf the fjreiitest iniiuber of di-ad pupn were liint seen on Tidstid aiul
l'olu\ iua were jiiHt tliom) from the inimediale vicinity of wliieh drivi-s were inoHt
frei|uently mudw.

The fact [■i, aH nuiy be seen liy consulting the records for IH'tiMM, in
the Appendix, that no drives were made from I'olaviini since .luly 13,

\ \

M S '

S i

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

nor from Tolstoi since July 20, 1800; so that, instead of being the
places most driven from, they are the places not driven from at all in
1891.

The following table, from the oflicial records of the Treasury Depart-
ment, gives all of the killings for food and for skins (quota and modus
Vivendi) from the close of the season July 20, 18JM>, to the close of the
season August 10, 1891:

Uste.

l«i>0.

July 28

AiiK. 5

K«M)kor»'.

Liikiiniiiin.

K«'.f

Ijiikaiinon.

Sepl

Oct.

Nov.
Dec.

:tii

i:t

22
2U

4
14
22
21t
14

<!•>

I.iikaiiiioii .
.1... ...

Middli'llill.

I.iikiiiiiinn. .

Mi<l>!lili.

Ki'«'

<|o.
ilo.

f...

1801.
Muj 15

Kot'f.

Junit

.Iiilv

Aiiji.

29
4
11
II
12

I a
la

15
Iti
17

18
20
25
28

i:t

15
21

.*)

Ill

.<lo.

/Hptiiliiic

/apiitliiit- iinil Ueef.
Nortlit'iiHl I'oiiit...

/u|iiiiliii<)

Noitlii'nHt I'oint...

Miililh-lliil

Niii'tliciml Point...
Kief..

SlllltllWVNl

l!...f

Miihllollill
Jtuut

H»y

ilo

.... ilo

<lo

I.iikiiiiiiiiii

.Miilillrllill

.... <lo

Hecf

Norllifimt I'liint.

l.iiKiiniioii

Total .

SenlR
killtMl.

Kt'inarka.

120

For IoimI.

1 2a

I to.

12 1

Do.

155

Do.

IIU

Do.

IIU

Do.

KIU

Do.

10!)

Do.

114

Do.

ia4

Do.

■-•55

Do.

28a

Do.

2aa

For I'ood.

114

Do.

40.1

Do.

718

Quota.

1.112

Do.

428

Do.

4ao

Do.

2a2

Do.

8(Ui

Modus vivondi.

842

Do.

ISO

no.

1,027

Do.

ll»

Do.

215

Do.

400

Do.

100

Do.

121

Du.

122

Do.

178

IJo.

248

Do.

407

Do.

IllO

Do.

10,805

Surely this is sunicient to convince every reasonable mini that instead
of impartially iiupiirin^ intt) the causes of the decrease of the seal lu'id
and the best possible metlMMl of prottTtion, as was originally intended,
the commissioners have endeavon'd to screen the re.sult of the work of
the i»elagic scaler by mauing statements aboi;t tlrives, stampedes, and
epidemics on tiie islands wluch the facts do not warrant.

In another (;iiapfer will be found tpiotaiions, b(>aring on this phase
of the case, from tiu> argument of Hnitetl States counsel before the Tri-
bunal of Arbitration, to which I respectfully <!all the most earnest atten-
tion.

In ortltM' to show that the ''deadpuj)" problem was not a new thing
on the ishimls before the Britisii commissioners "discovered'' it in
ISJM. 1 (|iiotc from the testimony of intelligent native chiefs and scalers
and of many agents of the Gtivernment and of t he lessees, who have had
many years" exjierience on the seal islands, iiiid they are unanimous in
saying that prt^vioiis to ISS] tiK.re were practically no dead pups tf be
seen on the rookeries; agents who were on the ishiiid". previous to 1884

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

r t

; atteii-

saw but tew or none. That, although there were some few ihowued in
the surf (luriufjf lieavy wind storms, or trampled to death occasionally
by the ti;;iitinf; bulls, it was uot until the pelagic sealer appeared in
Bering Sea that dead pups were found by hundreds and by th()usaiuls
and sometimes by tiie acre.

DEAD VVVi< «»N THE KOOKEUIES.

Dead pups, \vhi(;Ii Heeiiieil to have starved tu doutli, frrow very iiunieroiia uii the
rookeries these hitter years, and I noticed \vii(!ii driving the hjielielor seal for killing,
as we started tlieiii up from the heaeh, thai iiiiiiiy siiiaM pups, half starved, appareiitl^v
iiiothei'lesH, had wandered away fr4»ni the lireeilMi>j grounds and lieeonie, mixed witli
the kiUalde seals. The n:itiveH called my attention to these waifs, saying that it <lid
uot use to lie so, antl that tlie mothers were dead, otherwise tliey wonid he n])on the
hretMlinj; j;round8. (II. N. Clark, lessees' ajjent.)

There were a ffood many dead pnps on the rookeries every ye!<r 1 was on the island,
anil they seemed to grow more niiineroiis from year to ye.ir, lecanse the rookeries
were ali the tinwi growing; smaller, and the dead pnps in the letter years were more
numerous in ])roportion to the live ones. (Alex, llansson, sealer.)

The sejils were apparently srbjeet to no tliseases; the pups v.ere always fat and
healthy, the daail one.s very raioly seen on or abont the rookeiie-t prior to IMSl. I'pon
my return to tiie islands in IHStt I was told by my assistants a id the natives that a
very liiri^e number of ]iiips had perished the preceding; soastin, :: pitrt of tlieni dyin^
upon the isliindsantl others lieinjj washed iishore, all seeming to lia\c stiirved tode.ith.
The same tliin<j; oceiirred ii; 1S86 and in e.ith of the followin<; vesirs to and ineliidiiiK
18S!t. Even before 1 left the islands, in AiiKust, 188t), I8S7. and IHHH, I saw hundreds
of lialf-starv(;d, bleatii><;, emaciiite<l pujis wiindtM'iu); aiinlesslv about in searcdi of
their diims, and presenting; a most pitiable sippearunee. (H. II. .Mclntyre, ;j;enei'al
maiiii};er, )

Hut fu' t'- eiime under my observation that noou led me to what I believi> to lie the
true ciiiist f destruetion. Tor iiistanre, during the period of my residence on St.
George Island, down to the year 1SS4, there was always a nunilxM- <if dead j/ups, the
number of which I can not K've exactly, as it varied from year to year and was
depemleut upon accidents or tint de^lructiveness of storms. Vtiun^ seals do not know
how to s«ini at birth, nor do Miev learn how for six weeks or two months alter
birth, aiul thei'clbre jire at the mercy of the waves dnrin^ stormy weather. Hut i'rom
the year ISSI down to the period when I left St. (Jeoif^e Island there was a marked
increase in the number of dead |inps. amounting;, perliaps. to a treblin;; of tiie niiiii-
bers observed in (oriner years, so tliat I would estimate ihi iiiimlier of dead pnps in
th" year IHK7 at about r),(i;i(i or 7,iKi(i as a luaxiiunm.

Dnriiii;' my last two or three vcars I also noticed amoui; the numbi'i- of dea<l
jiups an increased.' at le,. it 7(1 iiei- cent of those which -Acre emaciated and jioor,
and ill my jud<;iucnt they died from want of nourishment, their luntliers liavin<.; been
killed while away from tli(> islainl reetliujr, liecaiise it is a fact that pups drowned
or killcii by aci'ideiits w«'ic most iiiv iiriably fat. LiMiiiin;; luither, thruujrh llu^ Lon-
don sales, of the increase in the pi'laiiic seallnjj, it became my linn i'onvi<'tioii that the
constant increase iii the iiiiiiibcr nl dead jiiips and the decrease in the number of
marKctaiilc .seals and lireedin;j; rei!i:ii«'s found on the islaiid-i dniipj; the years \XH't,
iXHii. ami IJ<S7 were cauKtii liy till' ili-Ntnict ion of female seals ill the open sea, either
belori' II!' altei- i^iviiiu biitli to tlif [nips. Tlie mother seals ^o to leedins;- jiroiinds
disiiint tVoni the islands, and I ran unlv accfnint lor tlu' iiniiilierof stnived pups by
Hii|ipoMiiiu that their mothers arc kiileil while fecdinj;. i T. I'. Mor>iaii, l<!sseis'ancnt »

TIMK (iK Ari'EAUANCE )E D1;AI> IM I'S.

'i'lie lii.isof lilVof pup seals on the rookeries lip to about iSSIiii' \HH't was iiimp.ir-)-
tively slight, anil wuw y,euerall> attrilmifd to the diatli of the inother seal IVi'ni
natural causes or from their natural enemieM in the water, or, as sometimes ha:>
pened, sudden storms with lie,i\y surfs lolliiin in frnui certain diiections onto the

bi liii;.: iiiokerii^s; but never at an\ time would a sutilcient nuniliei' of pups be

killed III make it the.siibiect of special comment either aiiionj; the natives ni the
eniploviM's of tint oomiian\ . (W. S. Ileii't'iird. M. It.. rcHideiit nlivsician i

"'"' .■•■«... ii. .i...-. •• f^ .... —

S. lleirfiird, M. !•., resident physician )

iippeari'd in Herinjr i^ea.

Hetweeii 1H7I and ISHS prei'iatory vcshcIs occasioiially appeari>d in Herinjr Sea,
ainoiiH; them the t'l/iiii,! iu 1H7I and ihe »/»• /'ic./i> in IK7»i, but the whole iminber of
seals destroyed by such vessels w as small, and had no appreciable ell'cci upon the

l(ii

if, 4
if
I-

!" t

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHIEOF ISLANDS.

rookeries. In 1881 about 4,()00 NkiiiH wcro tukoii in Hcriuf; Sea 1>y three veNHels, and
Htarvcil ])ii|m wdiu noticn<l upon tlie iHlands thiit year tor the first time. In 1885
about 10,U(I0 skiuH won- taken in thic sea, and the dead )>u|ih u)>on the rookeries
became ho numcrouH nn to evoke eoi'iwient from the natives and others u])ou the
iahinds. (II. li. Mdntyre.)

NO ItEAl) ITl'S PRIOR TO 18HJ.

Poaehin^; in Merinfj Se:i liail not hejiun in Hiose years (from IWiW to IKTtit, and it
was a rare tliiii<; to lind a dead pu]) iilmnt the shores or on the rookeritts, I had
fre<)ueiit oeeaHion, alter the eiose of the hrecdinn sea>*on, to \ isit all p.-nts of the
iBland, and tliere was no a))p<^araiiee of ^annt or starved seals. Occasionally a dead
pup was found that had been crushed to death by the bulls in their encounters with
eadi other. ((Jeor^e |{. .Vilaiim, lessecH' ayent. )

A dead pu)> was rarely .seen, the <lead bein^ a snuill fraction of 1 per cent to the
whole number of pups. I do imt think while I was there I saw in any one season 50
dead pups on the mokeries, and the majority of dea<l ]>U)is were along the shore,
having been killed by the surf. (Charles Itryant, Treasury agtMit.)

There were not, in IJ^SO, sulli'lent dead pui)s scattered ov«>r the rookeries to attract
attention or to form a feature on t'le rookery. (W. 11. Dall, naturalist.)

I>urin<r the time 1 was cui the islands I only saw a very few dead pups on the
rookeries, but the number in 1HS4 was slightly more than in former years. I never
noticed or examined dead pups on the rookiaies before 18SI, the number being so
small. (II. .\. (ilidilen. Treasury agent.)

In jterforming my ollicial duty I frei|uently visited the breeding rookeries, and
during my entire stay on the island I never saw more than 100 dead pu)is on all the
ntokeries. (Eoiiis Kininwl, Treasury agent, 1882-Ki. )

I uever saw but a few dead pups on the rookeries until the vhooners eanie into
the sea ami shot the cov.s when they went out to feed, anil toen the dead pups
b«>gan to increase on the rookeries. (Nicoli Krukotf, nati\e chief, St. Paul Islaiul.)

I am informed that of lute years thousands of yiuing ]Mips have died lui the islands
while the season was in progress. Certainly such condition did not exist during my
residence on the Pribilof grou)i. The pu)>s were sometimes tram|)led u])on by the
larger animals, and dead ones might be seen here and there on the rookeries; but
the loss in this particular was never enough or important enough to «;xvite any
special conuuent. (.1. M. Morton, Treasury agent, 1877-78.)

Never while I was (m St. (Jeorge Island did 1 see a dead pup on the ro(d<erieB, and
I certainly should have noticed if there had been any number on the island. (U. F.
Scribner, Treasury agent. 187!t-SO.)

\Vhili> I WHS on the island I nevt^r saw more than _.'> dead jiups on the rookeries
during any one season. I have seen occMsionally a dead one anumg the bowlders
along the sluuu, wliiili had prolialdv been Killed l>y the surf ; but these dead pups
were in no instance emaciated. ((ie<u'ge Wardnian, 'Tri'asury agent, 1KH1-1S8."». )

While on St. iieorge Island there were iiractically no dciid pups on the rookeries.
I do not think I saw during any luie season more than a do/eii. < )n St. Paul Islaiul
I never saw any dead pu|)s to amtmiit to an.s thing until ISNl, and then the number
was <|uite noticeable. (.1, 11. MoultiMi. 'Treasury agent.)

MMItEK OK DK.Vr- ITPS IN 18!>l.

Out' thing which attractetl my attentitm w:m the immense number of dead \ouug
seals; another was tlie prcscnor oi (juitea iiiimliei ot \oiing seals on all the rook-
eries in an emaciated and apii.ireuth very we;ik ciuiditiiui. I was rcijuested l»y the
(Jovernment !iy:ent to cxaiiiim- sdine of iln carcasses fur tlic puri>iise of determining
the cause or 1 auses of tlwir dc;iili. I visited ami wiilked overall the ronkt-ries. On
all. dead seals were to l)e fouml in ^reat numbers. Their number was more apparent
on those rooktiies, sncli av Tidstol and Halfway Point, the water sidesof wliicli wero
on smoolli ground, and the evci-oiild glame over patcln-s of gnmnd hundreds of feet
in extent which were lhii'kl\ strewn with carrasses,

Where the water side of flic rookeries, ,is at N(Utliwest Point and the re(>i" (south
of the village), were on rock v ground the immense number of dead was not so ap-
parent, but a closer examination show«'d that ilic dead were there in eijually great
numbers scattereil anion;; the rocks. In some localities the ground was so thickly
Strewn with the tlead that one hatl to pick his way larefully in order to avoid step-

SEAL LIFE ON THK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

fpssoIh, and
H'. In 1885
le rookeries
VH iipou tiie

X7H1, and it
ios. I had
tiirtK of the
tally a d<'ad
iinterH with

cent to the

10 Hcamtn 50

the shore,

■s to iittrai't

npn «in the
H. I never
icr lieiuK so

keries, and
s on all the

s canw! into

dead ])np8

ml Island.)

the islands
during my
pon by the
iurii'H; but
■xfite any

kirifs, and
id. (M. F.

rookeries

e bowlders

lead )inpH

IW."..)

rookeries,
ml Island
lie number

ad voiinK
till' rook-

hd liy the
teniiininK

eries. On
I a])|iarent
liitli were

cdN of feet

eei' (south
not so ap-
all.v K'"'!'*
so tliirkly
\ oid step-

ping on the carcasses. The great mass of dead in all easeh was within a short dis-
tanee of the water's edge. The patches of dva<l would roinnienee at the water's edge
and stretch in a wide swath up into the rookery, .\uioiig the immense masses of
dead were seldom to be found the carcasses of full-grown seals, but the carcasses
were those of pups, or young seals boru that year. 1 can give no idea of the exact
Quniber of dead, but 1 belie>'e that they could only be numbered by the thouaands
on (;acli rookery. Along the water's edge and scattered auuing the dead were ipiite
a number of live j'up^i wiiiili were in an emaciated condition. Many had hardly the
strength to drag themselves out of one's way ; thus contrasting strongly, both in
appearance ami actions, with the plump conditi(Ui and active, aggressive conduct of
the healthy appearing pups. (.1. C. S. Akerly, .M. I)., resident pliysician.)

In the latter ])art of July, 18!)1, my attention was called to a source of waste, the
etllciency of which was most startliugly illustrated. In my conversatiosA with the
n^'Mves 1 had learned that dead pups had been seen upon the rookeries in the ]iast
fiM> years in such numlxM's as to cause much concern. In the ndddle of .inly they
pointed out to nie here and there dead pups and othtirs so weak and emaciated that
their death was but a matter of a few days. Ity the time the Hritish commissioners
arrived the dead pups were in sutlicient abnndaute to attra<;t their attention, and
they are, I Relieve, under the impression that they lirst discovere<l them.

Hy the latter part of August «leaths were rare, the mortality having pra<tically
ceased. .\n examination of ):<■ warning lists of the coml)ined tieets of hritish and
American > misers wi*' dio y that before the middle <d' August the last sealing
schooner s-as sent out of Itering Sea. These vessels had entereil the sea about .Inly
1 and had done much effective work by .Mily l-'i. The mortality among the pups and
its cessation is synchronous with thcseuling fleet's arrival and departure from Mering
Sea.

There are several of the rookeries upon which level areas are so disposed as to be
seen by the eye at a ^liince. In Septeudier Dr. Akerly and I walked directly across
the rookery of Tolstoi, St. i'aul, an<l in addition to the dead pups in sight, they lay
in groups of from three to a do/en among the ol)a(;uring rucks on the hillside. From
a (^arefK' examination of every rookery u]i()n the two islands ma<le liy me in August
and SepteMdier, I place the minimum estimate of the dead pujts to be i.'i,«HK). and that
some nuiuher bt^tweeu that and HD.OOt) would represent more nearly a true statement
of the tacts. (J. Stauley-Hrown, Treasury agent, 18!ll-!(2. )

No mention was ever nuide of any unusual number of dead pujis upon the rookeries
having been noticed at any time prior to my visit in IK70, but when I again visited the
islands in I81N), I found it a subject of much solicitude by those interested in the per-
]>etuati()n, and in 1891 it had assnmiid such proportions as to cause serious alarm.
The natives making the drives tirst dis<'overed this trouble, then special agents took
note, and later on 1 think almost everyone who was allowed to visit the rookeries
could not close their eyes or nostrils to the great numbers of <lead pups to be seen on
all sides. In company with Special Agent Murray, Captain Hooper, and I'^ngiiieer
Brerton, of tin; Corwin, I visited the Keef and (iarbotcli rookeries, St. I'aul Island, ia
/'ignst, 18!)1, and saw one of the most pitiable siglils that I have liver witnessed.
Thousands of dead an«l dying pups were scattered o\ er the rookeries, while the shores
were lined with emaciated, hungry little fellows, with their eyes turned toward the
sea utterinjj; plaintive cries for uieir mothers, which were destined never to return.
Nniiibcrs ot them were o))enod, their stomachs examined, and the fact revealed that
starvatian was the cause of death, no organic (lisease being apparent. (W.CCoul-
8011, captain, revenue marine.

'flic schooners increased every year from the time I lijst noticed them, until in I88i
therci was a fleet of 20 or Hi), and then I began to see more and more dead piijis on
the rookeries, until in 18!>1 the tieet of sealing schooners numbered more than 100
and the rookeries were covered with dead jiups. (.lohn I'ratis.)

It was during these years that <load, emaciated pujis were first noticed on the rook-
eries, and they in(!reP;<od in numbers until IH'.tl, in which year, in August and Sep-
toinber, the rookericrt vere covered with dead pups. (Kdward Hughes, emploveo of

lessees, 1888-1894.)

Oil the null of August, 1891, I saw the young pnps lying dead upon the rookeries
ot St. I'aiil, and I estimated tlieir number to lie not less than 30,()0<); and they had
died fniiii starvation, their mothers having been killed at the feeding grounds by
pelagic hunters, (.loseidi Murray, Treasury agent, 1889-1894.)

(). Have you noticed any dead pups on the rookeries this jiast season, and in what
]>roportion to former years? — A. 1 have seen an unusual number of dead pujis this
year on the breeding grounds; I may sav twice as many as formerly. (.1. C. Redpath,
lessees' agent, 1875^1894.)

i!M

II-

i f

*li

REAL LIFE ON THE PRIUII.OF ISLANDS.

CAUSE OF DEATH OF Fl'PS.

condition of tiicir

lUrry \v*!i'u iiii|iH, uiiil ii'oiii iiltsciiff ol all hi;;iih ol (ll.H(■a^«e, ciiiiiciatea
hollies, aihl al>iton<'e of looil from tlicii' stoiiiacliN. (.1. C. : . Aliurly,

{}. Dill villi see any ilenil |iii|m on the rookerieH thiHHi-aHon '( — A. Ves; ni.v nttentiiin
waH ralh-il to till- matter hy ,1. Stanle.v-Mrowii, who rei|iu-Hteil mi- to examine them
with a view to ilelermiiiin}j; the eaiise of llieir ileatli. I exaniineil a nuniher wliieli
IiikI appareiitl.v n-cently ilieil. Their hoilicH wen- entirely ih-Htitiite of fat, anil no
fooil to lie foiinil ill their Htiimai'Im. After a careful examination I roiinil nueviilence
of iliseaHi-.

I}. What ilo yon aHsif^n an the cause of their iliath f — A. I hclieve them to have
dieil of starvation.

{/. Why iln von think they ilii-il of starvation f — A. I'roni the fact that nearly all
theileail un the rookery were jtii|is, anil from ahseiii-r of all si;;nsof ilisease, emaciated
conilitii
M. D.)

There were a great many tleail ]ni|>s on the rookeries during iny last three years on
St. Paul Islanil. Many of them wanili-nil helplesslv about, away from the groups
or jiods where tln-y were aci-iistomed to lie. and linally starved to death. We knew
at the time what killed them, for the vessels and lioats were several times jdainly in
sight from tin- island shooting seals in water, and the revenue cutters and company'H
vessels ariiving at the island rrei|iii-ntly re|i(irted their presence in llering .Sea, and
Hometimes the capture of these marauding: crews. If all had heen cjiptured and the
business broken ii|i the seal rookeries would he healthy and prosperous to-day, instead
of belli}; di-pleti'd and broken up. I speak positively about it. Iiecaiise nootbi-r cause
can be assigned for their depletion upon any icasonable hypothesis. (W. ('. Allis,
lessees' agent.

Dr. .\ki-rly, the lessees' physician at the tiiiir, made an auto]isy of some of the
carcasses and reported that he could liiiil no traces of any diseased (-ondition what-
ever, but there was an entire absence of food or any signs of iioiirislimcnt in the
Htomach. ISefore Dr. Dawson h-ft I called his attentiim to what Dr. .Vkcrly had
done, bill whether he saw him on the subji-ct I can not tell. (Milton Itarncs, Treas-
ury agent.)

I procured a number of these |iii)is, and Dr. Akerly, at my request, made autop-
sies, not only at the \ illage, but later on upon the rookeries theiuselves. The lungs
of these dead jiups lloated in water. There was no oi-ganic disease of heart, liver,
lungs, stomach, or alimentary canal. In the latter there was but little and often no
fecal matter, and the stomach was entirely em]>ty. I'lips in the last stage of emacia-
tion were seen by me upon the rookeries, and their condition, as well as that of the
dead ones, h-tt no room to doubt that their death was caused by starvation. (J.
Stanley- lirown.)

The ]iiips on the rooki-ries were fat and healthy, and while I was on the islands no
e))idemic disease ever appeared anioim them, nor did the natives have stories of
an epidemic ever destroying them. (Charles liryant. Treasury agent, 1>«))>-I877.)

I was inl'ornied at the time (November, WH) that the stomachs of dead pups had
been examined by the medical oDicers at the island and no traces of food found
therein. From ]iersoiial observation I am of the ojiinioii that fully W ]ter cent of
them died of starvation, great emaciation being apparent, (.lolin C. Cantwell,
revenue marine.)

I have never known of any sickness or c]dileiiiic among the seals, and I am of the
opinion that the thciisands of dead pu)is on the rookeries last year died of starva-
tion on account of their inothers lieing shot and killed while feeding at the lishing
banks in the sea. I was ]iresent last year and saw soine of the dead jnips examined.
Their stomachs were empty, and they presented all the a)ipearaiiees of starvation.
I also noticed on the rookeries a great many eiiiaoiatcd pups, which on a later visit
would be il'sid. It has always been the practice ]>rior to IK!)| for the natives to kill
H,()<M) to 4, (MX) ]iups in November for food, and we always (ind their stomachs filled
with milk. (('. L. Fowler, lessees' agent.)

It is my opinion that the cows an- killed by the hunters when they go out in the
sea to feed, and the pu])8 are left to die and do <lie on the island, (.lohn Fratis, native
sealer.)

They were tliin, poor, and aiijieared to have starved to death,
sealer.)

(Alex. Haussen,

It is a well-known fact that the female seals leave the islands and go great dis-
tances for food, and it is clearly )iroveii that many of them do not return, as the
number of pups starved to death on the rookeries denioustrates. (\V. S. Hereford,
M. D.)

SKAI. LIFK ON TIIK I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

' <

ntteiitinii
iiti<> theiii
her wliic'li
It, mill no
i>eviiU-nce

III to have

nearly all
t'liiaciated
• . Akcrly,

le ycarH on
Im <;r»mpH
\V« kiu'W
plainly in
coiii)>aiiy'»
y; Sea, anil
«mI anil tlio
iiv, inHtuad
itlicr raiise
r. ('. Allis,

inie of the
tion nliat-
iiiit in tho
\ki riy hail
lU'H, i'reas-

aile autop-
'i'hn lunjj;H

i-ait, liver,

III ot'tvii no
ofi'niaria-

that of the
ition. (J.

islaiiilti no
Htorios of
it -1877.)

|)iiIiN had
iDod found
|ior cent of

Cantwell,

am of the
[of starva-
i\\e lishinK
[(■xaiiiiiK'd.
Uarvation.
Jlater viHit
IvL-H to kill
lacliH filled

lout 111 the
^tiH, native

llauHson,

I urcat (lis-
jrn, as the
1 Hereford,

I'lir if till' inotlirr miniIh aie iIi'Mtroyoil tlii'ii' yoiin^ ran not hut |)rri>li; iin oIIiit ilatii
will Hurkle lliriii; nor ran tiny HiiliHist until at leant :< or I inoiilhs oM without
the inothi-r'H milk, 'i'lio Iosh of tliLs vaxt iiuiiiIm-i' of |iu|is, amounting to many tlimi-
samlH, we roulil attrihiite to no other eaune than the ileatli of the mother at the hainU
of ]ielu);ic' seal hnnterN. (II. II. .Melntyre.)

<.). Mow ilo you account for this? — A. 1 think the cows were killed liy the |ntach-
ers while away from the rookeries, and as luotlier seals nui'se iioim hut thiii own
yDUii;;, consci|ueiilly the pu|>s whose luothers were killed die from starvation.
(Anlone MelovedolV, native chief.)

The seals are never visited hy physical dlHorders of any kind, so far as I could
ascertain, and I have iiexerHeen on their hollies any hlrniishes, linmors, or ernptionB

(lit he attriliiited to iliseaHe. (.lolin .M. .Mortoii.)

wliu'li uiiK>

Tliese latter )iu|is I examined, and they seemed to lie ver,\ iiiiich emaciated. In
my opinion, they died of starvation, caused hy the mothers having; Iteeii shot while
ulisciit IVoiii the islands feeding;. Another cause of their Htar\<nK is liecause a cow
refuses to yive suck to any piij) hut her own, and she reco};ni/,es her ol)'sprin;r liy
its cry, distin^iuishin;; its voice from that of hundreds ot others which are con-
stantly Ideating. (.1. 11. .Moultou.)

The epidemic theory was iir^ed very siionnly iu 18!'l, when the rookeries were
found coM-red with dead ]hi]is, hut a caretiil and technical examination was made
of several of the dead hodies without ilisco\erinjj a trace of oi;^anie disease, while
Btavvation was so ajijiarent that those who examined them decided that it was the
true cause of their death. Had sickness or disease :it*ai'ked the seal herd, it \h only
rcasiiiialde to Huppose a few j;rown seals would he found dead where so many vomi;j
ones hail died so suddenly, hut the most dilii^cnt search Inm failtMl to iind a ^rown
seal dead ii|)on the islands from iiiiknown causes. I'rom the disi'overy of i he islands
until the present time the llesh of the fur seal has lieen the daily meat ration of the
natives and of the white ]ieople, and yet it is a fact that a tainted ordi>ea8ed carcass
has never heen known. (L. A. Noyes, M. I)., resident physician, lHHO-|M!tl.)

Some of these losses were due to their perlui|)H too early attempts to swim. When
the pii|i is a few moiiths old the mother seal eoiiducts it to the water and teaches it
to swim near the shore. If a heavy sea is encountered the weak little pu]i is liahle
to lie thrown hy the surf a;;ainst the rocks and killed, hut under natural conditions,
and with the protection to the rookeries formerly enforced at the islands, the losses
from this cause and all others comhined (save alone the authori/ed killing) amoiinted
to an inlinitcsimiil percenta^fe of the whole niimliers in the henls. (M. (i. (.ttis,
Treasury agent, 187'J-1X«1.)

Another theory, ei|nally untrue, was that an epidemic had sei/eil the herd; hut
investigations of the closest kind have never revealed the ileatli on the islands of a
full-ijrowii seal from unknown causes. Let it he rememhered that the llesh of the
seal is tlie slajde diet of the natives, and that it is eaten daily hy most of the white
employees as well; and yet it is true that a sij^n of tjiint or disease Inif. never heen
found on a seal carcass in the memory of man. It was not until so many thousands
of dead pu)is were found u|>oii the rookeries that the prohlem was solved. The truth
is, that when the cows ;;o out to the feeilin<{ <;rounds to feed, they are shot and killed
hv the pehiy;ic hunter, and the pujis, deprived of sustenance, die ujion the rookeries.
Exceptiii}j a few pups killed hy the surf occasionally, it luis heen demonstrated that
all the ])ups found dead are |iiioraiiil starved, iiiiil when exandned their stonuiehs are
found to he without a sijrn of food of any sort. The resident ]>hysician. Dr. .\kerly,
examined nianv of them, and found in everv instance that starvation was the cauae
of death. (.1. C. Kedpath.)

A doiihle waste occurs when the mother seal is killed, as the pup will surely starve
to death. A mother seal will ji'^'*' sustenance to no ])up hut her own. I saw aad
evidences of this waste on St. I'aul Island last season, where larjie numhers of pn])8
were lyin^ ahout the rookeries, where they had died of starvation. (Conimander
Z. L. Tanner, U.S. N.)

I never heard of any disease among the seal herd, nor of an epidemic of any sort or
at any time in the history of the islands. ( Daniel Wehster, lessees' iiKout, 18(>S-1894.)

^f the mother of a young seal is killed, the pup is very likely to die. It will he so
weak that the storm will dash it ashore and kill it, or it may die of starvation. I
have seen pu|)s hardly larger than a rat from lack of nourishment. A starved or
neglected orphan pup is lenrly sure to die. At one storm the nativim found over 300
pups wjished ashore in ii little cove, and the water around was full ot dead pups. It
is certain that nearly all the dead pups wereorpli;ins. The female seal when suckling

her

young has to go out into the ocean in search of fooil, and it is those animals, or

lenialeson the way to the breeding grounds to give birth to the young, that we kill
in the Bering Sea. (T. T. Williams, quoting Captain Olseu.)

'gi

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

The f'oit'goint,' qiiotsitions are from the attldavits and ropoi ts of men
who, thr(>U};h yt'ai« of experience, },^ained ii praetical knowledjjfe of fnr-
seal life in all its details, and who theref(»re know of what they speak
beyond the possibility of snccessfid eontradietion.

It nniy be ur^eil by our opponents that the testiin(»ny is that of men
who are neither learned nor seientifie, and who, bein;; employed by
«ither the (lovernment or the lessees, had ]>rivateand personal interests
to subserve.

For the purpose of meetiii}; su<h objections, and to show ln)w the
practical and 8«ientiH<areajjreed in thisnnitter, I will here introduce a
pa]»er written by a well-known naturalist, who has had nniny years
practical experience amon}; the fur seals on the Commander Islands,
and who has not now, nor ever ha<l,any interest in the Pribilof Islands
or the Alaskan seal herd.

ills testimony is therefore the more valuable, and it will be found
that it conlirms my position In every partictilar:

DKl'OSITION OK NU'IIUI.AS A,

UHKIiMT/.KI,' lU'SSIAN MIMIAItV tUIKK OK THK CUM-
MANDKK ISI.ANII.S.

I, NiciioliiH A. (inOmitzki, K'liHNiiin inilitarv rliiitf of the CoiniiiuiHlor iHlaiulH dis-
trict, with tlio riiiik ot' coioncl, iiial<f tliu following stati'iiieiit:

I have IxM'ii ri'Hiiliii); <tn the ('i)iiiiiiaii<h'i' iNJanilH and havo diroctcd all scaling oper-
ations th<T« for th<^ last llt'ttMii years, and during; this whole jiuriod liave been absent
from the islands lint very little. I have (;arefnll,v observeil seal life, the condition of
the rookoricH, and tlitunethoil of t:ikin<; seals at all seasons and nnder all conditions,
with the ohject of keepin^r the K'nsHian (ioverninent tlioron^hly informed as to its
sealing; interests and tin; proper nianafreinent of the same.

While I have never hud the opportnnily to examine the I'ribilof Islands seals, yet
I do not hesitate to exjtress the opinion that that herd and the Comnninder Islands
herd are distinct an<l do nut min;;le at all. Tiiere are some natives on the islands
who are familiar with both, and who state that there is » marked ditterence in the
animals Kesides, my stndies as auatnralist enable nie to state that it would be
0(mtrary to all reason to snp|)ose that tliey min>;le with one another. The Com-
mander herd approaches very closely to the lk(dd)en Island herd in winter, and yet
it does not mingle with it. Of this I am sure, for I have charge of Koblten Island
as well as of the Comnuinder Islands, an<l know the skins of the two herds to be dif-
ferent. The skin of the ('onuninder seal is thicker, has coarser hair, is of a lighter
color, and weighs abont 20 i)er cent more than a kobben skin of the same size.

It is wholly im])robable tout the seals of the Commander herd visit any land other
than the Conunander Islands. I believe they regard these as their home, these islands
being ])ecnliarly adapted to their needs at the period to bring forth their young and
of breeding. The fact that the Kobben Island herd still freipients Hobben Island
to the exclusion of any other land, notwithstanding it has been subjected there to
the utmost persecution, shows to my mind conclusively that the presence of man
will not prevent a seal herd from returning to the same land year after year. Even
if isolated cases have occurred (I know of none) in which for various causes a few
of the (,'ommander Islands seals reached other shores, such exceptions wonld not dis-
prove the general rule above stated. I can readily understand that a female which
had been wounded in the water might be snbject (sic) to seek the nearest land and
there give birth to her pup.

Annually, at almost stated periods, they arrive at the islands and imnunliatoly pro-
ceed to occupy the same grounds which Iiave been occupied during past years in a
way wliich makes it impossible to doubt that they are familiar with the locality. I
believe that at some time during the year every seal comes ashore. There is uo reason
to believe that a certain number of any class remain swimming .about in the neigh-
borhood of the islands all sumynT without landing, although there is considerable
dit!'ereuce in the time at which dilVerent classes arrive.

Soon after landing at the Commantler Islands those cows which were fertilized the
year previous give birth to their young. A cow (loes not, except in very rare instances,
give birth to more than one pup in a season. The birth of paps can only take place

' No written evidence having been prodnced in the report of the British oommis-
aioners iu support of the various views attributed to Mr. Grebnitzki, the United
States have deemed it desirable to obtain from that ofiicial a written expression from
his views upon seal life in general.

HKAI. lAlK ON TIIK rKIIUI.OK ISLANDS.

of iiten
e of fur-

■j of men
oyed by
interests

liow the
roduce a
jy years

JslillldH,

f Islands
1)0 ibiuid

TIIK roM-

ilaii«lH ditt-

^litiKopur-
i-cn absont
iiiMlitionof
■oiiilitioiiH,
ll IIH to its

4 HcalH, yet

I<-r IhIuikIs

liu iHlaiiila

|nco in tho

woiilil be

he Com-

and .vet

in Island

to be dif-

a lighter

.size.

luiul other
ese iHlanda
oiing and
>en Island
I tlitire to
ce of man
lar. Even
ses a few
Id not dis-
lale which
land and

ately pro-
years in a
ality. I
uu reason
the neigh-
usidera^le

)CI

til i zed the
instances,
take place

h oommta-
he United
ssion from

■i

on Nlioriv CdWH nisvi^r iirrivi- ut tlie iNlands with ih-w-Iioiii |iii|is. lint tlic inipoHHi-
bilitt i>r hi I ill ill I lie waliT is Ix-hI pinvoil Uy tlit- lad that tiir pup w hen lirKt Imi ii is
piMi-lv a laixi aiiiiiial in all IIm lialiits. It ilius not \<>liintaril> approarli llut witlrr
till it in NcNttral wi-i'Kn iilii, ami tlit'ii it i.s ol)li<rfii to learn to ^wini. .\ Nnri will hoiiio-
tiiiii's wash the ,v<iu:iu piip.i oil' tlir roi Km, wlit-ii tiny aii' .siiir to Im> di'o\viii>d. The
pMps ('.'III not swiiM at hii'th, hiii nia.sl h<- laiight hv tht-ir niothrrs. A pnp would
lirowii if thrown into tlir si-a hrioic learning to Nwini.

Copiihitioii in the water I lii'lieNo to he inipoMMihle, tor the act is violent, ut' lung
diHiition, anil in ;;eneral eliaraeter Hiinilar to that perl'ornieil hy lanil aniinals.

1 hi'lieve that the mi-uU leave the vicinity ut' the iNlands niainly on aceonnt of the
severity ut' the winter. Of coiii'Ne, I do not mean to say tliat they wunid reiiniin un
the Hhore all the year round, iih niiiny of them do throiiKhunt the whole of the hiiiii-
iiier, lur they wonlil be olili;ieil tu take to the water to uhtain liiod. What I mean is
thai they woiilil not go no far away as thev now <to, init wunhl remain aruiind tlie
iNlands, and tlniM give ailditiunal pruof of the nniineNtiuuable fact that they regard
tlieni IIH their huine. 1 Itase this Htateineiit iipun liie tact that dining mild winters I
have myself seen thi>in in large nnniherHuti' the I'ommiinder iHliinds. 'I'liey are uiten
re|Mirtuil iil>uiit oil miles soiitli of the wcsterniiioMt of the Aleutian Islands and the
Kaiiii'hatka (.'uast. 'i'liis wuiild be in accord with the habits of the seals of the South-
ern lleiniN]diere, which, I am iiifurmed, are funiid in the same lueality, more or less,
at all seasons. The seals generally leave the Cumiiiiiinler Islands by the middle of
November, hy which time it lias become cold and sioiiiiy, but in milil winters they
have been on the islands as late as lieeeinber.

I <lu nut think that fiir seals sliunld be elasbed w ith wild aniinals any more than
sliei p or cattle when out un large pastuiing grounds. Seals, unless needlessly
friuhteiied, beeoine more or less acensiomed to the sight of man among them un the
rookeries, and while un land are at all times under his complete i-untrul. A few niea
can ih'ive a lar;;e number uf thttin withuiit dillii^nlty. They are intelligent tu a very
high licgree, and can be made to become in a short time pets. The l)reetling males
or liiills are alone aguressive.

Seals are polygamous, and the powers of tertili/.ation of the male are very great.
Since the liirtlis are about eijiially iliNlribiitetl hctwein males and females, it lolluws
that iinilcr natural cumlitions there wunhl be a great excess of male life uver tliat
actiiiilly needed for the propagation of the species, and it is, as in the case ol' so
niiiny other animals, fur the. positive benelit of the IicmI as a whole that a ]>ortiun uf
this excess of male life he killed oil' lietore it is of .■.iillicienl age to go uu the rook-
erics. If not killed oil' the compel ition by the hulls upon the inukeries lor fcnialea
would he ilestrii(;tive of much lite. I'his competition is alreailx tierce enough.

Iiiirini^ some of the years prior to the time ol my arrival on the islamls there had
been considerable indiscriniinate killiii;; of seals w ithuiil re^iari! to age or sex; but
during the lifteen years of my mana;:fiiient of the Coiniuaniler Islands rookeries all
seiils which ha\e been killed eunstitiited a poition u\' the excess uf males ahuve
referreil to, and known as hachelois, ur Indlnsi hickie. This is why the rookeries are
to-ilay in a lunch better condition than when 1 lirst went tu the (inumaiiiler Islands,
notwithstanding; that until the year Isill a gradually increasing iiiimher of large
skiiiH has been taken. I'runi iSSli tu IKPO the avi-ra^e annual catch was about t>{),i)00,
the skins all heiiiu large. The last twu years I have reduced the catches, because I
now think .')l),()Oll skins somewhat in excess of what the rookeries !;an yield, ami for
other causes which I will mention later. 1 leel very sure that the great cause of
this iliiuiniition is pelauic sealing.

'I'his year I hav)^ connted u\ er :i,r)ll<) skins seized un puacliing vessels, and have fuiind
!il) )) r cent tu be skins uf females. They were skins taken fruin Coiiiniander Island
seals.

As to skins taken near I'ribilof Islands I <-uuiit<Ml the skins seized in the Hohii ilhen
anil found two-thirds «>f them were skins of females. These were tal'en, as the log
book of the /I'ourt Olaen shows, over Wl miles from shore.

I I (insider it a false argnment to say that the killing of a projier portion of the
excess of male life is bad, iimrely becanse it is an interference with the order «)f
nature. If nut interfered with, nature will iirodnce an uver|>opiilatiuii uf the rouk-
eries. which would, of course, be a bad thing. My the present mode of killing a
certain niiiiilier ul' young males, population is regulated. No tacts can he brought
forward to show that this uiethoil is not the right one. Fast exjierience shows that
it is right.

The method is not proved tu be bad by showing that during some y«Mirs too many
mules may ha-' ht i»n killed, and that the rookeries have tht-reby sntlered. When
sni'h inisfaktH i... .i been made thev can be corrected by rediuting the number of
males to he killed !>•;• a few \ears; /ur the must absolute luntrol can he exercised
over the hen \' lilc it is un land. I claim that the method now pursued, when
executed nndc iiri]j>' r regulations, is in theory and practice the only one l>y whiirli
Staling can !..> aiiied on ruminireially wilhunt injuring the vitality of the herd

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 6

1-^

^ - i

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

sr ^%

V.A

1.0

I.I

1.25

■ 50 "^*

MX wik

IIP _

In I4&

1.4

2.5
2.2

1.6

Photog*aphic

Sciences
CorpoiHtion

a>^

'^v\

23 WIST MAIN STRUT

WnSTER.N Y. 14SS0

(716)«72-4S03

■^'

y ^

^\>

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIlilLOP ISLANDS.

! h

III

;i!ir

and its ability to iiiaiutaiti its numhers at the proper limit. It does not cause the
BCiils to cLuu^e tlieir Iial)it8 in any way, and 1 do not believe tli;it tiven an exce.ssive
killing of ,>oiiu<r inaleu on the ibjandis would have the titleet of altei'^i.'t^' the hahitsof
the lei'iale seals with regard to landing and cause theui to remain .luout the islands
instead of coming on shore.

Cows, exrept, jjerhajis, in rare cases of accident or for scientilic purposes, are
never allowed to lie killed on the islands, and the reason lor this is that all cows
are needed for breeding ]iur])oses. To kill, therelore, any cow except a barren one
(and there are lew barren ones except amongst the very old cows) intlicts a much
greater injury on the herd than the loss of a single life, li is not true that because
it is ]iroper to kill a certain number of males it is also ))ro])er to kill a certain nuiM>
ber of females. Hut assuming that it might at some time l>ccome «lesirable to kill
some females, it would still be wholly improper to kill them without regard to size
or condition, as is the case when they aie killed in the water.

There is at the ])resent time upon the (Jouunander Islands an abundance of male
lifii for breeding iniriioses, and there is no tear that any female will not be served
from lack of virile males. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly true that there were
in 1892 r< hitively fewer females than in former years, and I attribute this to two
causes: First, to killing of seiils in the water, and, second, raids upon the islands.
The hrst of thesis causes is by far the more important.

The raids have, owing to the great amount of Ibggy weather, caken place, to a cer-
tain extent, notwithstandiug the greatest precautiiuis to guard against them. The
raiilers Kill males, females, and )iu)>s without discrimination; but however injuri-
ously the rauls have atfected the rookeries still they are of much less importance
than the killing of Commamler Islands seals in the water. During the past two sum-
mers, and especially during the last one, this killing iu the waters has become so
great that if allowed to continue in future years the herd will be in danger of
nltiinate extinction.

i do not know exactly how wasteful this m<.-thod may be, from the fact that all the
animals wounded or killed are not captured, though 1 am told that much loss occurs
iu that way, and I know that under certain conditions a seal shot dead will sink at
once. I can state positively, however, from actual experience and personal examina-
tion, that a vast proportion, fully 9(1 per cent, of the skins taken by this method
during the present year are those of female animals. In addition, a certain number
of the skins so taken are those of very young seals, probably of both sexes, such as
are never killed on land.

Very few of the females killed are barren, no matter when or where they are
killed. Females taken early iu the season are generally heavy with young, in which
condition they travel slowly as compared with the other seals. The killing of such
a female involves, of course, the iunue<liHte loss of two lives. But even when the
female is taken alter she has been on shore and given birth to her young this same
result tollows eventually, for a seal will suckle only her own pup, and the pups are
for the first three to tive nmnths dependent altogether on their mothers for food.
Conse(|ueutly when the mothers, who, after the birth of tlieir pups, leave the rookeries
in search of food (traveling sometimes considerable distances, I do not know exactly
how far), fail to return, their pups must necessarily <lie.

There are always a few dead ])ups to be found on the rookeries whose death is not
due to that of their mothers; but during the last year or two a greater number of
dead pups have been actually noticed than heretofore, and have attracted the atten-
tion of all persons on the islands who are at all familiar with seal life. It can not
be successfully contended that they all dh-d of natural causes. There is no disease
among the Uoiuniander Island seals, and while a certain .iuniber of young pups are
always exposed to the danger of being criiHhed to death (hut not as a result of the
drives which are made to cidlect seals for killing) or of being drowned by the surf,
yet these causes of death will not account for the greater mortality of pups which
t ok place during the past summer. Besides, the bodies of the dead pups 1 refer to
are those of starved animals, being greatly emaciated.

It is chiefly during the next few years that the ett'ects of the recent killing of
females will become most noticeable, because many of the pups which in those years
wouhl have become bachelors or holluschickie have never been born or died soon
after birth.

With regard to the driving of the seals from the beaches to the places of slaughter,
while it does not benetit them, yet I believe that there are very few cases in which
it does them any harm even if they are redriven. I am sure it iloes not render them
impotent. It should be remembered that, unlike the hair ceals, they are fairly
adai)ted to movement on land, as is provetl by the fact that they are in some cases
actually driven considt-rable distances over ground that is both rough and steep.

Since the killing of seals in the water is wasteful, and in every sense contrary to
the lav.B of nature (which require that special ])rotection be afforded to the females
and young of all auiniMls), I am of the opinion that it should be entirely forbidden.
If it is only partly suppressed or prohibited within a certain distance from the

I
%

:,!*'

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

lot cause the
an excessive
tbt; bubitsof
it the itilauds

inrpoHcs, are
thiit all cows
a barren cue
licts a much
that because
certain nuin-
irable to kill
eganl to size

iiDce of male
lot be served
at tliere were
) this to two
I the islands.

lace, to a cer-
b them. The
wever iujuri-
is importance
last two sum-
as become so
in danger of

;t that all the
ub loss occurs
I will sink at
lual exauiina-
this uietiiod
rtaiu number
lexes, such as

ere they are

g, in which

ing of such

en when the

ig this same

le pups are

lers for food.

tbe rookeries

mow exactly

death is not

iT number of

ed the atten-

It can not

is no disease

Dg pups are

result of the

by the surf,

pups which

ps 1 refer to

it killing of
those years
died soon

f slaughter,

H('S in which

render them

are fairly

some cases

id steep.

contrary to

tbe females

' forbidden.

e from the

islanila, tbe evil would not be cured, it,ltlioiigb its elVccts niijjbt, be lesn notict.>able^
for tbe killing of females, many of tlieiii hciivy wit'i yoiinir, would necessarily con-
tinue, since all experience shows that female animals alwavs (■onstitute tbe chief
catch of tbe open -sea sealer,

XlCIl<»I..\S A. tiUKHNITZKI, • .

Dislricl Chief of the Commander Ixhnnlii, Dintrirt St. retcmhurg,
(Counter case, United States, p. 362.)

Here we have the testimony of one wlio is at once a scientist and ond
of the most practical of men; a man wiio lias been officially interested
in the fur-seal industry for many years, and who iias devoted a great;
part of his life to the scientilic and i>ractical study of the species. i

Every word he utters shows his intimate knowledge of the subject
treated, and his practical common sense and scientilic acumen, coupled
with a breadth of view all his own, gives an extraordinary value to
everytliing he says on the subject of fur seals.

True, he is interested in the fur-seal industry on the Commander
Islands, belonging to liussia, and for that reason he may fall under thcJ
ban of the hypercritical who seem to suspect the honesty and th^
motives of all who have, or ever did have, any connection with the fur-,
seal islands on either side of Hering Sea.

That the class of critics alluded to may be sileiiced on this point I
will introduce the testimony of leading naturalists, which is in full
accord with all that 1 have already (pioted. It will be seen that Dr.
Merriam briefly stated the question at issue to the naturalists of Europe
and asked for their views, which were freely given and which 1 take the
pleasure of quoting in full. ;

CIRCULAR LETTER OF DR. C. HART MERRIAM.

Dr. C. Hart Merriam, one of the American Bering Sea commission-
ers, addressed the following circular letter to various leading naturalists
in ditlerent parts of the world, for the purpose of obtaining their viewa
as to the best method of preserving the fur seals of Alaska: ,

WAsniVGTON, D. C, April 2, 1892.
Dear Sir: The Government of the United States having selected me as a natu-
ralist to investigate and report upon the condition of the fur-seal rookeries on the
Pribilof Islands, in Bering Sea, with sjiecial reference to the causes of decrease and
the measures necessary for the restoration and permanent preservation of the seal
herd, I visited the Fribilof Islands and ma<le an extended investigation of the sub-
ject, tbe results of which are here briefly outlined.

FACTS m THE LIKE HISTORY OF THE NORTIIKRN FUR SEAL (CALLORHINirS t'USINrs),

(1) The fur seal is an inhabitant of Hering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, where it
breeds on rocky islands. Hut four breeding colonies are known, namely, (1) the
Pribilof Islands, belonging to tbe United States; (2) the Commander Islands, belong-
hig to Russia; (3) Koblieu Reef, belonging to Russia; and (4) the Kurile Islands,
belonging to Japan. The Pribilof and Commander islands are in Hering Sea;
Kobben Keef in the Sea of Okhotsk, near the island of Saghalien, and the Kurile
Islands I tween Yezo and Kanitchatka. The species is not known to breed in any
other part of tbe worhl.

(2) In winter the fur seal migrates into tbe Xorth Pacific Ocean. Tbe herds from
the Coimnander Islands, Robben Reef, and the Kurile Islands move south along the
Japan Coast. Tbe Pribilof Islands herd move south through tbe passes in tbe Aleiu
tiau chain. The old breeding males are not known to range much south of tbcsQ
islands. The leinales and young reach the American Coast as far south as California.

(3) Returning, tbe herds of females move northward along the coast of California,
Oregon, Washington, and British Columbi.-i in .laiiuary, February, and March,' <cur-
riiig at varying distances from shore Following tbe Alaska coast northward and
wt'stwurd they leave the North Pacific Ocean in June, traversing the passes in the
Aleutian chain, and proceed at once to tbe Pribilof Islands.

(4) Tbe old (breeding) males reach tbe islands much earlier, the llrst coming the
first week iu April or early in May. They at once land and take stands on the rook-
eries, wher*^ they await the arrival of the females. Each male (called a bull) selects

i i

I '''

\! If M

€4

SEAL LIFE 0\ THE PKIHILOF Le^LANDS.

a laij^o rock, on or near wliii li hit riMiiaiiis, unless drivpu off by stronjinr bnllw, until
AngiKst, never leaving; lor a single instant, niglit or day, and taking neither food nor
■water. Helore t!;. arrival ol' the temalfs (called cows) the bulls tight savagely among
themselves tor jiositions on the rookeries, and many are severely wounded. All the
bulls are located liy .)une L'O.

(»; The pregnant cows begin arriving early in .Inne, and soon ajtjjear in large
schools or droves, ininiensc numbers taking their places on the rookeries each day
between .June V2 and the « nd ot the month, varying with the weather. They assem-
ble about the old l)iills in compact gron]i8 called harems. 'J'he harems are complete
early in July, at which time the breeding rookeries attain their uiaxiuium size and
compactness.

(fl) 'Ihe cows give birth to their yonug soon after taking their places on the
harems. The jieriod of gestation is between eleven and twelve months.

(7; A single young is born in each instance. The jonug at birth are about eqnally
divided as to sex.

(8) The act of nursing is iterfornied on land ; never in the water. It is necessary,
therefore, for the cows to renniin at the islands until the jouug are weaued, which
is when they are 4 or 5 montlis old.

' (9) The tur seal is polygamous, and the male is at least three times as large as the
female. Each male serves 15 to 25 fenutles.

(W) Coi»nlation takes pi ce on lantl. Most of the cows are served by the middle
of Jnly, or soon alter the birth . f their pups. They then take to the water, aud
come and go for food while nursing.

(11) The pups huddle together in small gronps called pods, at some distance from
the water. When t! or 8 weeks old they move (Ipwn to the water's edge and learn to
swim. The jmps are not born at sea, aud if soon alter birth they are washed into
the sea they are drowned.

(12) The cows are believed to take the bull lirst when two years old, and deliver
their tirst pup when 3 years old.

(13) bulls tirst take stands on the breeding rookeries when 6 or 7 years old.
Belore this they are not powerfnl enough to tight the older bnlls for positions on the
harems.

(14) Cows when nnrsiug, and the non breeding seals, regularly travel long dis-
tances to feed. They .lie commonly found 100 to 150 miles from the islands aud
sometimes at greater distances.

(15) Ihe tood of the fur seal consists of fish, squids, crustaceans, aud probably
other forms of nmriiie life also.

(16) The great majority of cows, pnj>s, and such of the breeding bulls as have not
air -ady gone, leave tlm islands about the uiiddle of November, the date varying
considerably with the season.

(17) The nonbiHMiding male seals (hollnsihickie), together with a few old bulls,
remain until lanuary, and in rare instaiK^es even until lobruary.

(18) The lur seal as a species is present at the I'ribilof Islinds eight or nine months
of the year, or Ironi two-ihirds to three-tburths of the time, and in mild winters
Bonietiines during the entire year. The breeding bulls arrive earliest and remain
continuously on the islands about four months; the breeding cows remain about
six mom lis, and the nonbreetliug male seals about eight or niue mouths, aud some-
times during the entire year.

SKAI.S KILLED ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

(19) The only seals killed for commercial purposes at the seal islands are uou-
breeding males (under 5 or (5 years of age, calle<l lioUuschickie . They come up on
the rookeries apart from the breeding seals, anil large numbers are present Ly the
latter iiart of May. They constantly iniss back aud forth from the water to the
hauling grounds. These animals are driven by the natives (Aleuts) from the haul-
iuggroundsto thekilling grounds, wher(^ they are divided upiutolittlegroups. Those
selected as of suitable size are killed with a club by a blow on the bead; the others

fo into the water and soon reap]iear on the hauling grounds. In this way about
00,000 young males have beeu killed aunually ou the Pribilof Islands for tweuty
years.

(20) In addition to the commercial killing above described, a number of male pups
were formerly killed each year to furnish food for the uativos, but the killing of
pups is now prohibited by the Uovornuieut.

PUICSENT NUMHKHS COMPAHED WITH FOHMEH ABUNDANCE.

The rookeries on both St. Paul and St. George islands bear unmistakable evidence
of liuving undergone great reduction in size during the past few years. This evi-
dence consists (1) in the uuiversal testimony of all who saw them at an earlier period,
•nd (2) in the presence upon the back part of each roukury of a well-marked strip

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

)»]]», until
I'llooil iior
;ely ainoiig
1. ' All the

ir in large
I each (lay
liey iisHein-
e complete
in sixe und

ces on tbe

)ut equally

I necessary,
uetl, which

urge as the

the middle
water, uud

i«tan<e from
iiid learn to
ivuKbed into

and deliver

J years old.
tions on tbe

b1 long dis-
islauds and

d probably

as bave not
ito varying

w old bulls,

ine months
ild winters
and remain
lain about
and some-

rts are non-
conie up oQ
sent l.f tbe
ater to tbe
in tbe liaul-
nps. Those
the others
way about
for tweuty

f male pups
killing of

de evidence
This evi-
rlier period,
larked strip

or zone (if gra8.s-cov(>red land, varyinfj; from 100 to HOO t'ect in width, on which the
stoue.s aud bowlders are llipper-worn and poli^hiMl by tlie Ibrnicr movements of the
Bealw, ami thl^ i^ra^s is yellowish-green in color and of a diHerent g(!nns {(Uiicvria
aii(innlata) from the rank, hi^h grass nsiially growing innnediateiy beiiind it {hliimiis
moU'm). In many places the ground between the tnssock.s iind hMiinno(!ks of grarss is
covered with a thin layer of teltin.ir, composed of the shed hairs of the seals matted
down and mi.\ed with excrement, urine, and siirfa((! soil. Tlie i xact year when this
yello\v-gra.ss zone was last (ncupied liy seals is didicult to a.scertain, but the bulk of
testimony jioints to 1880 or 1887. TI.e aggregate size of the areas formerly occupied
is at least four times as great as tbac of the preseiu rookeries.

CAUSES WHICH LED TO TIIK DEPLETION OF THE HOOKKKIES.

The seals which move northward along the coast of the northwestern I'nited
States, British Columbia, and southeastern Alaska froui .laiiuary until lat(! in .Inne
are chielly pregnant females, and about !)() \h'T cent of the seals killed by ])clagi(5
sealers 'in the North Pacific are females heavy with young. Tor obvious reasons
many more seals are wounded than killed outright, aud many www. that are killed
sink before they can be reached, and c(»nse(inently are lost. As eiicli of thes(! contains
a youn,:;, it is evident that several are destroyed to every one se(Mired.

I or s(!veral years tbe pelagic sealers were content to pursue their destructive work
ill the .North Paeitic, but of late they have entered Bering S(!a, where th(^y continue
to capture seals in tbe water throughout the entire summer. The i'emab^s killed
during this period are giving milk and are away from the islands in search of food.
Their young starve to death on the rookeries. I saw vast numbers of such dead
pups (ui the isliuid of St. Paul last summer (18!)1), and the total numb(^r of their
carcasses reinaining on the Priliilof Islands at the end of the season of 1H91 has been
estimated by the United Stater. Treasury agents at tiot less than L'O.OOO.

The number of seal skins i.ctually secured and sold as a result of pelagic sealing is
shown in the following table:

■r.„„- Number

Year.

Ximibfir 1
uf skins.

(?) ■

204
12.500
13,600
13, 541

^"'»'^- i ol skins.

^••'"^- j ..f skins.

1872 i 1.029

im (0

1S74 4.940

1877

1878

1879

1H80

1882 17,700

18H3 9.195

I8H4 ■ 14,000

1885 13 000

1887 i 33,800

1888 30,818

IS89 39,563

187.1 1,046

1890 . ... 51,404

1876 , 2,042

1881

1886 38,907

1891 62,50(^

1 1

Inasmuch ns the number of seals annually secured by pelagic sealing rejiresents
but a fraction of the total number killed, a glance at the above ligures is enough to
show that the destruction of sccal lif" thus produced is alone sntlieient toexjilain the
present depleted condition of the rookeries.

Pelagic sealing as now conducted is carried ou in the North Pacitic Ocean from
January until late in .June, and in B(!riiig Sea in .Inly, August, and September.
Some sealing schooners remain as late as November, but they do so for the purpose
of raiding the rookeries.

It has been alleged that overkilling of young males at the islands is a principal
cause of the deplet(id condition of the rookeries.

Ill reiily to this contention, it is only neci ssary to bear in mind that the number of
male and female fur seals is e(iiial at birth, that the species is polygamous, .and that
each male serves on an average at least 15 to 25 females. It is evident, therelore,
that there must be a great su|ieraliiindaiice of males, of which a large percentage
may be killed annually forever without in the slightest degree endangering the i»ro-
ductivene-ss of the herd. Knrthermore, it Ii,is been shown that tlie killing of seals
at the Pribilof Islands is completely under the control of man and is restricted to
the su)icrtluous males, for selection as to sex and'age can be and is exorcis(id, so tliat
neither females nor breeding males are killed. It is evident that this killing of noii-
breediiig males could in no way alfcct the size or annual product of the b.ce''ing
rookeries unless the number killed was so great that enough males were not b to
mature for lireeding purposes. Then! is no evidence that tliis has ever been the case;
Moreover, all seals kilied or wounded .are. invariably s(!cured and tluiir skins mar-
keted ; in other words, there is neither waste of tin; seal herd nor impairment of the
productiv(!neHs of the breeding stock.

Pelagic sealing, on the other hand, is wasteful in the extreme and is directed to
the fountain head or source of supply. Prom the very nature of the cas(!, selection
can not be exeridsed, ai d a large jierceiitago of seals wounded are lost. Owing to
the pecuH.ir movements of the seal herds, it so happens that about 90 pi.r cent of the
seals killed in the North Pacitic are females heavy with young, entailing a (b^strnc-

■ <■

..-I

8EAL LIFP: on THE PRIMILOF ISLANDS.

tiou of two H<>;il liv<'s for evorv adult seal Uill(!'l. In Heriiij? Sea, also, large numbers
of leinales are taken; tbese femaks are in milk, ami tlieir young (lie of starvation on
the roiikeries.

)^claKif'' Healin<^ as an industry is of recent orijjin, and may be said to date from
187it. The number of vessels «'nKa;;ed has steadily Inereased, as Las the number of
seals killeil, until it .ipitears tliat unless checked by inteniatiimal legislation the
conunereial extermination of the t<«'al is <»nly a matter of a lew years. It seems a
fair inference, therefore, that the, only way to restore the depleted rookeries to their
former condition is to stoji taking sciils at sea, and not only in Bering Sea, but in
the North I'acilic as well.

Having been selected by my (JovernmtMit solely as a naturalist, autl having investi-
gated the faits and arrived at tlie above, coin]nsi(»ns and reconuuendations frmn the
StMnd))oint of a naturalist, 1 desire to know if yon agree or ditl'er with me in consid-
ering tli(!S(» eonclnsions and recommendations Justilied and necessitated by the facts
^u the case.

I shall be greatly obliged if you will favor me with a reply.
, Very truly, yours,

C. H.vKT Mkkiuam.

REPLIES TO O. lIAUr MEUKIAM.

HKl'IA' Ol' 1)1!. AMMIUNSI*: MII.NK KDWAItHS.

Pa I! IS. .Ipril -20, 1S92.

' Sir: i have read with great interest the letter you addressed me with reference to
the fui seals of Hering Sea, and I think it would be of real advantage to liave con-
certed international measurcsso a.'^ to insure an eli'cctive protect iou to tiiose valuable
animals.

To-(hiy the means of transportation at the disposal of the lisliernu'n are so great,
the jtrocesses of dcstrnction whicii they emph)y are .so improved, thut the animal
species, tile object of their desire, ciin not escajie tlieiu. W e know that our migra-
tory birds are during their travels exjiosed to a real war of externiiuiition, and au
Ornithological international c-imuiissioii has already examined, not unprohtahly, all
the questions rt;lating to their presei vation.

, Would it not be i)ossible to i)iit fur seals under the protection of the navy of
pivilized nations^

What has haiijieneil in the Southern Ocean may stMve as a warning to lis.

Less than a century ago these am|)hibia existed there in countless herds. In 1S08,
inrheii lanuing visited the islands of South (Icorgia. one shii* left those shores carry-
ing away 1 1,0()() seal skins belonging to the species .lyclDcephiilun mint rails. He him-
self obtaineil 57,(XM) of them, and he estimated at 11:.', 000 the number of these animals
killed during the few weeks the sailors s)ient there that year.

, In 181'2 Wedtlell visits these islands, ami he estimates i^ 1, '200,000 the number of
skins obtained in that locality. The sanui year HJd, 0(H) fur seals were killed in the
Bouth Shetlands. The inevitable couseiinenees of this slaughter were a rajtid
decrease in the number of these animals. So, in spite of the measures of protection
taken during the last lewye.irs by the governor of the Falkland Islands, these seals are
Still very rare, and the naturalists of the I'rench expedition of the /('omfdic//*; remained
for nearly a year at Tierra del Fnego jind the Falkland Islands without being able
to cai)tiire a singlt; sjieciinen.

, It is a source of wealth whicli is now exhausted.

, It will soon bti thus with the Cdlhirli'untH itrniiiun in the North I'acilic Ocean, and
it is time to insure to tliesa animals a security which may allow them regular
reproduction.

I I have followed with much attention the investigation which has been made by
the Government of the I'nited Statics on this subject. The rc(.:;ifs of the commis-
sioners sent to the Priiiilof Islands have made known to naturalists a very large
number of facts of great scientilie interest, and have ilemonslrated that a regulated
system of killing may be safely applied in the e.asii of these herds of seals when
there is a siiperlluity of males. What might be called a tax on celibacy wasapjilied
in this way in the most satistactory manner, and the indelinite j)reser\ ation of the
sp.e'jies would have been assured if the emiiAi'ants, on their way back to their breed-
ing ]il;ices, had nut been atlackeil and pursued in every way.

, There is, then, every reason to turn to account the very com))lete inforiuation which
■jve possess on the conditions of fur-seal life in order to prev(;nt their annihilation,
and an international commission can alone dt^termine tlx' rules, from which the tisher-
meu should not tlepart.

Accept, eic, A. Milne Euwarus,

Director of the Museum of Xatural History,

e nnmlicrs
rvatiou on

(late from
iininber of
latioii the
!t seems a
es to tlieir
ea, but in

nsiuvesti-

H fri>m the

ill coiisid-

y the facts

SEAL LIFE ON THE PIIIHILOF ISLANDS.

UEI'I.Y OK Hit. ( AIM.OS UKUCi. (»l' IIUKNOS AYIJKS.

Junk 4, 1892.

Sik: III aiis\v«ir to your circular dated April 1.', and diri-cted to l)r. Ileniiaiiii liiir-
luci^ter, I rej^ret to let you know that isaiiio died siioitl.v bclbrf tlio traiisiiil^sion of
your circular by IJ. N. Hrrtidettc, c.s(|.

IIttvin<!; been named director of the national nmsenni in the place of the deceased,
I have read with jjreat interest your report and conclusions about the causes ol' tli()
decrease and the measures nectsssary for the restoration and perinancnt prescrvatioa
of the seal herd on the I'ribilof Islands, in ISeriiiK Sea, and according to your wish I
have the jileaHiire to let yon know thai Irmn the stand]uiiiit of a n.-itiiralist I per-
fectly af;re«! with you in considering^ your comlusions and nu'oinnienilationsjustilied
and necessitated by the facts stated by you I's a result of your special investiyatiou
on the above-named islands.

Very truly, yours, Caulos Hkuo.

KRIUAM.

20, lfi92.
L' Terence to
have con-
ic valuable

•e HO j;reat,
he iiiiimal
onr inigra-
on, and an
lital)ly, all

le navy of

In 1S08,
res carry-
He him-
t animals

umber of

led in the

a raidd

rotcction

seals are

remained

sing able

cean, and
regular

made by
cominis-
ery large
regulated
als when
isapjilied
on of the
eir breed-
on which
ihilation,
,lie lislier-

IJS,

libtory.

REl'I.V OK I'UOK. DR. ALFRRI) NKIIRINM;, UOYAt, AtiUICm.TlTRAI. COLI.KGE i>V ItKUMN.

Berlin, April 31, 189S.
Mr. C. Hart Mkrriam,

I'ldled Slatva Department of A<iricaHurc, H'anhhujloii, />. C:

llKiiii.Y KsTEKMKl) SIR: I liave carefully read and coiisiilcred your elaborate
and very intere.itiiig letter of the 2d instant, which I received yesterday through
Mr. .lohii Hrinkerhotf .lackson, secretary of l(>gatioii of the North American legation
in this city, and, in reply, I send you a statement of my views with regard to its
contents.

Wliiit you say coiKterning the mode of life, and esjiocially the animal miiirations of
thelnrseal (I'oUorlihiiiH ,irniiiiis), whose breeding plaies are the I'ribilof Islands, is so
clear and c(mviiiciiig, and liarmoni/es so perfectly with what has been oltserved by
other relialile scientists, that I ful y agree with your deductions. 1 am. like your-
self, of the opini(Mi th it the remarkabb; decrciise of fur seals on the rookeries of the
I'ribilof Island.^, which has, of late years, become more and more evident, is to be
attriliiited mainly, or perhaps exclusively, to the unreasonable destruction caused
by the sealers who ]dy their avo('atiou in the open sea. The only rational niothod
of taking the fur seal, and the only one that is not likely to result in thr exteriiiir
nation of this valuable animal, is the one which has hitherto liecn employed on the
Pribiloi' Islands niider the sujiervision of the (lovernment. Any other method of
taking the mu'thern fnr seal should, in my o|duion, be jirohildted l>y international
agrecinent. I should, at furthest, ajiprove a local imrsuit of the fur seal, where it
is dcstnictive of the tisheries in its southern winter <iuarters. 1 regard pelagic; fur
sealing as very unwise; it must soon lead to a decrease, bonlering on extermination
of the fur seal.

With great respect, I'rof. Dr. Ai.krkd Ni:hrin(!,

Professor of Zooloijy in the lloynl Agricultural Colhijcvf livrlin.

C. Hart Mkuuiam

REPLY OF PROF. COUNT TOM.MASO SALVADORI.

Zoolooical .MiJSEi m, Turin, April

IHDS.

United Stales Department of AgrivHltnre,

Dirision of ()rnHI>olo<iji, lVaxhin<iton, />. C. '

Dkai! Sir: I have received your letter concerning the northern fur seal, on the
condition of which you have been selected as naturalist to investigate and report
by the (.ioverniuent of the United Stales.

As a whole I agree with you as to the facts and conclusions drawn on your report,
altliongli the increasing number of seal skins acitnally se(!ured and sold", as a result
of polagifr seal'iig shown in your table, does not siilHcieiitly jirove, in my mind, that
ve are already in the lu^riod of a deciiled diuiiniition of the numlier of living seals.
Still. I ijuite ailiuit that it is absolutely necessary to adopt some measures for the
preservation of the seal herds.

N'o doubt the free pelagic sealinur is a cause which will ait to the dcistriiction of
the seal herds, and to that it must be ]mt a stop as ho(ui as jiossible. Hut at tin* same
time I think that the yearly killing of about 1(M).0(K) young males on the I'ribilof
Ishiiids iiiiist have some inilnence on the diuiinntioii of the herds, especially pre-
venting the natural or sexual selection of the stronger males, wliich would follow if
the ycuiiig males were not killeil in such a ureat number. So that, with the stop-
ping of the pelagic sealing, I think, at le.ist for a few years, also the slaughter of so
many vouiig males in the I'riliilof Islands should be prohibited.
1 remain, very truly, yours,

I'ROK. T. Salvadori.

t ;

r "^

(■■

:> ,a

,. it

'■'it.

SEAL LIFE O.N THK PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

HKI'I.T OK DB. O. HAKTLAUH.

liiu'.MKN, April i'.l, 1892.
Mr. C. Haht Mkrimam.

Dkai! Sik: Your excellent repor*^ on the northern fur seal 1 Ii.ivo roiul and rerend
frith iiiteiiHe iutecHt.

I am f'Mrt'roni attributing to myself a coni])ctiMit Judgment regarding thiH matter,
but cuUHidLTing all I'actH whicii \i>u have no elenrly aud Cdnviuciugly conibinetl and
expreHHcd, it Heems to me that the measures you projxise in onler to ]irohihit the
threatening decay of the northern fur seal are the only correct ones proniiMing an
ett'e«ttive result.

I sincerely regret that for practical reasouH it csin not be thought of to prohibit
fur-Heal hunting for a lew years entirely, as this woulu naturally assi.st uumerieally
the meiuiced animal.

There is at any rate danger in view, and it can not be toostrongly emphasized that
ydur MO well fonndi'il proposals should be executed at the eiirliest time possible.

With sincere th.inks lor the confidence you have placed in iny Judgment, lam,
dear sir, your most obiMlient,

Dr. (1. IJARTLAun.

REPLY OK I'ROK. KOItMRT CDM.ETT, OK TllK ZOOI.OdK'A F, MUSKl!M OF TIIK DNiVKRSITY

OK ClIKISTIANIA, NOIUVAY.

CURISTIANIA, April S2, 1S93.

My 1>kau Sir: It would be a very easy re]dy to your highly interesting treatise
of the fur seal, which you have been kind enough to send us, when I only answered
you tliiit I itgree with you entirely in all ])oints. No <loubt it woulil be the greatest
value for the rookeries on the Fribilof Islands, as well as for the preservation of the
existence of the seal, if it would be ])ossible to sto]) the sealing :it sea at all. But
that will no doubt be very dilhcult when so many nations partake in the sealing,
aud bow that is to go about I can not know. My own countrymen are killing every
year nuiny thousauds of seals, Cjisto phorw, on the ice barrier between Spit/.liergeu
and (ireenliind, but never females with young; either are the old ones caught or —
and that is the greatest number — the young seals. But there is a close time, accepted
by the ditferent nations, Jnst to prohibit the killing of the females with y<)ung.
Perhaps a similar close time could be accepted in the Bering Sea, but that is a ques-
tion aiiont which I can not liave any opinion.

Many thanks for the paper.

Yours, very truly, K. Coli.ktt.

KKl'I.Y OK I.KOI'OI.D VOX SC'IIUENCK.

St. l'KTi:it.sni'K(j, April 13/25, 1S92.

Dear Siit: Having read with eager and <;ritical attention the memoir you have
addressed to me upon the condition of the fur-seal rookeries on the Pril)ilof Islands
in Bering Sea, the causes of decrease and the measures necessary for the restora-
tion and permanent preservation of the seal herd, I can not but com]>leti'l,v agree
with yon in consiilering the conclusions and recommendnticms you arrived at quite
justified and necessitated by the facts. I am also ))ersnaded that the pelagii sealing,
if pursued in the same manner in future, will necessarily end with the exterininatioa
of the fur seal.

Very truly, yours,

Lkopoi.i) vcn Schrknck,
Mnnhcr of the Imperial Avaitemy of Scieiicen, St. I'etemburg.

UKI'r.Y Oli- DR. HENRY 11. OIGI.IOI.I.

KiRKN/E, 19 VIA KOMANA, May 2, 1S92.

Dear Sir: Years ago, in November, 18fi7. I had the good fortune to be able to
visit an extensiv-i rookery of one of the South Piicilic eared seals, the well-known
Otaria juhala. It was during my voyage round the world on the iMayenla. Tiie
rookery in i|uestion lies Just, behind (Jape Stokes in the Gulf of I'tuias, on the south-
eru coast of Chile, and is the (uie seen by Darwin during his memorable voya;i;e in
the litafile. I shall never forget that day, when inv astonished gaze rested on liuu-
dreds of these eared seals lying about in every attitude of repose on the beach and

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

lon have

iNlilllds

resttira-

I'ly ii^ree

at quite

seiiling,

.niiiatiun

:k,
r»burg.

, 1S92.

nlilo to
1-knowu
la. I'lie
le soutli-
oya^e in

on liim-
iuch and

rocks of tlie shore, or <>;rarefiilly, and witliout showing tlmsIifiliteHt fear, performing
the most acrobatic (svoiiilioiiH in the watttr roiinil onr bout. 'I'liat *lay I liail my lirHt
expericii(!o of tiicHe sin<fiilur creatures, and from tiiat day dates tho special interest
I liiiv> ver since taken in the study of the life liistory of the Otariida:, whicii is one
of the juost nnirvelous in .oloj^y.

In the sprin;; of 1880, while commissioner for Italy at the jrrand "TisclH^rei-
Ansstelluny;" held at IJerlin, I tirst ha<l occasion to ailmire, in t'e Unite<l States
exhibit, the bcantiful and spirited drawings of Henry VV. Elliott. I have since tliea
taken a keen interest in the wonderful life history ol the North I'acitic fur seal (C'ai-
lorliiims iti sinus), hh liest ex(-m])lilie(l on the Pribilof Ishuxls. Later on I have care-
fully read and commented on the various acitonnts which have a|i])eared in )>riiit on
the sulijcct; thus, in J. A. Allen's North American I'innipeds, Washington, 1880 (p.
312etse(|.), but more especially tlie defaih'«l and gra|)hic descTijytions which have
been published by Henry W. Elliott in his masterly monograph. The 8eal Islands uf
Alaska, in that grand work by (i. Hrown (iuode and associat(-s. The Fisheries and
Fishery Industries of tho I'nited States (vol. 1, p. 75 et soij.), Washington, 1884, and.
auaiu in his nmst interesting volunn;, An Arctic Province, Alaska and the Seal
Islands, L(Midon, 1886.

Alter these precedents you can easily imagine how great an interest I take in that
"vexata ((ua'stio," the fur-seal fishery in the Meriiig Sea; with what ])leiisnre I
received through the lJnit(Ml States Government and Mr. Long, the I'nited States
consul in this city, your c(unuiunication, and how glad I am of the o|)portunity thus
atfordi'd uie of givijig my unbiased o])inion in the case and aiding you in your noble
ellort to preserve from utter <lestrin'tion one of the most interesting of living crea-
tares, and to save at the same time a most valuable source of human industry and
protit.

I have read with great attention your condensed but very complete statement of
the salient points regarding the life history of the North I'acilic; fur .seal (CaUorUinut
urshius). I have carefully considered the results of your investigation u])on the con-
dition of the fur-seal rookeries on the Piibilof Islands, your conclusions regarding
the cause of their decrease, and the measures yon suggest as necessary for the resto-
ration and i)erruauent ])re.servation of tho seal herd; and I am happy to state that
I entirely agree with you (Ui all points.

The lirst and most important point for consideration is evidently the cause of the
uui|nestioiuible deoiease ascertained in the fur-seal rookeries on the Pribilof Islands
dining the few past years. The stringently enft>rce<l rules which strictly limit the
killing for connnercial purposes to nonbn'cding males or holluschickies, carefully
Belecred, which selection can only be made on land, entirely ])reclude to my mind
the suggestion that the lamented decrease may be attributed in any degree to the
killing of too larire a numbor of nonbn^eding nuiles. Such a decrease might have
been in some slight measure attributed to the former custom of killing each year a
OTtain number of male pups to furnish footl for the natives, but that practice has
been wisily prohibited. Therefore, I feel positive that the notable decrease in the
nnmber of i'nr seals resorting to the rookeries on the Knrile Islands, on the K'obben
R-ef (Saghalien), and more especially on tlie Commander Islands, as being in the
Bering Sea.

Having conclusively shown that the lamented decrease in the herd of fur seals
resoiting to the Piibilof Islamls can in no way be accounted for by the selective
killinsi of nonbreeding males for commercial purposes, which takes place on those
islands under special rules and active surveillance, we must look elsewhere for its
cause, and I can see it nowhere but in the indiscriminate slaughter, principally prac-
ticed on breeding or pregnant females, as most clearly shown in your condensed
rejioi t, by ])elagic sealers.

In any ca^e, all who are comjietent in the matter will admit that uo method of
capture could be more uselessly destructive in the case of pitinipedia than that called
I'lielagic sealing;" not only any kind of selection of the victims is impossible, but it
is admitting much to assert that out of tliree destroved one is secured and utili/.ed,
and this for obvious and well-known reasons. In the case of the North Pacific fur
seal, this modt* of capture ami destruction falls nearly I'xclusively on those— the nurs-
ing or pregnant females — whi(di oniihton no account to be killed. Ii is greatly to be
deplored that any (dvilized nation ijossessiiig lishery laws and rej^jiilations should
allow such indiscriminate waste and desti ucti<m. The statistical data you give are
painfully elo<iuent, and when we come to the conclusion that the 62,000 skins secured
l>.y pelji^jric .sealing in 1891 represent at a minimum one-sixth of the fur seals destroyed,
viz, ;i7r>,()00 — that is, calculating one in thre<! secured and each of the three suckling
a pup or big witb young — we most undoubtedly need not look elsewhere to account
for the rapid decrease in the rookeries on the Pribihtf Islands; and I quite agree
with you in maintaining that, nnh-ssthe malpractice of (lelagic sealing be prevented
or greatly checked, both in the North Pacific and in the iJering Sea, the ecouoinio
extermination of CaUorhinus uminua is merely the mutter of a few years.

i (

III

i in

SKAL LIFE ON THK I'lMHILOF ISLANDS.

. Iiitornationtil le<;isl:itiiin oii;;ht. to iiitorvLMH\ iiiid without tlulay, in tliin oaHO tuid
•UKK^^^t tlio iiii'iiiiH of [Hissiiily iircvfiitiin;- or at It'iiMt coiisiiltTiildv limit iii;c tlic pcla^iic
ouptiiruiinil kiiiiii<;ot' tiiH iiorlliern liirHoiil — a liosliiictive iiiid iiltiiiiMt(d.\ tiital IimIiih-
try. wliicii f'ori'ilily locitiis the woll-kiiowii talilo ol' tlio jifiiNaiit who idlliMl tliu hoii
vrhlcli ijiiii till! p>hi(^n (!i;^s. 'I'hi' iiiiliistvy derived Iroiii the rational killiii<i; of t'lir
seal)*, as )>ractie*Ml on tin; rriliilof Islands, has an ecoiioini<' value wliieli extends tar
beyond tlie liinits. ihouuh vast, of the UnittMl States; and it must Ik; rememlx-reil
that the commercial extermination ut the tnr seal must al^o put an end to those
industries which areconnei^ted witli the prejiaration of the much valued seal-skin fur.
It is liotli as a naturalist and as an old (;omniissioner of tlsheries that I Ix-;; to say
once more that I most entirely and m^st emphatically a<;ree with yon in the conclii-
BioiiB and reeonimendations you ctune to in \'onr report on the jircsent contlitiou
of tile fur seal industiy in the Herinj^ Sea, with 8i)eeial reference to tin-, causes of
decreuHe and the measures necessary for the ri!st^>ratiiui and jiermanent preservatioD
of that industry, whicdi conclusions and recommendations are lully supported and
Justilied by the tacts in the ease.

With mneh n gard, btdieve me, dear sir, very truly, yours,

IlKMiV II. (iKil.lOI.I.

UKPI.Y OK 1>1{. IJAI'HAKr. HI.ANCll.XUl).

Dr. ('. IIakt Mkkkiam,

h'urenii of Animal liidiistrii,

I'fiHirlinciil 1)/ .Igriiiiltufe, H'oHliinfiton, IK ('.

Siu ANU lloNOKKi) ( '(it-i-KAfifK : I liave read with tlio deei)e8t interest the learned
memoir which you ha\e done nie the honor to semi me concerninj; the liioloj;ical his-
tory of the lur seal {('alhirliiiinn itrniiiiin).

The very jtrceise ol)servatious which yon made at the Pribilof Islands and the no
loss icrtnin inroruiation based on ollicial statistics which you j^ive on the subject of
the capture of tlie females on the hi;ih sea at the niomeut when they an' retui'uinjj to
the I'ribilof Islands to f^ive birrli to their young, have snjjjjested to you cKUclusions
■with which 1 fully anTce.

I will ;;o even further than you, for I tliink it urgent not only to rijfidly jirohibit
the takin<j; of the migratory VnlUirhhins in the o]Hm sea. but also to rei;ulatoaud linnt
severely tlie hunting on laiul (d 'males still too young to have a harem.

According to your own observal iiui the male does not pair olf liefore the age of 6
or 7 years, and the females give birth to only one jiup.'it a time. It can be said then
that the S])e(des iiu-rcases slowly and multiplies with ditlicnlty. 'i'hese are unfavor-
able conditions, which do not allow it to repair the hecattunbs which for several
^eaiK ))ast have been and are deciuiatinj; the sp'icics. '

Hy reasfui of the mas.sacics of which it is the victim this s])eeies is advancing rap-
idly toward its total and linal destruction, following the fatal road on which the
lihyliiKi HlcUivx, the Mniiiirhiin IroincaUx, and the Macroiliinii8 «»/;/««/ Jros/iw's h.ave pre-
ceded it, to (dte only the great niaiuniifers which l)ut recently abounded in the
American seas.

Now. the irremediable destruction of an eminently tisefnl animal species, such aa
this one, is, to speak ]>lainly, a crime of which we are rendering ourselves guilty
toward our (hiscendants. To satisfy our instincts of cupidity we voluntarily exhaust,
iind that forever, a source of wealth which, projieily regulated, ought on the con-
tr.iry to contribute to the jirosperity of our own generation and of those which will
Hucceed it.

' When we live on our capital we can undoubtedly lead a gay and extravagant life:
but Imw l(uig docs this foolish extravagance last? And what is its to-morrowf
Inextricable poverty. On the other hand, in causing our ca]>ital to be jtroperly pro-
dnctivi^ we draw from it constantly a 8i)lendid income, which does not. perliajis, give
the largo means dreamed of, luit at l(!ast assures an honorable comi)etency. to wliich
the wise man knows how to iiceommodale himself. Hy prudi nt ventures or by a
■well-regulated eeoniuiiy he can even iucrease |ircinressively his inheritance and leave
to his children a greater fortune than lie had himstdf received from his parents. It
is <;vident,ly the same with the ijuestion which occu^des us. and it is for our gener-
ation an iini)erif»us iluty to iirevent the destrntition of the fur seal, to regulate
strictly its capture — in a wonl, to perjietuato this source of wealth and to beiiueath
it to our dcHc^endauts.

To these ccnisideraticms of an economic character I will add .another of a nature

ftnrely sentimental. It is not without profound sadness that the naturalist sees a
arge nniulier of aniuial species disappear, the ilestruction of which this century will
have seen accomplished. When our seas are no longer inhabited by the cetacea and
the great pinnipeds, w hen the air is no longer furrowed iu all directions by little

v> I

SEAL • MK ON TllH TKIKILOF ISLANDS.

• Kil.IOI.I.

Insi'i'tivovoii-: l)ii(N, \\\\i> known if the (<i|iiililii'inin of niitiirt^ will not he lnokcii — an
f>quiiil)riiiiii to wliicli tlic cri'iitiin's on tiic way to ('xtinction Inn «> ureiitiv <'(»ntril»nt«Mlf

With liis lnn'))oon8, his fireiinns, anil bis inai'liincs of every kiiitl. man, witii whom
tht' Instlnttof <li'.-trnctiiiu uttiiins its hij-ht'st imint, in tho moHt cruel ent'iny «if nature
anil of niaukiuil itself

liitl)|>ily, while yet in tinu", the Havauts Mounil the ahum. In this century, when
we believe in »cieuee, we nmut hope that their voice will not he lost in thoile.sert.

Above all. 1 have the conviction that the very wine measures which you jtroposo
with the view of jireserviiig the Calliirhiniis urniniiH from an imiienilin^ ilestruction
will be submitteil to an interuutional conimi ision, which will ratify them auil give
tluMii the force ot a law.

Will you .iccept, sir autl honored colleague, t'.e expression of niy most distinguisbed
Bentimcnts.

Dr. KAi'irAKi. Hlanciiakd.

KI'.k'I.Y OK OK. WII.UKI.M 1,1 I.I.J IIllOHG.

Stockholm, Mtii/ U, IS9S.
Dr. ( . Mart Mf.iuma.m.

Dkah Sih: In answer to your letter of '2d of .\]»ril, asking oi.;- oiiinion as to the
c:iiisi8 of the decrease of the stock of northern fur seals {('aUorhinux iir/^hnin) (ui the
rookeries of the islands in the North Tacilic or Mering .'^ea, and concerning the means
proposed liy > ou to arrest this decrease, allow us to state the lollowing:

Yo(ir description of the life of the northern fur seal corrcsjioiids generally with
Biinilar descriptions by former iiuthors. from the I'l'lehratcd l)r. Steller, who (1711— 12)
visitfil till' Commaiidrr Islanos with Vitus IJering, to our dajs. and also with our own
peisdiial ex])iMicnces of the animal lile in the Arctic .-eas, and with the informations
one of us gathered from the inhabitants during a short stay in the Uering .*<ea,

Wi do not, therefore, hesitate to declare that the facts about the life .-ind habits of
the fur seal staled by you in your said letter under l-L'O shonhl 8er\e as a luise lor
the rc.uulaiions necessary to preserve this gregarious animal from its threatened
t'xtinctioii in a comi)arativeIy ^bo^t time.

These regnlai ions may be di\ided into two categories, viz: (1) Regulations for the
ki ling. etc.. of the i'ur seals on the rookeries, i'l order to jtrevent the gradual dimiini-
tioii o| the stock : (2) regulations for the pelagic sealing, or for the hunting of the
seals swimming in tlie ocean in large herds to and from the rookeries, or around the
rookeries during the time when the I'emales are suckling the jniits on land.

As to the former iiuestioii, the killing of the seals on the rookeries, it seems at
present regulated in a suitable manner to etfectnally ])revent the gradual diminution
of the stock. If a wider experience should require some nioditications in tlicse
reguiatious, there is no danger but that such modilications will be adoi)te(l. It is
eviiliiitly lu the interest of the owners of the rookeries to take care that this sinirce
of wealtli shoiihl not bo lessened by excessive exi)loitation. Nor will there be any ditti-
cnlty for studying the conditions l»ir health and thriving of the aidmals during tbe
roi)ker\ season.

As to the pelagic sealing, it is evident that a systematic hunting of the seals in the
open sea on tbe way to and from or around the rookeries will very soon cause tbe
complete extiiictioii of this valuable and, from a scientilic ])<niit of view, e.xtreinely
interesting and im])ortant animal, especially as a great numl)er of the animals killed
in this manner are pregnant cows, or cows tem|)orarily sejiarated (rom their pups
■while seeking food in tlie vicinity of the rookery. Everyone having some ex|(eri-
ence in seal hunting can also attest that only a relatively sinall jtart of the seals
killeii or seriously wounded in tlie open sea can in this mannt.-r be <'anglit. We are
tlieret'ori? persuaded that a ^irohihitiou of pelagic sealing is a necessary eonditiou
for the juevention of the total extermination of the fur seal.

> ery truly, yours, \V. Lii.i,.iKnoi{G.

KEPI.Y OK mi. A. V. MIDDKNDORKF.

Mr. \v, Wtias.

Sir: My delay in answering your letter is due to illness. I am very glad that tbe
United states have selected so com]>etent a ]»er8on as Dr. ^lerriain for the purpose of
ascertaiulnji tbe causes of the rapid decrease of seals. The facts of tbe ease have
uow been scientiHcally explained, so that they may be readily nuderstood even by
an utiscientiHc person. The method of treating these animais which was originally
adi)])ted by the Russian American Coiniiany at their bnuie on the Fribilof Islands is
still coutinnod in tbe same rational manner, and has, for more than half a century

■

-■

■

I^BI'iX

8KAI. LIFE ON THK PKIIULOK ISLANDS.

been IouikI to Ixi (excellent, doth on ai'ct init ot'tliK lur^e niuiilu;!' of h*mi]m taken, nnd
becunHe tliey lire not externiinateil. So lon<; :ih HU)ii'rlliioiiM yiinng nialt-s only ore
killi'd, not only tlie existeiiL-e. I)nt even liii- iin'renHi- of the hertl in iiHHni'eil,

SealH are, iinfortnnatfly, nii;;ri(torv aniiiialh, and Hi-t out <>n thfir jonrney during
the winter niontlnt. This i» eH|ii'i'ially true ol tin- ))re^iiant ft-niales. 'I licy are then
linnti'il with tonstuntly increasing rui).ieity, and are iiilled in Ilii' ojien sea by free-
booters from all parts ot the world. It is evident that the only remedy lor such a
state of tliin<;s can he ntt'onled by international jtrotection.

Mow rajiidly extermination jirojriesHes is shown by the disaiipt-arauees of millions
of bisons. With these, however, the case is (|iiite dill'erent, since their destrnrtioa
IB of no im])ortan('e in an economical point of view. Its imnortance is merely of an
esthetical charncter and from this standpoint only doeH moiiern civili/jition (leiniiud
the priservaiion of o speiiiiien herds, nnmberinu a few hundred heatl each — one
in Lithuania and tin other in North America. Since the attempts to domesticate
the bisini, and to ])rodiice a cross between it and our domestic cattle have ])roved a
failure, it is plain that the );round where the bison formerly ^razeil can be more
a<lv:intaKcously occupied and yield milk abundantly.

The case is i|uite otherwise with the seal. This animal is of economical impor-
tance, and was created for a domestic animal, as I ))ointed out many years a;ro. (See
my Siberian .Journey, vol. iv, part I, p. 816.) It is in fact the most nsctiil of all
clouicstic animals, since it reijuires in> care and no expense, and consequently yields
the lariLjest net jn'otit If we suppose the seal to have disappeared, what could take
its ])lace as c'onvt^rter of the immense su]iply of tish in the ocean into chtnce fnra to
stock the markets of the world?

Berin;i; Island, which has been deserted for one hnndred and tifty years, now
stands as a wariiin;;. Mas modern pro<;re.ss succeeded in any way in supplyint: the
plac«! of the seal cow {lihiithia ntclhri), that hiine monster whicdi, as a consumer of
marine ]dants, was inten<led ^o iH)nvert useless sea weed into savory meat'

If you will comninnieate (as you say you propose to do) the contents of tliis letter
to Dr. Merriam, whose address I <lo not know, yon will obli<;e ine j^reatly.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

Dr. A. V. MiDDENDORti'F.

REPLY OK DR. EMIL HOI.UB.

Prague, May 18, 1892.
Dr. C. H. Mkkriam, Ksq.

Dk.vr Sii: : With sincere attention I have perused the records of your investigation
of the habits, the present decrease, and regarding the future of the fnr seal (Cnllor-
hiiiiis uriiinii8 Gray). Having well considered the matter, I will pass my opinion
without any jtrejudice whatever.

The (government of the United States may be congratulated upon the action taken
in having sent out for the investigation of a matter which falls into the department
of tlie board of trade a scientist, and in this special case a man who has taken snch
great pains with the object of his researches.

Our age makes it a duty for all civilized nations to bring trade and commerce in
a close contact with science. This becomes quite a necessity, like in the present
case, in which commercial customs, even internati(mal agreements, laws, etc, become
insutlicient to secure a sound decision. Sncii scientitie investigations can supply the
desired conclusions; they do advice the measures to be taken, and provide the basis
upon which an international understanding can be established.

liegarding the object of your researches, I indorse your opinion that the decrease
of the numbers of the fur seal on the Pribilof Islands has been caused by pelagic
sealing in the North i'acilic and in the Bering Sea, and that this taking of the seals
at sea has to be stopped as early as ]iossible.

To restore in time the niinil)crs of former years, 1 take the liberty to name the fol-
lowing measures for the sake of consideration :

A. Concerning certain agreements with other powers,

(1) A mutual understanding miontbe (piestiou between the United States, Russia,
and .lajian. These three States are concerned priino loco in this matter as being the
proprietors of the breeding places as well, like also of the fishing grounds of the
said animals during their yearly wanderings to and fro.

(2) For the sake of brevity in action and a speedy settlement, these three States
(after having agreed upon the toregoing) to select but one representative.

(3) The United States having given impulse to the matter lo gain the prestige,
that a United States man shall be selected to this honor.

(4) A congress to be called together, invitations to be sent to those of the Euro-
pean and American powers, whose subjects indulge in pelagic sealing in the North
Pacilic and the Bering Sea.

SEAL LIHK ON IHK I'UIIULOF ISLANDS.

!< takvii, nnd

It 8 only are

u<L

riiey during

H-y are tlieu

HL'ii by Irue-

iy ibr Hueh a

I of millions
<l«-(«trui'ti(ia
iitTfly of an
turn (hiniiud
«1 etu'b — one
tlonii-»^ticate
\'c ]>nive<l a
iin be more

lical impor-
» a^o. (See
use t'nl of ill!
intly yields
t could take
loice furs to

years, now

Pl>lyinir the

i^oiiHunier of

if this letter

ENDORFF.

J8, 1892.

veHti<;atioQ
unl {Cullor-
my opinion

ction taken
leiiartment
taken Huch

nimerce in
he present
te., bfconie
snpply the
e the basis

le decrease
by pelajjio
f the seals

ni- the fol-

'8, Russia,
bein^ the
ids of the

ree States

prestige,

the Eiiro-
the North

lo) In the Ponjirt'RS tbo ri>))rt>sfntative of tin" three ])o\Vfrs to have six voices,
reNiiitiii;i iii two voices for every oneof these jiowcrs, wlnrh < onccssioii to bo ^liiiiteil
upon tlie tactM of |>araj;raph \.

(()) I lie coiij»res.>* to deiil with the stoppa;;c of pelajjic sealiiij^ of the fur .seal, and
posHJlily to L'oiiie to an iiiHUM'Ktaiidiii<^' upon it and to eiilorce it,

H. ( (jiieeniinf^eerliiiu lausand preeantions in tlu-iJoniinioiiN of the Inited States.

(1) 'fo prohibit taking seals at sea by Inune vessels and by Nuiall boats alon^ the
coast diiriii;; the waiidei in^s ot the .iniiiiiils. I think that a ;:reat many tin seals
are killed on their w;iy to the south and their return to their lirecdm;; places in the
niu'tli liefore ever they do reach the neijrhborhood of tln^ latter. 'I'hefact that these
wuiiileriuK animals are ehieHy pregnant lemales, which as ;;aine are protected by
laws aiiioiis; all civili/ed nations, may grant them safety also along the coasts of
Hritisli ( (dumbia.

('>) To see that the »>xisting laws at present in use on both St. Fanl and St. (Jeorge
islands n^gardiiig the |irotecti(ui of male pups are strictly ol).served.

(3) To investigate the nutritions necessities of the fur seal. 1 believe that the
aniiiiiils feed, besides on lisb and erustiieeans, also on ditferent forms of molliisua,
especially on mussels, and also on certain seaweeds.

(4) In ascertaining the foregoing, to try to increase the (luantity of food in the
sea of the Fribilof Islands, especially for the reason that females, when nursing,
may be not compelled to stray as far as 100 to 1-50 miles from shore, deserting their
pups for Ml long and being also exposed to the weapons of the pelagic sealers.

(5) In ascertiiiniiig the nutritious necessities to ]>ay special attention to mussels
behiiigiiig to the families of the MjitUidw and Avkulidw (to the genera of Mjililna,
Modhila, [Athortumis, I'iinia, and others), v '• have thin shells, or to other species of
the North I'acific, which would promisea goci (irolilication ; further, also, to certain
seaweeds, for submarine ]duntation, the specie^, to which 1 allude containing a great
deal of eatable gelatinous matter.

(6) These measures, besides to be taken from economical reasons on behalf of
home commerce and home trade, to 'i recomiiiended also from a scientilio point
of view, as an act of ]ireservatiou ot a sea manunn! and from the common laws of
biinianity, (hat species of large and wild living mairinal may be guarded against
utter annihilation

Mankind, never to forget that, being the master among the living creatures on
earth, it has the power of recreation.

If tlie pelagic sealin'j. of the fur seal is carried on still longer, like it has been exe-
cutcMl during the last years, the ]ielagic sealing as a business matter and a living
will soon cease by the lull extermination of the useful aniinil.

The objections brought forward by the friends of the pelagic sealing against its
stopiia'ic, that the latter will ruin a great many families of seamen and tishers, can
not i)u taken as sound arguments. It is a well-known and a common thing in our
age, liut a weekly occurrence iliiring the last years, that a new trade springing up
ruins two other trades, and hardly in one case out of hundreds can a compensation
be given or is asked for.

In concluding' my note, I tbank you, my dear sir, as my esteemed fellow-worker in
another transatlantic si)here, for the excellent work which you have executed during
your weary investigations in the Bering Sea. May this noble and important work
be crowned with the deserved success that that piratic hunt may be stopped for-
ever. The opportunity of the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago might be used to
call the congress to Washington, and then to give to the delegates the treat of a
visit to the monstrous exhibition.

I should feel very happy if one day to come I can mnke your personal acquaint-
ance and can shake hands with you, iny dear sir.

With my humble respects, I remain, your most obedient,

Dr. Emil Holuh.

LETTERS AND STATESIENTS OF NATURALISTS.
STATEMENT BY PROF. T. H. HUXLEY.

The following st.atement by Prof. T. H. Huxley, F. R. S., etc., the
eminent naturalist, was prepared at the request of the counsel for the
United States. As appears from the statement itself, it was given by
Professor Uuxley as a scientist, not .is a retained advocate:

(1) The problem of the fur-seal fishery appears to me to be exactly analogous to
that which is presented by salmon fisheries. The Pribilof Islands answer to the
upper waters of a salmon river; the Bering Sea south of them and the waters of the

iff

■I ll»"

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIIULOF ISLifNl>8.

i HiL

NortliWbHt I'iicific from Culiforniuto the Shuiua^in IhIhikIh to therestol' tbei^uiirseot'
the river, itH estuary, ami adjacent Heaeoast. 'rheaiiimala breed in the former and teed
in the hitter, mi^jratiny: at ngiihir ])eriods from the one to the other. (The (|neBtioti
■whether the far beals have any breeding phices on tiie Northwest Coast ontside of
Berihjj Sea may be left open, as there seems to be no donbt that the main boily breeds
at the l'ribib>l's.)

(2) An important difference is that the females, bachelors, and yearlini; fnr seals
itiMl largely witliin a radins of say, oO miles of the I'ribihif I^4lands, wliilo tlie adnit
sahnon <io not teed (sensibly, at any rate) in the upper waters.

(3) It is clear in the case of fur seals, as in that of the salmon, that man is an
agent of destrnetion of very great potency, probably (tut weighing all others. It
would be |iossible in the case of a salmon river to tish it in such a fashion that every
ascending or descending tish shonld be caught, and the fishery be in this way surely
and com))letely destroyed. All our salmon-fishery legislation is directed toward the
end of ineserving the breeding grounds on the one hand, on the other of preventing
the lower -water tishernieu from capturing too large a proportion of the ascending
fish.

(4) Our fishery regulations are strict and minute. Every salmon river has its
fishery board, composed of representatives of both the upper an<l the lower water
fisheries, w hose business it is to nuike by-laws nnder the acts of Parliament and to
see that they are carried out. A Government inspector of fisheries looks after them,
and holds in(|uiries under the authority of the home secretary in case of disputes.
On the whole, the system wtirks well. The fisheries of rivers which have been
pretty nearly depopulated have been restored, and the yield of the best is main'
tained. IJiit the upper-water and lower-water proprietors are everlastingly at war,
each vowing that the other is ruining the fisheries, atid the inspector has large oppor-
tunities of estimating the value of diametrically opposite a.ssertions about matters
of fact.

(5) In the case of the fur-seal fisheries the destructive agency of man is prepotent
on the Pribilof Islands. It is obvious that the seals might be destroyed and driveo
away ciunpletely in two or three seasons. Mor«M>ver, as the number of bachelors in
any given season is easily ascertained, it is possible to keep down the take to such
a percentage as shall do no harm to the stock. The conditions foreflicient regulation
are here )|uite ideal.

(()) Hut in Bering Sea and on the Northwest coast the case is totally altered. In
order to get rid of all comi)lications, let it be supposed that western North America,
from Bering Straits to California, is in the possession of one power, and that we have
only to consider the questions of the regulations which that power should make and
enforce in order to preserve the fur seal fisheries. Suppose, further, that the author-
ity of that power e.vtended over Bering Sea and over all the Northwest Pacific east
of a line drawn from the Shuinagin Islands to California.

Untler such condition<« I should say, looking at nothing but the preservation of the
seals, that the best course would be to prohibit the taking of the fur seals anywhere
except on the Pribilof Islands, and to limit the take to such percentage as experi*
ence proved to be consistent with the preservation of a good, average stock. The
furs would be in the best order, the waste of life would be least, and, if the system
were honestly worked, there cmild be no datiger of overfishing.

(7) However, since northwest America does not belong to one power, and since
international law does not acknowledge Bering Sea to be a nnire clausum, nor rec-
ognise the jurisdiction of a Riparian power beyond the 3-mile limit, it is quite clear
that this ideal arrangement is impracticable.

The cause of the fur-seal fisheries is, in fact, even more difficult than that of the
salmon fisheries in such a river as the Rhine, where the upper waters belong to one
power and the lower to another.

(8) The North west Pacific, from California to Shnniagin at any rate, is open to al' the
world, an<l, ai^cordiug to the evidence, the seals keep mainly outside the 3-mile limit.
A convention between Great Britain and the United States (backed by a number of
active cruisers) might restrain the subjects of both. But what about ships under
another Hagf

(9) Moreover, I do not see how the Canadians could be reasonably expected to give
up their fishery for the sake of preserving the Pribilof fisheries, in which they have
no interest.

(10) If, however, it is admitted that the Canadians can not be asked to give up their
fisheries, I see no way out of the dilficiilty except (me, an<l I do not know that it is
practicable. It is that the Pribilof, Bering, and Northwest coast fur-seal llshories
shall be considered national property on the part of the United States and tireat
Britiiin. to be worked by a joint fisiiery ctuuniission, which shall have power to make
by-laws under the terms of a general treaty, to which I suppose other powers (who
havt* hardly any interest in the matter) could be got to agree.

(11) I am free to confess tliat my experiei!ce of the proceedings of fishery boards
does not encourage me to hope that the proceedings of such a commission would be

SKAL LIFK ON TIIK PItlltll.OI' ISLANDS.

lie i!oiir8e of
icr iuul t'ee«l
lie (|iu'Htion
, outside of
jod.v breeds

ijj fur seals
lo tiM' adult

t luiin is an
otiiera. It

1 that every
way surely
toward the
prevfuting

e asceudiug

iver lias its
lowtr water
iiieut and to

after them,
[)f disputes.

have been
)st is inaiu'
ifjly at war,
large oppor-
9ut matters

is prepotent
1 and driven
itachelors in
take to such
t regulation

altered. In
fth America,
hat we have
id make and
the author-
Pacidc east

ation of the
Is anywhere
e as experi"
stock. The
the system

r, and since

im, uor rec-

quite clear

that of the
iloug to one

ten tear the
-mile limit,
number of
hips under

eted to give
they have

ive up their
w thiit it is
al lisheries
and < J re at
rer to make
jwers (who

[lery boards
u would be

nltojjctlicr liiirniiinii)iis: Imt if it were comiMiscd of siMisiblo men they would, sooner
or lirter. strnjigie out into a umilim vivendi, for. alter all, it is as umk^Ii the Canadian
inlert'st thiit the rrihiiof lislieries siniuld br preserved as it is the United States inter-
est tli:it the seals shi>ul<l not lie e\tirpiited in JSering Se.i and llie Northwest Pacific.

(12) In HiK'h a <'as(> as this 1 <1() not. belii've that the enforeeinont of a elose time,
either in Hering Seii or on the Northwest roast, would lie of any praetical utility
unless the lisliing is absolutely ])ri>hibited iwhi<'li I take to be out of tli(« <|uestion).
It must lie f rinitted while the seals ar<( in the sea ; and if it is |nirniitted, there is
no limit to tlie deslrueticni which may be ell'eited.

Nunnriiiif as the seals may be, they area tritie eomiiareil with heriing Hclnxdsand
cod \>alls. anil human agency is relatively a far more important factor in destrmtion
in tlii'i)' <'ase than in that of herrings and eod. I p lo this tinm lisliing has made no
Beiixible impression on the great herring and eoil lisheries; but it has been easy to
cxtir))ate seal tisheiies.

(i;^) I'inally, 1 venture to remark that there are only two alternative courses
worth ^nirsning.

One is to let the fur seals bo extirpated. Mankind will not sulfer nnK^hifihA
ladies are ol>lig(Ml to do without S(;al-skin Jackets, and the fra(;tion of the Knglish,
Canadian, and American ])opulation which lives on the seal skin industry w ill be no
worse otV tlian the vastly gi eater mnltitinle who have had to sutler for the vagaries
of lasliicn times out of number. Certainly, if the seals are to be a source of constant
bit^kenng between two nations, the sooner they are abolished the better.

The other course is to tread down all merely personal au<l trade interest in pursuit
of un urr ngcment that will work and be fair all round, and to sink all the stiipidi"
ties of natiouiil vanity and political sell-seiking along with them.

There is a great deal too much of all these undeniable elements apparent in the
docinnents which I have been studying.

T. H. liUXI.KY.

Ai'Kii, -T), 18il2.

AI'F1I>AV1T BY 1)U. lUIILIP I.UTLKY Si:l,ATKK.

Philip Lntley Selator, I'h. 1)., secretary of the Zoological Society of London, being
duly sworn, (bitli depose and say that in his opinion as a naturalist:

(i) Unless pro]ier measures are taken to restrict the indiscriminate captnro of the
fur s(^al in the North I'acilic he is of opini«m that the extermination of this species
V ill take place in a few years, as it has alieady done in the case of other species of
the same group in other parts «»f the world.

(2) It seems to him that the ]iroper way <»f proceeding would be to stop the kill-
ing of females and young of the fur seal altogether or as far as possible, and tO
restrict the killing of the males to a certain number in each year.

(3) The only way he can innigine by which these rules could bo carried ont is by
the killing the seals only in the islands at the breeding time (at which time ft
a])pears that the yimug males keep apart from the females and old males) and by
preventing altogether, as far as possible, the destruction of the fur seals at all othet
times and in other places.

IMlIMP LUTLKY SCLATKIt, Ph. D., F. R. 8.

City of Washington, Dhtrict of Columbia, ss:

C. II. 'fownsend, being duly sworn, de]»ose8 and says: ■

I am iV^ J ears of age, and my profession is that of a naturalist. I am attached to
the United States Fish Coiiimissittn steamer Alhatross, with which Cominissioii I have
been < <inne(^t>ed for nine years. Occupying the ])osi( ion of resident naturalist on that
vissel, as I did, 1 have collected constantly during this period and have hunted with
all kinds of firearms and under various conditions. I have made seven voyages to
Alaska.

I visited the Pribilof Islands for the lirst time in 1885, spendintr the months of June
and .September thereon in making collections of natural-history specimens, includ-
ing those of the fur seal, of which I brought <lown twenty. In the year 18!U I again
Tisitt'd the Island of St. Paul, arriving there .Inly 28 and remaining there about ten
days. 'I'he Hritisb commissioners were <ni the island at that time. I made fre(|nent
observations as to the conditions of the rookeries during this period. Karly in the
snnunor of 1892 I visited, at the re(|uest of t\ui I'nited States (lovernment, (inade-
lope Island, for the purpose of ac<piainting myself with seal life there and of obtain-
ing skulls of the liir seals which formerly frequented those regions. Later in 18S>2 1
once more visited the Island of St. I'aul, arriving there .June 80. I was there on the

p- ;;

i i!

iih

Irt J

V , '■ ,

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

ialiind ami on the United States Keveniie steamer Corwin, cmisinj; to the west of the
isianiis, continuuimly nntil ubont August 15, and wan enga;;ed dnrin;>; all ot this
time in the Httnly of seal jile, either on land or iu the waters of Bering Sea, and have
shot seals from a snnill boat.

I carefully noted the fact this year that the youug seal is at birth attached to a
larji;e placenta, e(|ual parts to one-third of its weight and of a bright red color. It
is Monietiines not exjielled nntil an hour or so after birth, remaining attached in the
nieanwhile by the umbilical cord to the pup. It fret) nently remains attached to the
pnp a diiy or more. After ])arlurition the female takes an immediate interest in her
young, and if it has fallen into some slight rock crevice she gently draws it toward
her, taking its nape in her teeth. She repeatedly turns to it with mauifestatiou of
att'ectiou.

Prior to July 27, 1892, many of the females had taken to water to feed and could
thereafter be seen returuing at all times to suckle their young. I (|uote the follow-
ing written meiuorandum made by me on St. Paul at tUat date: "Bulls on rookeries
getting exhausted and <iuiet, mostly sleeping. Cows largely at sea. Some bulls have
hauled out on sand beaches that so far have been bare. Four-tifths of the seals on
rookeries to-day are pups."

J uly 28 I made the following note : "Many females coming from the water bleating
for their young."

I have killed sea lions at the following localities, where they breed in considerable
nuniliers, and found their breeding ground impregnated with the same rank, dis-
agreeable smell that is so noticeable a feature of the breeding grounds of the Pribilof
fur seal: Light-house Kock, Alaska Peninsula, Farallon Islands, and Monterey Rock,
California; San licnito Islands, Lower California, and San Luis Islands, in the (iulf of
California. The soil and rocks at these places is as foul with seal excrement as at
the Pribilofs, where urine, excrement, decaying jilacentas, and other Hlih rubbed
and trodden into the soil and rock depressions cause the odors so characteristic of
this vicinity. The rcxiks at Monterey may be used in illustrjition : They lie near
Cypress Point, 4()0 or 500 yards olf the shore, which the carriage <lrive i'ollows and
are covered with hair seals, which breed there, Tliey are conspicimusly stained
with excrement, and where the aninnils lie thi<;kest the ground is smeared and slip-
pery with it. I collected sea lions there iu .lanuary of the present yt^ir, and after
my shooting had frightened all the animals off to the sea the rank smell of the place
itself drifted across the (channel into the nostrils of the tourists of the Hotel del
Monte, who witnessed our operations. It would in<leed be an extraortliniiry occur-
rence if fur seals did not dc|)osit excrement upon their Ireeding grounds in the same
way that all otiuu' aniuuils of this class do.

As already stated above, 1 was attached to the steamer Corivhi during the i>aat
Hummer, and I made all the examinations of the stonia'hs of the seals referred to
in Ca|>tain Hooper's report, covering, in all, 3!^ seals. 1 annex hereto phi)togra))hs
of two of the seals which were dis^eeteil and examined by me on the deck ol the
steamer Coiirin. These seals were taken on the 2d <lay of August, 1892, at a dis-
tance of about 175 miles from the islands. The photographs exhibit the mammary
glands and convey a good idea of the considerable si/e ot these glands, which in all
cases were tilled with milk. The inference is unavoidable that the pup is a vora-
cious feeder, and this inference is in keeping with the oiist^rvations I have made on
the rookeries, where I have repeatedly seen pups suckle for half an hour at a time.
The mammary gland is very widely s])read over the lower surface of the aninuil;
beginning between the fore flippers, in fact at the anterior of thi> sternum, it extends
well up under the armpits and t)ack to the pnbie bones. The milk glands are quite
thick and completely charged v;ith milk. The ph'ttograjdis, especuilly the tirstone,
exhibit the milk streaming froi.i the glands on to the dei'k.

Annexed to the report of Captain Hooper is a table giving the results of the exam-
ination of 11 seals which were killed in Bering Sea in 18!)2. It appears that of this
number 22 were nursing seals. The photogr;iphs hereto annexed show exactly the
way all of these nursing female seals looked when cut open on tiie deck of Xhe Corwin.

From the fact that among the teuiales thus taken and examined there were found
mostly nursing cows, with a small number of virgin cows, it is reasonable to con-
clude that there are ))ractically no barren fenmlus swimming about iu the sea unat-
tached to the islands, or that, at any rate, if such seals exist they are rarely, if ever,
taken. In all my experience I have never seen anything to lea«l nie to the conclusion
that there is such a thing as a barren female. In the case of the virgin cows, a care-
ful examination of the uterus proved them ti> be too immature for coiice])tion.

In the stouuichs of many of the hi als examined as above stated there were ibund
large ()uantities of lish, m duly codlish. There is nothiuusur)>risingin this (act, that
codlish should be found in the stomachs of surface feeders such as seals are. While
taken at the bottom, the codlish is not restricted to deep water. It is found from the
shallows alotig the shore out to the banks where lishermen usually take them. They
are often taken at intermediate depths, but tish taken at the bottom are, as a rule,
larger.

1.^

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOI' ISLANDS.

ttaclu'd to a
1(1 color. It
H-hfil in tliu
ichcil to the
;*'re8t in her
V8 it toward
il'estatiou of

il and could
) the follow-
on rookeries
le bulls have
the seaU on

iter bleating

BouHideruble
e rank, dis-
the Priliilof
iterey Hock,
u the (iulf of
I'unient as at
tilth rulibed
•acteristic of
liey lie near
follows, and
iisl.v stained
led and slip-
ir, and after
of the i)lace
le Hotel del
iniiry occur-
in the same

\>i the ])ast

icftiried to

)iiiitogra])hs

leek oi' the

at a dis-

inaiuinary

hit'h in all

is a vora-

'o made on

at a time.

he aninuil ;

it extends

Is are quite

i(> lirstone,

the exam-
that of this
exactly the
the Corwtn.
were found
ble to con-
e sea unat-
ly, if ever,
conclusion
ws, a care-
tion.

were found
s fact, that
re. While
d from the
em. They
, as a rule,

The cod is a voracious feeder u|)on squid, "vhich abound at the surface. In Alaskan
•waters I have taken hundreds with the din net, after attracting; them with the elec-
tric light of the Albatross. In its frequent mif^ratioiis from bank to bank the cod
passes over tracks of ocean where the water is of profound depth. It is a regular
feeder upon herring and many other tishes which school at tlie surface, and in
Alaskan waters fre(|uently follows the tisherman's bate from tiie bottom to the sur-
face.

As a result of my combined observations ujton land and water, as hereinbefore
detailed, 1 have no hesitation in stating positively that soon after a J'emale gives
birth to -U'r young she leaves the island in (juest of food, that she travels great dis-
tances in search of it, and that she returns to the islands heavily laden with milk.

Wliile hunting in the Corwin's boat many seals were tired upon wlien asleep. They
usually sleep with their head to leeward and keep it moving uneasily from side to
side, but with the nose held clear of the water. A 8leei»ing seal has his vital ]>arts
pretty well submerged — the nose, lower Jaw, and tlipjiers being usually held above
the surface, although a little more ap]>ears at times according to the condition of the
sea and the movements of the animal.

One lias to be very close to g_>t a shot at the head that will kill it. Many times
the animal is wounded sulliciently to get out of reach of the iiunter before it dies.
I had very little dilliculty in approaching sleeping seals close enough for a fair shot,
but niiicli in killing them. Fair shots that scattered the <'liarge all about them, hit-
ting (lie nippers, I lirmly believe, and in s(un<! cases drawing plenty of blood, were
usually witlont result, until I learned to tire directly at the head. Then thtr shots
began to prove fatal ; but even then, unless hit in a vital part, the animals got away,
though bleeding freely. A," Hrst I blamed the iiielfectnal tiring on the cartridges, but
the cartridges ]>rovt!(l all right as socmas 1 learned to aim at the liead and not at the
nuinial as a whole.

I lea.!ieil after some expcrinients that seals which <laslie*l away iipparently unin-
jured wt-re usually hurt, aiul utter following them i»ersistently, at great labor to the
boat ])iill(!rs, found that they were bleeding.

I believe that the majority of sleeping seals fired at are struck. The number killed
at the islands with buckshot in tliem bears out this claim to a considtu'able extent.
I do not see how an ordinary marksman can shoot .'if so large a target as a seal at
short range with a double- barrel gun loaded witli 21 buckshot witln ut strikingsome
of the exjiosed portions of tht; animal.

It is from the instantly killctl that seals art! secured; the wouni.ed animal U8t>s its
deatli struggle to get out of rt!a<'h. What |>ro]iortion of the .;'als reaching the
Pribilol's with shot in them bear to those wkicli are tired at and esca]ie ( wound(Ml, as
I state above) is not known, but I believe that fully .-is manv perish leaving no trace,
as recover sutbciently to reach the islands.

Feeding seals sliot when raising tlieir heads about tin; boats from curiosity are
more likely to be killtMl instantly than sleeping seals, but they sink mori- (juickly.
A cle:ir sliot at the head is alforded which knocks the life completely out of them,
and the rest of the body being under water at the tinu' it would seem that the
pressure upon the limp body forceps the air tVoni it. As a rule, seals-killed instantly,
when the head is entirtdy clear of the water, go down (|uickly, sinking stern fore-
most. Slee))ing seals killed when the head is low in the water tloat for a time, the
head settling into tin' water first, the air is retained in the bod,\ and it floats. I shot
a seal oil (Guadeloupe Island in \!ay when it raised its head close to the boat, killing
it instantly. It sank before we could reach it with the gatf, and continued sinking,
stern first, as we could ])lainly see far Itelow in the ebtar water.

Another illustration of the wastelnlness of the jielagic sealing might be found in
the number of cartridges expeinied. 1 luring the work of the Corwin no record of
this kind was kept. 'I'lu! hunter usually carried two or three dozen cartridges,
which were, as a rule, expended liefore they returned to the ship. The number of
seals lost by sinking, number wounded, and number secured were recorded.

Kejieated firing from the iioats was often heard on board shi]), and a large, number
of empty sludls woiibl be returned, when conij)ari.tively few seals were delinitely
reported as secured, lost, or wounded, all (ulnr shots being supposed to be misses.
1 do not think this feature has received i>roper consideration. 'I'he hunters were
certainly average marksmen, and it is my belief that the great majority ol the
sleeping seals liied at Were btruck. The guns used were 10-bore I'arkeis, loaded
with 21 buckshot. Tinn^ after time I have seen the heavy charge strike about the,
sleeping seal fully expecting to see it killed, when, to my utter surprise, it would
dive ,iiul come ilp beyond our reach. It is incredible that t\u' great number of seals
thus cseaiiing were uninjiiriMl. How can one always find traces of blood or signs of
injury when the Irightened animal is retieating at a rate so rajiid that it is soon out
of sight, and especially as its course is mainly under water and it only appears at
the surface with a porpoise-like leap to catch its breath and then dives again?

I ;

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1-

C. H. TOWKP'^ND.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

m I

ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY.

The foregoing testimony is tliat of scientists whose knowledge of the
subject under discussion cau not well be (juestioned. Speaking for
myself, personally, I am jdeased to find my own conclnsions (based on
a i)ractical knowledge solely) so fully indorsed by learned and disinter-
ested men.

In addition to the testimony aheady (piot^d, liowever, and in order
to sti'cngthen the position taken, 1 append to my r('i)ort tiie testimony
of statesmen, Jurists, scientists, naturalists. shi))masters, sealers, seal
hunters, pelagic; sealers, naval otlicers (Aim-rican and IJritish), mer-
chantmen, seamen, Indian hunters, native sealers. Treasury agents,
comi)any agc'Uts, Hritish and Americuji Bering Sea Connnissioners, fur
traders, furrieis, fur experts, customs oHieers, an<l men of all classes,
native and foreign, friends and enemies, who liave liad either the prac-
tical experience, the general infonnation.or the s(uentilic knowledge to
warrant them in making sworn statements on the subject at issue; and
a careful reading of the testimony introduced will show that their views
in general aie in accord with mine, and sustain my position in every
particular.

The (pu>tations above referred to aie taken fr»>m the American case
and counter case.

UKTRoSPErvnVE AND KXI'LANATOK V,

So much lias already been said in contradiction of the theories
advanced by honest Itut mistaken men about overdriving of the young
males and its consequent result of imi)otency, of stampedes on the rook-
eries, and epidemics in the herd, by which so many ])ui)s were supi)osed
to be destroyed annually during the past deciide, it is necessary for a
corre(;t undei-stamlingof tiie contention that 1 go back a few years and
give a sketcli of the causes whicli gave rise to such, until then, unheard
of theories v, liich have been tlie direct cause of more than one-half the
troubles growing out of the fur-seal (juestion in ISering Sea.

As already siiown by tlu' testimony of Messrs. 11. li. Mclntyre, T. F.
Morgan, Daniel Webster, J. ('. IJedpath, Dr. Noyes, and others who
were on the seal islands for many years, it was not until l.S8(i the first
unmistakaltle decrease of the seal herd was a[)parent, Had the facts
been reported imme<liately to the Department and the true cause of
i.uch a sudden shrinkage shown, stejts might have been taken which
would have prevented further jjclagic sealing, or at least an additiiui to
the sealing fleet; but unfortunately an overzealous Treasury agent
reported an increase of nearly 2,('^*K<*'*^* i?.ince Elliott's nu'asurements
and estimates, sonu' fourteer years earlier; and again, in 1.S88, he tells
the Department:

I am happy to lie ahlti to i'ei)<)i't that aithuii^li late hiiidiiifi; the hreediiij; rooke""'""
art" lilled out to the liiu's of uieasuremeiit lieretofore made, and some of them m.ic..
beyoiKl those lines, showing; eoiicliisively that seal life is not beinfj; depleted, but is
fully np to the estimates j>;iveu in my report of 18S7. (Report of (i. R. Tingle, 1888. )

When that report was written, and before it was written, everyone
on the seal islands knew there were indicaticuis of a decrease of the
seal herd, and the employees of the lessees so reported at the time to
the superintendent. Dr. II. H. Mclntyre, who tells us:

I re]teatedly pointed out to our company and to the special Treasury agents during
the seasons of 1887, 1888, and 1889 that the seals were rapidly diminishing, and that
iu order to get the full <|uota allowed by law we were obliged to kill, in increasing
unniberH in each of those years, animals that should have been allowed to attain
greater size; and, finally, the catch of 1889 was mostly of this class. (See Mclntyre
to Jeffries, December 15, 1890, Appendix.)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Ige of the

ikiiij^' for

based on

(lisiiiter-

in order
e.stiinony
»lers, seal
isli), iiier-
y ayoiits,
Diievs, fur
11 classes,
the prac
\\iedj;e to
ssne; aud
iieir views

ill every

ricaii ease

i theories*
the young
I the rook-
sui)])osed
sary for a
years and
unheard
half the

re, T. F.
ers who
the first
le facts
cause of
n which
dition to
y ajjent
ureuients
he tells

vooke'"''"'
.lieiii iiKic
;te(l, but i»

ij,'le, 1888. )

everyone
,se of the
le time to

mid that
increaHing
to attain
Mclutyre

Mr. Daniel Webster, the oldest and one of the most reliable and prac-
tical of sealers, tells, under oath:

In 1884 iind 18xr) I noticed » dvcrvase, iiiid if Itecaiiie so iiiaiked in 1886 that every-
one on the islands 811 w it. Tliis marked dtv'roiiNc in 188(5 showt-d itself on all the rook-
eries on hotli islantls. (See atlldavit in A|)|)endix.)

And Mr. .1. C Uedpatii, the h)cal aj^ent for tlie lessees, after an expe-
rience of twenty years on the ishinds, says:

As the schooners (iiehiyic hunters) inereased. the seals d('<'reased, and the lines of
contraction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearer and nearer to the heach,
and the killal)le seals lieranie fewer in numbers and iiarder to lind. In 188t» the
decrease was so jdain tiiat the natives and all the aj;ents were startled. (Ibid.)

Ill 1881) the usual annual (luota of 1()0,()II0 could not be found without
takiiij^' .50,(100 youny- seals whose skins did not average more tlian -4
pounds each.

It was tlien that the apparent and appalling suddenness of the
deciciise aroused in tlie minds of those who were neither practical
sealers nor had detiiiite knowledge of seal life on the-rooktMies doubts
as to the true cause of the decrease, and of the actual (Muiditions exist-
ing on the seal islands so soon alter an otlicial rejiort liad ajtpeared
aniniiiiig the fact of an increase of over 2.000,000 seals in fourteen years.

Theories, as numerous as the men wlio broached them, were launched
forth to a still doubting world; from press and platform «'ame an array,
of argniiient and statistics as erroneous as they were bewildering; and
when the Treasury agent's reports reached the Department it was
decided to send an extra special agent to the islands ro thoroughly
iuvestijiate the coiiditjons existing there and if possible to find the
cause of the sudden decrease of the fur-seal herd; and Mr. Henry W.
Klliott was selected for that important work.

When, in 1890, Mr. Elliott reache«l the seal islands alter an absence
of fourteen years, and found only a s(;ant cme fifth of the seals that he
saw there in 187(), he impulsively and erroneously concluded tin ', the
driving of the young males from the hauling grounds was injurious to
their liealthy growth and full (h'velopment; that it produced impotency
and destroyed their usefulness as bree^'.ers on the rookeries, thus pro-
ducing a dearth of breeding males and a surplus of barren cows, and,
without a shadow of proof to sustain him, he made out a most elaborate
report in wlih-h he labored to show the truth of his new and wonderful
theory, a:id then felt jtersonally hurt and wronged because the Gov-
ernment refused to indorse or approve it.'

Kvery enemy of the I'liited States in both hemispheres, however,
hailed it with delight, ami quoted from it against us with much appro-
bation until, after years of patient research ami scientific investiga-
tion on tlie ])art of the United States and of (ireat Britain, it was
demonstrated that Klliott was in error, and that pelagic sealing is the
cause of the sudden and rapid destruction of the American fur seal.

In his overanxiety to prove his theory he persistently continues to
reiterate the story of a time when no drives were made from a number
of places on St. Paul Island where a great "reservoir of suri>lus male
Hfe" was held in reserve; but 1 will let him tell his own story:

In 1872-1874 wheu no driviug was niatle from Southwest Point, Zapadnie, and all
English Hay to the westward of Neahrpahskie K.iinnien, from Polaviiia, or anywhere
between it aud the hauling grounds of Lukannon, then there were reservoirs of

^i!

I y

[ :'

' See letter of Secretary of the Treasury, Appendix.

■ppr

100

SEAL I-IFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

till

young male life which were not drawn tipon or disturbed, from which a steady
stream of new mal'> Ulood for the lireeding grounds could and did How. (Elliott's
report (Paris print), 18SH), p. 287.)

Again, he says :

Nobody, in 1872, ever thought of such a thing as coniiiig over from th^ village to
make a killiug ut /apadnie. (Ibid., p. 246.)

lie continues:

I had this point in my thought during my studies in 1872-1874, but at that time no
holluschickie were driven from Southwest Point, from Zapadnie, from Tonkee Mees
or Stony Point, or from Polaviuia — no seals were driveu from these places where
everybody admitted that full half of the entire number belonging to the islands,
laid. (Ibid., 271.)

Then that immense spread of hauling ground covered by swarms of young male
seals, at /iipaduie, at Southwtist Point, at English Uay, beyond Middle Hill, west,
at Polaviuia, and over all that 8 long miles of beach and upland hauling ground
between I>ukanuon Hay and Webster's house at Novastoshuah, all of this extensive
sealing area was not visited by sealing gangs, or spoken of by them as necessary to
be driven from. (Hlliott's letter to the Stxretary of the Treasury, report of 1890,
p. iv.)

In 1872-1874 I observed that all the young male seals needed for the annual quota
of 75,000 or 90,000. as it was ordered in the latter year, were easily obtained every
season, be* weeu the 1st of. I une and the 20th of .1 uly following, from the hauling grounds
9f Tolstoi, Lukannon, and Zoltoi Sands — from these hauling grounds adjiii'ent to the
rookeriesor breeding grounds of Tolstoi, Lukannon, Reef, andGarbotch. All of these
points of supply being not more than II miles distant from the St. Paul village kill-
ing grounds, the Zdltoi drive being less than 600 feet away. (Ibid.)

Therefore, when attentively studying in 1872-1874, the subject of what was the
effect of killing annually I0(i,000 young male seals on these islands (90,000 on St.
Paul and 10,000 on St. (Jeor.ne), in view of the foregoing statement of fa;'t, 1 was
unable to see how any liarni was being done to the regular sup])ly of fresh blood for
the breeding rookeries, since those large reservoirs of surplus male life, above named,
held at least just half of the young untie seal life then belonging to the islands —
these large sources of supply were never driven from, never even visited by the
sealers, and out of their overwhelming al>un(lau<'.e 1 thought that surely enough
fresh male seal life nnist, did annually nntture for service on the breeding rookeries.
(Ibid.)

That day in 1879. when it becanu^ necessary to send a sealing gang from St. Paul
village over to Zapadnie to regularly drive from that hitherto untouched reserve,
was the day that danger tirst apjteared in tangible form since 1870 — since 1857 for
that matter. (Ibid.)

For tlie yood of tlie public service the truth must be tokl; and that
is tliat the ollicial i*ecor<ls of the drives and killings on the islands of
St. Paul and St. (Tcorge are in direct opposition to Mr. Elliott. They
show that, beginning in 1871, there are no records of the daily killings
for 1870 — drives were made regularly from every hauling ground on the
islands: and a close inspection will reveal the fact that an aggregate of
102 drives were made, before 1879, from Zapadnie or Southwest Bay,
Polaviuia or Halfway Point, and from English Bay, during the very
period of which Mr. Elliott speaks when he tells us " they were never
driven from, never even visited by the sealers."

For convenience of reference I quote from the oHicial island records
the daily drives and killings made between 1870 and 1870 from the three
principal rookeries of which Mr. Elliott speaks so positively; and 1
think it will be suflicient to show every fair-minded man in the country
that the large reservoir of "surplus male life" so often spoken of by
Mr. Elliott was unknown to everyone else on the seal islands, and never
had an existence outside his own fertile imagination.

■^
■^

ti^

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

101

b a steady
(Elliott's

village to

hat time uo
'onkee Mees
laces where
the islands,

young male
\ Hill, west,
linji ground
lis extensive
necessary to
)ort of l"8t»0.

nuual quota
tainod every
lingf^nmnds
jiii'ent to the
All of these
village kill-

hat was the

190,000 on St.

fa:t, 1 was

li lilood for

)ove named,

le islands —

sited by the
ely isnough
' rodkeries.

om St. Paul
hed reserve,
nee 1857 for

and that
islands of
)tt. They
ly killings
ind on the
fjregate of
west Bay,
r the very
rere never

id records
I) tlie three
lly; and 1
lie country
Iken of by
laud never

Here are the drives made each year from 1871 to 1878, both inclusive,
from the rookeries in question:

Year.

1871.
1K72 .
187;i .
1874.
1875.
la'tl .
1877.
1878.

Xapiidnio, ,

Soiithwost

Bay.

Polavina,

Ilail'wuv

Point.

Kn;;li.sh
Hay.

6
U

Total.

9
13
12
15
18
11
12
12

Total.

;i4

102

(See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-second Congress, serontl sessidn, Appendix.)

In an attempt to show that it was not until 187!> that drives were
made from certain rookeries which he is pleased to call a "large reser-
voir of male life," whicli had not been disturbed or touched betore 1879,
Mr. Elliott tpiotes the Island Jtmrnal as follows:

I'age (12, .lune it, 187ih Antone Melovedov started with a gang to make a drive at
Halfway Point, Polavina. (Elliott's report (I'aris print), 158.;

Page !)H, .lune 10. 187}>: Tlie drive to-d<ay (at Polavina) resulted in the taking of
1,118 skins. (H. (i. Otis.) (Ibid.. !.")}».)

Page !W. .Mine 11, 1879: The drive from Southwest Hay (Zajiadnio) to-day, and
1,462 skins taken. (II. (J. Otis.) (Ibid., 1.50.)

There is not a word in the foregoing, nor is there a word in the
journal, to show that the drives mentioned were the rtrst that were
made from those rookeries, but Mr. Elliott is determined to show that
overdriving is the jirincipal cause of the destru(;tion of the seals, and
he continues:

I'roni this day (June 11, 18~») on to the close of that stalling season's work, .Inly
20, /apadnie was driven often, and Pcdavina also; but in 18M0 only one drive was
made from this reservoir at Zapadnie, ' * ' and, again in 1881, it was not driven
from at ail, and onlv one ilrive that vear made from the Polavina reserve. (Elliott's
report for 1800. ji. 1.59.)

Here the gentleman is again in error, for I find that <lrives were made
from Zapadnie or Southwest IJay on May lUand June 7, 1879, only a few
days beliue he discovered that the tir.st drive had been made on the 9th
of .June.

And in ISSO four drives were made from Zapadnie and live from
Polavina, and in 1881 six drives were made from Zapadnie and five
from Polavina, as the following table, taken from the island records,
will show :

Zajiadnie or Southwest l$av
1880.

May 14.
.lune 8.

12.

l»i.

Total

1881.
.lune 7.

15.

28.
.luly 6.

14.
Dee. 7.

Privcj

Polavina or nalf\va.y Point;
1X80.

.lune 14

.Inlv 5

Drivi'n.
1
1
1
1
1

Total

1881.
.June 10.
17.
24.

.July

Total 6 , Total 5

(See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-second Congress, second session. Appendix.)

'i '

102

SEAL MFK ON THE I'RIBILOF ISLANDS.

Many iiiiiccurat'iea are to be found in Mr. Elliott's rejwrt of 1<S!M), due,
perhaps, to the hurried manner in which it was prepared, an<l the
bitterness, excitement, and many disai>pointment8 attending it all the
way through ; nearly all of which were of a i)rivate character, and
wliich can not well be made j)ublic, even had I a desire to do so, whicli
] have not by any means. One instance more and I am done.

In his '« field notes" on the state of the rookeries in l.Sl>(>, Mr. lOIliott
writes :

June 1!).—N»t ii siiijjlo holIiiHcliak of niiy ajri' wliatsocvf r on Zoltoi Siiiids tliis <liiy,
and there has not been a killable seal thim far tbtsre tbis season. (Elliott's report,
1X90 (I'aris yrint), pp. '2KW2M.)

•Ill tie ..'..'. — l-'inc weatlKfV for seals to haul in eontiniios, but the seals do not haul;
not a single seal on Zoltoi .Sands this niornin<r; lias not been a bolinsebak there yet.
(Ibid., p. 264.)

June :.'. — Now, not a single young nnilo-seal has hauled on Zoltoi thus far this sea-
son. (.June 22, a. ni.) (Ibid., ji. 265. )

June'i. — Not a s<ial on Zoltoi Saiuls this morning, and not one since during the
day. (Ibid., ]». 266.)

June 22. — Not a bollusebak or any other class of fur seal on Zoltoi Sands this morn-
ing or noon, fibid., p. 274.)

Jnnv ,W.— Not a bollusebak on Zoltoi .'^ands to-day. (Ibid., |i. 276.)

JnUi S, — Also, not a bolluseiiak has as vet hauled ujion Zoltoi Siinds. (Ibid.,
P.2H4.)

JhUi 19. — 1 observe that not a single young male is on Zoltoi. .Stinds this morning —
not one has hauled there thus far this season. (Ibid., )>. 295.)

The otticial records of the drives and killings made on the .«<eal islands
in 181M) arc on lile in the Treasury l)e]>artment, and a copy will be found
in the appeiulix to this report. I quote from the records the following
drives from Z(dtoi in ISIM): •• May !i4. 1 drive; .Inly 1!», 1 drive."

According to Mr. Klliott there was not a seal on Zoltoi on the 19th of
July; according to the island recoids a drive was made from Zoltoi on
that very same day.

Another error of like imp«)rtunce are the two passages in the .same
report which read as follows:

The importance of understanding this fact as to the readin«!8sof the bolluschickie
to haul i)rom])tly out on steadily "swept" ground, provided the weather is inviting,
is very great, l»ocanse wlien not umlerstood. it was deemed necessary, even as late as
the season of 1H72, to 'rest" the hauling grounds near the villajre (from which all
the driving has been made since), and make trips to tar away I'olavina ami distant
/apadnie, an unnecessary expenditure of human time ami a causeless intliction of
])liysical misery upon pboeine backs and dippers. (Elliott's report, 1H9(), p. 122.)

Nobody in 1872 ever thought of such a tiling as coming over from the village to
make a killing at Zapadnie. (Ibid., p. 246.)

At page 122 .Mr. Elliott remembered and acknowledged that drives
were )nade in 1<S72 frou) Zai)adnie and Polavina, and the records con-
firm his story.

He might have inchuletl 1871, for the records show drives were made
from both jdaces in that year also.

At page 24() he seems to have forgotten some of wlnit he had already
written, for he gravely tells uS: "Nobody in 1872 ever thought of such
a thing as coming over from the village to make a killing at Zapadnie."

Enough has been said, I think, ftu- the purpose of showing the public
how it ha])pen8, sometimes, that matters of small moment in themselves
may beget (juestions so momentous that it requires international arbi-
tration to settle them: and that the report of one overzeah^us officer
and the official re]>ort of another, made in anger and bitterness, have
cost the United States a whole fur-seal herd, worth, originally, nearlv
$1(HLO(H>,000.

So numerous and so pa1)>able were the inaccuracies all through the

i.^'

8KAL UFK OX THK PRIBILOF ISI.ANDS.

loa

18JM),(lue,
, siihI the
>■ it all the
actei', and

I HO, which

iir. Klliott

kIh tliis (liiy,
ott'H n'port,

(I not littul;
ik there yet.

tar tbisseu-

diiriii^ the

Is this inoni-

uls. (Il»i<l.,
isinoriiiiiK —

eal ivslands

II be found
L' following
ve."

the lythof

I Zoltoi on

II the same

lollnsibickie

1.S iiivitinjf,

eii as late as

wliich all

11(1 distaut

iillietioii of

p. 122.)

village to

lat drives
i!ords con-

icre made

d already

it of such

'apadnie."

the public

heni selves

onal arbi-

>u8 officer

less, have

ly, nearly

rouglj the

n;port that Mr. Foster, the then Secretary of the Treasury, refused to
have it published, and sub.^cquently, in a letter to the State Depart
nieiit, gave good rea.^^ons for siu'li action.'

Tliat tlie theory of injury of the young males to the extent of iiiipo-
teiity by <lriviiig on the islands, so forcibly jnescnted by Mr. l']lliott,
has been denied by naturiilists generally and <lisproved by facts
jiildnced by botli the scieiititic and the practical world, has already
Ikhmi amply demonstrated; that Mr. lOlliotf liims»>lf. in several very
able papers sub.scquently written, has a<lopted the views of every
scientist of note, from our own American, Dr. Merriam, to I'rof. T. II.
Iluxlcy, is satisfactory evidence. I think, that the bitter contention is
pnicticaliy ended, and the <'laim of the I'nitcd States, that pelagic
sealing is the cause of the decrease of the seal herd, is generally
ackiiowledyicd.

PHLA«iIC; SKALINd AND UIPLOMACV.

When tlie actual condition of the seal herd be(!anie known in 181)0-t)l,
and tlie ravages of the jielagic sealer could no longer be hidden, it was
suggested that arbitration be tried for a Hiial adjnstuient of all difier-
eiices between the riiited States and the iielagic sealer. The .seals
being born and leared on I'liited States territory, and never landing
aiiywliere else, it was naturally suppo.sed they were the jirojierty of the
United States, and until their skins became commercially and ex(!eed-
ingly valuable no one (piestioned our absolute ownershii) of the herd.
So sine were we of our uncpu^stioned title to the seals tliat, on taking
possession of our newly acquired Territory of Alaska, Congress enacted
laws for the protection of Alaskan interests and parti<'ularly for the
l)r(»te('tioii of all '"fur-bearing animals." A few .sections of the statute
law. in the light of subsequent events, are interesting:

Si.( . 1!M;i). It shall he unlawful to kill any fur seal npoii the islands of St. I'aul
iiiiil St. (iforijf, or ill the \vatei\s adjacent llu^'eto. except d«rin<i tiie months of .liine,
.Inly. Septenilier, and October in eacli year: and it shall 1)0 unlawriil to kill such
.seals lit any time by the use of lirearms or by other means tentliii;; to drive the seals
away from those islands; but the n.itives of the islands shall liave tlie privilejje of
killiiij; such youn}i; seals as may be necessary for their own food and clothing <luring
other iiioiiths, and also such old .seals as may be re(|uired for tlieir own ciotliing aiul
foi- the manufacture of boats for their own use; and the killing in such cases shall
be limited and contndled by such regulations as may be prescribed by the .Secretary
of the Treasury.

Ski". l!t(il. It shall be unlawful to kill any female seal, or any seal less than oue
year old, at any season of the year, except as aliove jtrovided; and it shall also be
unlawful to kill any seal in the watt'is .idjacent to the islamls of St. Paul and St.
(ieorge, or on the beaches, elitts, oi rocks where they haul up from the sea to renialn;
and every ]terson wlio violates the provisions of tliis or the preceding section shall
be ]»miislied for cacdi ott'ence by a tine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more
than one thousand dollars, or liy iiiiprisonment not more tlian six months, or by
both such line and imprisonment; and all vessels, their tackle, apparel, and furni-
ture, whose crews are found engaged in the violation of either this or the jireceding
section, shall be forfeited to the United States.

Skc. l!tG2. For tlie ]>eriod of twenty years frcmi the lirst of .Inly, eighteen liun-
di'cil and seventy, the number of fur seals which may Ix; killed for their skins upon
the island of St. Paul is limited to seventy-five thousand jier annum; and the num-
ber of fur seals w Inch may be killed for their skins upon the island of St. (Jeorge is
limited to twenty-five thousand per annum; but the Secretary of the Treasury may
limit the right of killing if it becomes necessary for the preservation of such seals,
with such ]iroportionate reduction of the rents reserved to the (iovernment as may
be proper; and every person who knowingly violates either of the jiiovisions of this
section shall be punished as ]>rovided in the preceding section.

Skc. li(67. Kvery ])erson who kills any fur seal on either of those islands, or in the
waters adjacent thereto, without authority of the lessees thereof, and every person

' See letter in Appendix.

■;l]

■' la

5 - !f

t ji I

i ±11

104

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'RIUILOF ISLANDS.

will) iii()l(>HtH, (listiirljH, or interferes with the lesHees, or cither uC them, or their
ii){imi(h, or eiii]iloyi-cH, in th<t hiwful proKociition of tht'ir hnsineHH, under the provi-
siunN of thJH chapter, Hhall for each otVen(re liepunitthcd »h preHtrilx'd in Hcction nine-
teen iiiindred and sixty one, and all veHaels, their ta(-kle, a|>)iarcl, a])pni'teQances,
and oar^o, wliose crewH are found enna;j;<'d in any violation of the provisions of sec-
tion niiiett'en hundred an<l sixty-live to nineteen hundred and sixty -ciirlit, inclusive,
shall he forfeited to the Inited States.

Skc lIKiS. If any jicrson or company, undtr any lease herein authori/e<l, know-
ingly kiils, or pernuts to he killed, any nuiuher of seals exceeding; the nuniher for
eacli islanil in this chapter prescril>cd, such person or company shall, in addition to
the (lenaltics and forfeitures herein provided, foifeit the whole numl)cr of the skin»
of seals killc<l in that ye.-ir, or. in ease the same have Itcen disposed ol, then such
person or company shall forfeit the value of the same.

Tims for a (|iiarter of a ceiitniy did tlu^ United Htates throw every
possible safejiUiird of law around the seals and other fur-beariiijj; ani-
mals of Alaska, which, under the fostering tjare of the (xovernmeiit,
and the j^-ood nianafiement of the le.s.sees on the seal islands, produced
the f>ran«l results of "jirowth and expansion" in the herd and on the
rookerie.s, sworn to by so many tlisinterested witnesses who have had
o<!idar knowledoe of eveiy fact to which they testified, while during
the same period of time the sea otter, which, owing- to its |»elagic habits,
wa8 necessarily left to the ten<ler mercies of the pelagic hunter, who
knows no law higher or iiolier than avarii'e and .selfishness, has been
practically exterminated. Laws were enacted from time to time as
occasion required them; regulations in accordance with law were made
annually for the proper enforcement of the statutes and for the better-
ment of the natives of the seal islands and the industry upon which
they depended for a livelihood, and on which millions of civilized |»eople
depended for oneof the most beautiful, valuable, and useful furs known
to c(unmerce.

Who else, among the thousands now claiming an int<'rest in the seals,
evei' ottered to i»r»)tect them as we have done?

Where was the itelagic .sealer in the days gone by, when the Tnited
States were si)ending millions of money to protect the seal islands, and
when our statutes of protection to the female seal were being enactedf
Echo answers, " Where 1?"

Immediately after the treaty of cession, and bc^fore we c<mld bring
order out of cIdios, the marauder of those «lays landed on the seal
islands and slaughtered seals indiscriminately, killing a (piarter of a
million in one .season, and only stopping the ruinous work when the
salt was exhausted.

Afterwards the I'liited States statutes w«'re enforced by Government
agents .sent to the islands for the puipo.se, and, until 1884, the seals
increased in numbers and in value under the fostering care of the
(lOvernment.

For a peri(»<l of thirteen years, from 1S71 to 18S4, inclusive, we had
taken 100,(100 male seals annually without a sign of decrease or diminu-
tion on the rookeries or the slightest injury to the herd, but, on the
contrary, a well-known and generally acknowledged growtli antl expan-
sion.

Dr. II. 11. Mclntyre, general superintendent for the Alaska Commer-
cial Company at the seal islands during the entire term of their twenty
years lease, when writing confidentially to his conii)any in 1889, says:

The hreeding rookeries from the hefj;inning of the lease to 1882 or 188.3 were, I
believe, constantly increasing in area and population, and my ohaervations in this
direction are in accordance with those of Mr, Morgan, Mr. W('l)8ter, and others, who
have heeu for nnmy years with me in your service, and of the latti special Treas-
ury agent, .1, M. Morton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880. (See letter in
Appendix.)

^M-

SEAL fJKE ON THK PRIIULDF ISLANDS.

105

leni, or their
er the provi-
H«'(tion iiine-
imitenances,
isioiis <>(' 8ec-
ht, iuclnsivu,

»ri/e(l, know-
(i iniinh<>r for
II a(hliti(>ii to
of the skins
ol, th(MI Hiioh

1 1 VOW every
eariiij; ani-
jverninent,
i, produced
and oil the
r> have had
lile during
tjiic habita,
nil tor, who
I, has been
:o time as
were made
the better-
ipou wiiich
i/ed p<'oi)le
urs known

I tlie seals,

he Tnited
lauds, and
f enacted t

mhl bring
1 the seal
arter of a
when the

)veniuient

the seals

ire ol" the

we had
>r diniinu-
iit, on the
ud expau-

1. Conuuer-
3ir twenty
.S89, says :

1883 were, I
iouB in this
others, who
cial Treas-
5ee letter in

In 1884 an increased Meet of pelajiic sealeis appear upon the seeue,
and with vessels specially desi{;ued and fully equipped for the work,
they follow the seals from year's end to year's end, shooting, spearing,
and ripi»iug up all they overtake, without a thought or care for age,
sex, or condition; ami immediately the rookeries show signs of dinunu-
tiou to those who, like Morgan and Webster, had the experience and
the oiiportunity to observe it.

Dr. Mclntyre, in the letter already <|Uoted, continues:

'I'he contriist hotweeii thi' |)i'esent condition oi' Heiil lifV and that of tlio lirst dei*-
udc of tlic leuHO iM HO iiiai'kod tliat tho most inexjiert can not fail to notice it. .Iimt
when the chan<;e conuiD'iK'cd I am unable from peisonal oliHcrvalion to Hay, for, an
you will renieinlter, I was in ill licallli, and mial)lc to visit the iHlandn in \XKi, 1881,
and ISS"), 1 left tlie rookeries in 18H'J in tlicir fiiili'st and best condition, and found
thciii in 18X(i already showing a slij^lit fallinji oil', anil cxpcilt^nced that ycir for the
lirst time some ditliciilty in Hecnriiijj Just the class of animiils in every case that we
desired. ' * Kor the caiiHc of the present diniiniition of seal life we have

not tar to look. It is directly traieah e to the illicit killlnj; of steals of every ajjo
and Hex diirinj; the last few years in the waters of the Nortli racilic and Heriiij; Sea.
We are in no way respoiiHihlt^ for it. l)nriii<j[ the tirst thirteen years of the lease
conii>aratively lew seals were killed by marauders, and we were tlicn able, * ' *
under our careful niana^^ement, to produce a decided expansion of the breeding
rookeries.

Dr. Mclntyre's letter was written in 1881>, when the elVects of pelagic
sealing tirst startled the civili/ed world, and his statements were met
witli doubt or open denitil from all who were ignorant of the situation,
and with the (iliarge, from pelagic sealers and their apologists, that the
Americans had destroyed the seals by oveidriving on land.

Tiie absurdity and the injustice of this idle charge have been sliowii
in many ways <luring the discussion of the seal iiuestioii, but it is reit-
erated again and again by those who liave established what they are
pleased to call an "■industry,'' the chief corner stone of which is the
killing of the female seals at sea — of seals about to be<M)me mothers,
fioiii whose suddeidy rinpetl bellies the unborii young are cut, or toi'ii
out alive and thrown into the ocean — of mothers whose young have
been left niton the rookeries during theii' absence on the feeding grounds,
left to die of slow starvation where, as Captain Couls-m truly says,
"the shores are lined with emaciated, hungry little fellows, with their
eyes turned toward the sea, uttering plaintive cries for tiieir mothers,
which were destined never to return."

And. hard as it may seem, and dilticidt to believe though it may be,
it was witli this same pelagic sealer, or for his sake at least, we were
asked to arbitrate the question of our exci.. ive right of proi)ertj' in
the seal herd, and of <mr right tojtrotect themoiitsicle of the onUnary,
"3 miles," limit from the land upon which they were born ami which
they made their home.

Even .Mr. Elliott was induced to lend his iiiHuence to the scheme for
arbitration, and, after his return from the seal islands in ISDO, we find
him addressing Mr. Blaine, who was then Secretary of State, as foUowa:

Let nio again. Just before I leave, earnestly nrjie that yon do not hesitate to invite
an Knjriish commiRsion to meet lis, and jointly visit and view the TriUilof seal rook-
eries next sninmer at the hei^fht of the breeding season in .Inly. That wreck and
ruin thereon, which I saw last summer, will be there, and still more ])ronoiinced
on the same ground next year (1891) ; it will not fail to arouse the interest and sym-
pathy of the Hritish agents, and the sight of these dwindling; herds will be a most
eloquent and satisfactory proof of the correctness of your position taken in your
leading letter of .lannary 2J, 1890, and upon the truth of which your whole argument
in the Bering Sea ([uestion rests. It U not quite fair to ask .John Bull to believe me
now, * * * but I assure you that if he gets up there he will soon see enough to
make him respect me, and lie our sworn friind in cooperating to save the fur seal
from impending extermination. Indeed, he should be allowed to see for himself now ;
it is oiilv manly and fair in us to allow him to do so under the circumstances.
(P:iliott to Blaine, December 19, 189<).)

w«

10f>

SKAL LIFE ON TFIK IMillllLOF ISLANDS.

The I'iiiglJHh roiiniiisHioii was invited a.s su;;^'estiMl '),v Mr. Klliott; tlu>
4;oiiiiiiissi()iicrs arrived at tlie seal islands in the latter part of .Inly, 1891 ;
tliey visited tlie. rookeries and saw tlie »'\vre»'k and ruin thereon;" th«>y
luited the "dwindling lu'ids,'' and they saw new jjrass {;rowinjj on acres
of j^round where, a lew years earli»'r, hundreds of thousands of seals
swarmed in season and l>rou;;ht forth theiryoun^r. Thecotnndssioners
I'ound acres of ({round eovered with dea<l pup seals as thick as they
<!ould lie — "«'nia('iate<l little fellows" — whoso mothers had jjone ont to
the feetliiif; banks, and were raptured by the jielajiie sealers.

Whether the visit induced them to believe or respect Mr. Klliott
remains to be seen, but it certainly di<l n()t ''ai'ouse their interest or
sympathy'' for the seals, or for the nation that <'laim»'d the rijjht to pro
tect them. Nor did it make them "our sworn friends in cooperating to
save the fur seal Crom impendinju' externdnation."

On the c<uitrary, though, they adopte<l Mr. lOlliott's own exploded
theories of overdriving;', impotency. deai'th of bulls, lack of yoniij;- male
blood, redriv inji', scrapinjt' tlu' rookeries, stami)edinjf, and added two or
three nnu'e of their own, almost as absurd and nonsensical; and they
wound U)) their sympathetic and impartial laboi- in behalf of prot<H-tion
for fur seals by the following refiidaticms suj;j;ested by the HritLsh
Berinjf Sea commissioners:

(H) Si'KCIKIC SCHKMK Of UKIIC I ATIONS KlCCOMM KM>KI>.

155. In vi<-\s' of the iirtiiiil «'oiiiIition of sttiil lifo its it pi'cHctits itH(<lf to iis at th««
presDiit time, wo believe that the recpiisite (leK'"*'e of protoetioii woiihl he atVonh'd hy
the a|>]>lieatioii of the followin;; specific; liiiiitatioim at Hhoi'<- anil at sea:

(a) The iiiiixiiiiiiui niiiiiher of seals to hu taken on the I'rihilof Islamls to he lixeil
at 5(),(K)0.

(b) A zone of jirotectod watorH to he eHtahlished. cxtuntliniv to a distance of 'JO
nantical miles from the islands.

(c) A close season to he |irovided, extending from the 15th of .Se|>temhei' to the 1st
of May in each yi'ar, diirinfi; which all killing of seals shall he i)rohihite(i, with the
additional provision that no sealing vessel shall enter Bering Sea liefore the 1st of
Jnly in each year.

15(5. IJespecling the coini)eu atory feature of such specilic regulations, it is believed
that a, just scale of eiiiiivalency .-is between shore iiud sea sealing would be found,
and a com)>lete check established against any iindiie diminution of seals, hy ado|iting
the following as a unit of compensatory regnlatiim:

For each decrease of 1(>,(M)0 in the number fixed for killing on the islands, an
increase of 10 nautical miles to be given to the width of protected waters about the
islands, 'i'he niiniinnm number to be fixed for killing on the ishinds to be 10,0(K),
corres]ion<ling to a inaNimiim width of proteitted waters of <iO nautical miles.

157. The above regulntions represent measures at sea ami ashore sutticiently ecjiiiv-
alent for all i)ractical purposes, and probably embody or provide for regulations as
applied to sealing on the liigh seas as stringent as would he ailinitted by any mari-
time power, whether directly or only potentially interested.

158. As an alternative method of ett'ectiug a compensatory adjustment of the strin-
gency of measures of jtrotection, it is possilde that some advantages might be found
in the adoption of a sliding scale of length for the season of sealing at sea, with a
fixed width of zone of ])rote('tion about the islands.

In this case it is believed that, in correspondence with a dei-rease of l(»,(X)0 seals
killed upon the breeding islands, the length of the sealing season at sea might be
curtailed by seven days, such curtailment to be applied cither to the opening or clos-
ing time of the sealing season.

159. It may be objected to the principle involved in any correlative regulation of
shore and sea sealing that it would be impossible in any particular year to make
known the nnmher tixed for killing on the islands in time to secure a corresponding
regulation of pelagic sealing. As a matter of fact, however, if the condition of the
breeding rookeries called for any change, it should be possible to fix this number
with sufficient precision a year in advance, while, on the other hand, the general
effect would be almost equally advantageous if the number killed on the islands in
any one year were employed as the factor of regulation for pelagic sealing in the fol-
lowing year.

■ k

SHAL I.IIK ON THI-; PRIIULOl- ISLANDS.

107

li'id. W'liilt

of iU'dN'ctioii liiiM IxMiii Hpokcii 'A' as tlic Ix'st iiD'lhixI ol" milV'Iy

s to 1)(! lixed
stance of 20

inliii;; tlie vicinity of liic lirceiliii;; i^^liindH, it is lo l)i' liornc in niinil tliat hiuIi tin
iiriM Miijiiit lit' (It'tiiiml for prarticitl iinrposcH us a rtM'tan;:iil!iiarca bounili-tl by cTtain
liiii'H of latitii)!*' an<l loii;ritii<ic. I'.vcn in ili-nst! i\t)i, anil tlit-icfori' i'iiin|iar:itivcly
I'liiin wratiitM', an ancHttMl \cssi'l coiilil \u\ anclniri'il witli a lu'iluc and \var|i r.ntil tlie
weatii" T clrared. ai'i'(irdiii<r to fr«)(|nrnt cnstoni. 'I'ho Hpccial advanta;i('s of ii conccii-
irir /M\w ajipcar lo lie that it is more directly in conformity wiili tlm (ihjcrt in view,
anil that in lino wtiathcr the \ isihility or oiherwisit of tiie islands theniselves might
serve as a roMy;li j;uide to sealer*.

liil. Tlie reNti'ii'tion of the niiniher of seals killed on the lireediii^ islands, apjiro-
jiriale safe;:iiarilH lieinj.; provided, admitr* of ver; coiisideralile proeision and rei|nireH
nil Mpeeial <iN|ilanation. 'I'hat the restriction of the nnmlier taken at sea may he
aiu'oiiiidisheil ]iracrii'ully and with ail necessary certainty. an<l that tho means of con-
trol availalile in the ratie of tliis hraneli of ihe sealin<;' industry are snllicicut, ia
I'lnirly shown li\ tli«) Miiciessfiil application of measures snch as these here pro|iosed,
to the .lan-.Mayt^n and .Newfoundland hair-seal llslieries, us well as of those liimed on
like )irincipleH, which are irenerally em]il()ye«l in prutocling lish and ;(aiiii'.

((') .MkTIIOKS ok (ilVI.Nli Kl I'KCT TO Reuii.ations.

I'iL'. 'I"he meaiiH suited to st^ciirc the practical enicioncy of reoiilatiotis at H«a are
<:eiierally indicated l»y those adopted in the instances Jnst cited. It is unnecessary
to tiirniiilate these here in full detail. Iiiit the followin^j; sii<r(rcsiionH arc otfered tin
|iiiintinu out those methodH likely to pro\e most iiseiiil in tlu^ particiihir caHc nmlcr
coiisiderariiin :

i1< Statutory provisions should ho ina<le, declaring; it iiiilawfnl to hunt or takn
fur seal diirin;; the close season hy snltjects or vessels of the resjieetivc powpiH.

iLM I'lic time of connuencemi'iit of the sealiiiv; season should lio further re^rnhited
li,v the date of issuance of s))ccial customs <'lcaranci's and of licen.ses f;)r sealing;, and

jircferaldy by the issiiaiu f such clearances or licenses fiom certain specilied ports

only.

(Hi As elsewhere explaiiiod, the re^nlation of the time of opening; ol' the sealing
Reason is the moHt important, and the closinii of the seasnn in pv;ctically liroii;;ht
aliiiiit by the onset of ri>n;;h weather in the early autumn. If, liowever, it be i-on-
sidi rid desirable to (ix a precise date fo; .he close of se.a sealiiii; in each year, this
can lie done, as in the case of the date ot sealing; under the .lan-M;iyen convention.

il) The liability for breach of rei;nlatiiins. of wliatev«-r kind, hIihuIiI lie nnido to
ap]ily to the owner, totho master, or per.son in charjje of any vessel, and in the hunt-
ers enf;aH;cd on the \esscl.

:.'< Ihe penalty iuiposi'd should be a line (of which one half shonlil \i<> to the
infiiriiiMnt), with (lossibly, in aiiyrav.'ited casett or .seconil olfeiisi'S, the forieitiire of
the catch anil of the \essel itself.

\t>) To facilitate the supervision of the seal rtshery and the execntiim of the re;ru-
lafiiins. all sculers mi;;ht. in addition, be reiiiiired to lly a distinctive lla^, whiclj
nii^'lit Weil be identical with or some <'iilor modiliciition of that alreaily adoiited for
tlic same purpose by tile .liipaiu-se (Jovernment.

(1)1 Al.TKKNAriVK MkTIIODJS OK KKdl'I.ATJO.V.

HiM. Altliou>;h the y;eneral scheme of measures above described a]»pcars to us, all
tliiniis considered, to lie the most ai)prii])riate to the actual (drcnmstaiices, measures
•if other kinils have 8Ui;;;este<l lhem>elves. .Some of theso, thoiijjh perhatis less per-
Icclly ada)>tcd to secure tin; fullest advaiitancs. recoinmend theniselves from tlieir
very simplicity and the ease with which they mi^ht liea]i|died. < )f such alternative
methods of ie)j;ulalions. three may be specially referred to:

(1) Kniin prnliiliitiiiii of hiHinn on oiiv of tlir hro'diiifi ishiiKh. with nuiliihJe ronvumnt

rennlaliniiH at lea.

Iti4. The entire reservation and protection of <nie of tb-j two lar<rer islands of the
Pribilof group, either St. I'aul or St. (ieovjie Isl.ind, miv;ht be assured; such island
to be niainlaiued as an i^ndistnrbed breedini; place, n])on which no seals shall be
killed for any purpose. On the remaining island the number of seals killeil for com-
niercial ))ur])oses wmild remain wholly under the control of the Governnn!nt of the
I'liited States.

lu cousideratioi of the gnaranteed preservation of a breeding island with the pur-
l»ise of insuring the eontiniiance of the seal stock in the common interest, a zone of
protected waters might be established about the I'ribilof Islands, and pelagic seal-
ing might be f Tther controlled and restricted by means of a close season, including
the early si)rin tnontlis, or by a protected area to the south of the Aleutian Islands,
delined by para els of latitude, snch provisions at sea to have, as far as possible,
qnantivalent r .ation to those established on the breeding islands.

■ 'f;

108

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

(2) Kecnrrent ptrioih of re»i.

1(55. This implies the provision of a jieriod of rest or t>x<>in])tioii of all seals from
killing, both at sea ami on shore, to extend over a complete ye.ir at such recurrent
intervals as may he deemed necessary.

Siicli a i)eriod of rest might he lixed in advance l"(>r every fifth, or possihly as < •fteu
as every fourth year, iind he made to form a part of w f^eneral schema im]iosing
limitation of number of seals killed on the Islands in intervening years, to<retlier
witli restriction by time or by area of pehigic sealing.

While proxinuitely equal in eliecton both shore and sea killing a i)eriod of icst of
this kind would, in other respects, t-aiise sonn* inconvenience, by its interruption of
the several industries, and this, though minimixetl by the fact that the date tif occur-
rence of tlie year of rest would be known in advance, would m>t be wholly obviated
by this circumstance.

(3) Total prohibiiion »/ killivfi on the lirecdiny iiilainln, iritli concuirent ntrict rcifiilation

of iwliiijic Kialitio.

Kit). While the circiunstance that long usage nniy in a measure be considere<l as
justifying the custom of killing fur seals on the breinling ishiuds, many facts now
Known respecting the life history of the animal itself, with valid inferences drawn
from the results of the disturhanci; of other animals u])ou their Itreeding places, as
well as those made obvious by {\\^^ new conditions which have arisen in consequence
of the development of pelagic sealing, point to tho <-oncliisioii that the breeding
islands should, if possible, remain undisturbed and inviolate.

167. If this view should be adniitteil, and jiariicularly if the United States and
Russia, as the owners of the ]>riucipal breeding islands of the North I'acilic, should
agree to coopbratc in entirely pridiibiting all killing of seals on these islands, and
in guarding auvl protecting the bre<Mling jdaces upon them, it should he possible to
obtain, in consideration of such care exercised in the connu(n) interest, an inter-
national assent t<> nn-asures regulating sea sealing of any required degre«> of strin-
gency, including certain special rights of supervision by the ]>owers mentioned.

1(58. It might, for example, nmh'r such cinMinistanct^s, be i)rovided —

(1) That all sealing vessels should be nigistered, and should take out special
licenses at one or otlier of certain specilietl ])orls, .-is, for instance, \'i<'toria, I'ort
Townsend, Honolulu, Hakodate, and N'ladivostock.

{'!) That such annual clearances or licenses be not issued before a given date (say
1st of May), and that certain license fees be exacted. Such license fees to be col-
lected by the customs authorities of the licensing (fovernmant, and to be eventually
transferred, in whole or in i)art, proportionately, to the (iovernments inotecting the
hreeding islands, to go toward meeting the cost of this in'otcction.

(3) That no vessel should seal in leering Sea befori' some tixed date (say 1st of
■Inly) in each year, and that vessels intending to seal in Heiing Sea should report
either to the I'nited States <tr to the h'ussian authorities on or after that date at
named ])f)rtK, siii'h as I'ualaska or I'etropavlovsk.

(1) That all duly licensed sealing vessels should he required to tly a distinctive
flag, and that any nnliciuised vessel foiinil engaged in sealing should he subject to
certain penalties.

(5) That a /one of protected waters should be estal)li8hed almut the breeding
islands, within which no si'aling should under any circninstanc(«s be permitted.

(E) INTKUNATIONAI. AcTION.

16(1. In the foregoing remarks on the measures available for the protection and
prcHorvatioii of tho fur seal of the -North I'acilic, reference is made throughout espe-
cially to the eastern part of that oce.in, including more pjirtieiilarly the area com-
prised in the range of those fur sealsof which the summer haunts and hreeding places
are about or on the Friliilof Islands, and of which tint winter home is found espe-
cially otf the coast of British Columbia. It is evident, however, that the same
remarks and reconnnendations a]ipiy eijiialiy to those fur seals which in siinnner
center about the (Commander Islands and in winter frequent the seas olV the coast of
.lapan.

170. It may lie stated, further, that no system of control can be considered as
ahsolntely complete and ellective which <hies not include under eominon regulations
all parts of th<* North Tacific, and that the facility of execution of measures and
their ellieiency would, under any system of regulations, he much increased by the
concurrent action of (ireat Itritain, the United States, Russia, and , lapan, as indicated
in the message of the President of the United States in IXSlt. Apart from the fact
that vessels prevented from sealing at given dates in certain areas might at these
times frequent other waters in increased numbers, the circumstance that there is a

SEAL LIFE ON THK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

109

nil seals t'roin
ucii recurrent

jsibly its < Iteu
)ii'>a iin]H>biii<;
cars, toj!;etlier

riod of lest of
it<'irii|»tion of
ilato of occiir-
lollv obviated

riit ifi/iilatiuH

colisidcrod ;iH
iiiv fiifts now
reiices drawn
in;; pIiiccH, as
I eoiisotiiiencc
the breeding

id States and
acilic, slionld
I islands, and
le ]>os.sibIe to
est, an inter-
j;ree of strin-
entioned.

n out special
lictoria, I'ort

en diite (say

s to be col-

)o eventually

otectin^tlie

e (say I at. of
hould report
tbat date at

a distinctive
lie subject to

'lie breeding
•niitt('d.

)tei'tion and

ijit'hont espe-

le area comi-

I'dinK places

found espe-

t the same

in siinnner

the 4'oast of

nsidered as
regulutioua
Basnres and
awed by the
IS indicated
oni the fact
(lit at these
t there is a

■5

certain though not fully known interrelation and interchange of seals between the
eastern and western breeding islands of Hering Sea points very clearly to the advis-
ability of such cooperation in ]>rotectiou. (Keportof British Itering Sea Coinniis-
siouers, p. 25.)

The most casual observer will see at a jilaiice that the <'oniini.ssion-
ers' suggestions are all in favor of the nelagic sealer and his "industry,"
ami against the I'nited States and the seals. That the i»nblic at large
may see this as I see it, I will briefly review a lew of the most proinin^^nt
points suggested.

The connnissioners say:

The uiaxiniuni number of seals to be taken on the I'ribilof Islands to be lixed at
50,000.

That is t(t say. the Tnited States must agree to re<lut'e theii- eateh on
laiid one half, to begin with, an«l the suggestion, renu'inber, was made
long after it was known that the jjelagie sealers iiad captured 78,000
seals in 1891.

They continue:

A /one of protecte«l waters to be establislied, extending to a distance of L'O nautical
miles from the islands.

As the largest catches are n»ade at distances of from 80 to L'OO miles
from the islands, and as the (commissioners wen^ well aware «)f that fact
when they nmde the suggestion, its worthlessness may be understood
so far as the protection and safety of the seals go.

Again, they suggest:

A dose season to be provided, extending from tlie l."»th of Septeml»er to the tst of
May iu eacli year, during which all killing of seals sliall l>e prohibited, with the
iul(liti()M;il provision tiiat no scaling vessel sliall enter Bering Sea Ix'fove the 1st of
,liily ill ciH'li year.

As the killing sea.son never did open on the islands till flnne, and
always closed on or before August 10 (excejiting the few seals killed
from time to time for mitive.s' food), and as it is from May to October that
protection is absolutely necessary for the preservation of tiie seal herd;
and as the pelagic sealer hardly ever cmter;! IJering Sea before .Inly it
is dillicult to see how the "suggestion'' conid benefit the I'nited States
or save the seals.

The next "suggestion'' deserves careful attention, for it is the key-
note of the whole su[>er8tructure raised by the ccunnussioners, who say:

Hosjiecting the compensatory feature of such specilic regulations, it is believed
that a just scale of e(|uivalency as between shore and sea sealing would be found,
and aroiiijilcte cheek established against any undue diminution of seals, by adopt-
ing ti.e following as a unit of cominMisatiuy regulation: For each decrease of 10,000
in the number lixed for killing (ui the islands, an increase of 10 nautical miles to be
given to the width of protected wat<>rs abont the islands. The minimum niunberto
be lixed for killing on the islands to be 10,000, corresponding to a maximum width
of juotected waters of OO nauti<^al miles.

Here they nnike the pelagic sealer the seni(>r i)artner in the fur seal
** industry," and the repressive part of the "suggestion" is intended
for the Hinted States only.

The siiiiation at the start is to be something like this: The United
Slides are to kill not to exceed r)0,000 seals, and the pelagic sealer is
not to approach the breeding islands nearcir than L'O nautical miles.
Then for every additional \0 miles we w<)uld retnove the jielagic sealer
we must reduce (uir catch on shore by 10,000, so that by the time he is
«iO miles away our maximum catch is to be 10,000,

The iiT.it thought that suggests itself here is. What would happen
were we to ask him for a protected zone of 70 nnles froiii the seal

SEAL LIFK ON THK PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

?-!S

islauds? Logioally, we would have to stop killing or the islands alto-
gether and turn theni into bree<ling grounds for the use of a class of
sportsuien who are fond of the manly art of hunting gravid female
seals and cutting out their nnborn young.

Turning to the "alternative metiiods of regulation" suggested by
the commissioners we llnd that tiiey, too, were possessed of the same
tliougiit, for they "suggest :"

Kiitiii.' ]irohibiti<)n of killing on one of tlie bn-eding islainls, with Buitalile i;ou-
curreiit ri'j;uliitions iit sea. The entire reservation iinti protection of one of the two
larger i.slan<l8 of tlie l'ri))ih)f gron]!, either St. I'aiil or St. <ieorge Islaud, might be
assurei!; Miieb island to be niaintiiined as an nndistnrbed brce<ling phice, n])on which
uo Heals NJiall he killed for any purjMise. On tin- reinaininu' islands tli(^ nn in her of
seals killed for eoinniercial j)nrp(i8es wouhl remain wholly under the control of the
Government of the I'nited States.

In consideration of the guaranteed preserv.'itinn of a bn-ediiig island, with the
]»urpo.s<' of insuring the eontiniianet of the seal stock in the common interest, a zone
of protected waters might be estal)lished aliodt the I'riliilof Islands, ' " such

jM'ovisions at sea fohave, as far as possilile, i|nantiviil< lit relation to those established
on the breeding islands. (See section Kit.)

(irowing bolder and bolder as tJM'y jiroceed tiiey liiially come for-
ward with a suggestion, widcli, for downright coolness, may well claim
"first place'" among all the cool jn-opositions made in any age or coun-
try; it is nothing lesi^thiin the "total prohibition of killing on the breed-
ing islan<ls, with concurr'.nt strict regidation of pelagic sealing."

ilere, at last, the mask is thrown off and the ('(unmissioners stand
fortii in their true character of " advocates '* f«)r the pelagic; sealer and
apologists for his horrible methods.

It does not take long to net at the meaning of the "suggestions"
ottered, Ibr a careful rt'ading shows at once the wliok^ animus of the
thing is to i)revent tlie i<illing of .seals on tiie seal islands, and to turn
the whole iierd over to the pelagic sealer.

Had the most heartless of all the pelagic sealers been given carte
blanche to write suggestions, the adoption of wliicrh would inure to his
own benefit, he could n(»t improve on those of the British liering Sea
comitus.sioners.

This may seem to be a hard saying, but, from the testimony given by
the pelagic sealers themselves, it is well known that the killing of
female .seals anywhere is sure destruction to the herd; and the Ilritish
commissioners have admitted it to be on more than one occasion.

Speaking of the indiscrimimite killing of the seals at sea, they say:

But it is niifortimalidy the ease that at etirtain seasons considerable numbers of
gravid females are thus killed, and this killing is tUiprecated by the better classes
of the pel a ail' sealers themstdvcjs, not alone on grounds of humanity, Imt because
they see clearly that it is unduly destructive to the industry in which their fortunes
are embarked. (Keport of Mritish Bering .Sea commissioners, section 1)33, p. 109.^

And yet the gentleme!i who >-.ay .so are the same men who have
"snggi'sted" the "total prohibition of killingon the breeding islands"
and the turning over of the .seals to indiscriminate slaughter.

The commissioners were instructed to ascertain:

First. The actual fe.cts as regard.) the alleged serious diminution of seal life on the
Pribilof Islands, the date at which such diminution began, the rate of its progress,
and any previous instance of a sinular occurrence.

Second. The causes of such diminution; whether, and to what extent, it is
attributable —

(a) To a nngration of the seals to other rookeries.

(h) To ti.e method of killing pursued on the islands themselves.

r. I

SEAL LIFE 0\ THK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Ill

lands alto-

a class of

/id female

gested by
f tbe same

iuital>lo (jou-
le of the two
1(1, iiiifilit be
, u])ou which
ic iinmber of
1)11 trol of the

in<l, witli tiie

torest, a zone

" such

e established

{ come tor-
• well cliiiin
{le or couu-
1 the breed
ling."

)ners stand
! seiiler and

iggestions"
iinus of tbe
iind to turn

i-iveii carte
mrc to bis
Jering Sea

given by

killing of

e Uritisb

sion.

they say :

nuinbers of
'tter cluHses
lint because
leir fortunes
W, i>. 109. ■)

who bave
ig islands"

il life on the
its progress,

extent, it is

n which it is

And tben they were admonisbed as follows:

I need scarcely ri'iiiiiid you that your iiivestij;ation should be carried on with strict
impartiality, that you should nej^lect no sources of information which may Ite likely
to assist you in arriviiifj at a sound conclusion, and that great care should be taken
to sift the evidence that is lirought before you.

It is e(|ually to the inierestof all the (iovernnients concerned in the sealing industry
that it should be protected friun all serious risk of cxtimtion in consequence of the
use of wasteful and injudicious methods. (Hritisli Herinj;' Sea Conimissioncr.H' report,
p. 2.)

To ivliicb they replied as follows:

To the <,>Hfe>i's Muxl I'h-alh'iit MajeHltj:

May it idoase Vour Majesty, we. Your M.-i.jcsty's commissioners, ajipointed to under-
take an iminiry into the condition of seal lile and the precautions necessary for pre-
venting the exterminatiiiu of the fur-.seal species in Hevinij Sea and other parts of
the Noith I'acilic Ocean, l)eg to submit the following report. *

Wherefore, in carrying out the terms of our commission, it has been our object to
ac(|nire and record tlie most complete information available, in order to promote, in

•f all

b!(

il, and

isfii

crests
tory ailjustment of tbe t|uestionH at issue, i British Hei-iiigSeaCommissioners' leport,

P.:i.) ■

Wlieii Mr. Elliott was nrging the appoiiitiiient of ajoint commission,
as tiic remedy for all «mr tronbles on tbe seid islands, lie addressed tbe
Scnetiii-y of State as follows:

NOVK.MUKU 1'2, 1890.

.My Kkak .Mk. lit,.\iNK: ' * ' We must take some of *be best British rejire-
sentiilion u;> to the islands and let it St'e the wr<'ck and ruin cliereon.

I have no fear of tbe result; these Kn;ilishm<'n will return our frien<ls, and .vork
in harmony with us in tbe labor of saving tiiese aiKunalons interests from their
impciuliiig ruin.

1 believe tiiat subsecjiient events bave shown iiim that bis fiiith was
misplaced, to say tbe least, nnless we can fnlly appreciate the kindness
witli which they propose to prohibit ail killing on the islands and assnme
the whole bnrden themselves.

Had they snggeste<l the prohibition of all pelagic sealing and an even
division between tiie nations interested of tlic hardens, exjienses, and
proceeds resnlting from a strict and constant i)rotection of tbe breeding
islands there would be some seml)]ance of Jnstice and right as well as a
desire to perpetinite the .seals indelinitely; but the suggestion that tbe
United States shall be forbidden to kill seals ashore and that the islands
nnist be turned into breeding grounds bn- tiie sake of tbe pelagic sealer
is so icpugnant to common sense and decency tiiat were not tiic com-
nnssjoiuMs' rei)ortat my hand I siionld not believe they could have been
guilty of making sueb a suggestion untb'r any circumstances, but
csi)ecial]y under tlie jdea ot protecting and peri)etuating the fur seals.

Had they attennited to ]U'ove the wastefulness of jirescnt methods,
or had they <pn)te(l tlie testimony of one luuiest and <lisinterested per-
son to sliow that American nninagement of the seals on the islands bad
ever been inimical to their increase and improveinent, tlicre would be
.some excuse for the suggestions otl'ered, but it was licyond tiieir power
to produce testimony of that sort.

Therefore, I deem tbe remarks of tbe American counsel at Paris on
this jioint as most Just and opportune, and as they express my own views
much better than my own feeble words can possibly do it I quote them
as follows:

We are reluctant to make any reference to motives; but where opinions are, as in
this case, made evidence, the question of g(M)d faith is necessarily relevant. Why is
it that these commissioners have chosen to disregard the plain dictates of reason
and natural laws which they were bound to accept, and to recommend some cheap
devices ill their place, when they so clearly perceived those dictates f We are not
permitted to think that this was in conscious violation of duty, if any other explana-

Ivi

112

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

tion is po88iI)le. Tho only apology we can liud toiuos from the fact, clearly appar-
«nt upon nearly every jiage of their report, that the predominating interest which
thej' conceived themselves bound to regard was not the preservation of the seals,
but the protraction of the Canadian sealers. This explanation at once accounts for
all their extraordinary recommendations, and all tlieir varying inconsistencies.
Hence, every degree of restraint upon pelagic sealing is reluctantly conceded, and
yielded only when it is compensated for, and more than compensated for, by nn
added restriction of the supply furnished to the? market from the breeding islands.
As the wurlt of the pelagi<; sealers is on the one Iiund restricted in time or place, and
thus discoiiriiged, it is on the other stimulated by the certainty of a better market
and a richer reward. So persistently and exclusively have they kept this policy
before them as their main object, that an ideal has been formed in their minds which
they openly avow, and to attain which is their constant effort. This ideal is that
all taking of seals on lan'd should be prohibited, and pelagic sealing be made the
only lawful mode of capture.

They thus express themselves: "It has been pointed out. and we believe it to be
probable, that if all killing of so.ils were prohiiiited on the brtieding islands, and
these were strictly prote<'t('d and safe-guardiMl against encroachment of any kind,
eealiiig at sea might be indefinitely continued without any notable diminution, in
consetiucnce of the self regulative tendency of this industry."

And suggesting, as the only objection to this policy which occurs to them, that it
might be too much to expect of the United States to thus guard the islands and sup-

gort a native population of 'MO at its own expense, they co!itinne : '' It may bo noted,
owever, that some such arrangement would offer, perhajw, the best and simplest
solution of tlio present conflict of interests, for the citizens of the United States
would still have ecjual rights with all others to take seals at sea, and in c<)nsei|iience
of the ])roximity of their territory to the sealing grounds they would probably
become tlie principal benetioiaries.''

And they finally come to the conclusion that any taking of seals at the breeding
places is an error for which there is no defense except long Jisage. and even that
they regard as a doubtful a])ologv. They say:

"While the circumstance that long usage may, in a measure, be considered as
justifying the custom of killing fur seals on the breeding islaiuls, many facts now
known respecting the life history of the animal itself, with valid inferences «Uawn
from the re Milts of the disturbance of other animals ui»on their breeding i)lai'es, as
well as those made ol)vioiis by the new conditions which have arisen in consequence
of the develoi)nu»nt of jielagie, sealing, poiiix, to the, conclusion that tho breeding
islands should, if jtossible, riMiiain umlisturlied and inviolate."

'f liese rel'ereiices to the opinions expressed in the report of tho comniissionors of
Great Mritain, when taken together with tho scheme recommended by them, leave
no room for duubt that the defeiiso of the Canadian sealers was from tirst to last,
their predoiuinating motive, and enable us to make for ;,heiu the apologs that they
conceived that this was the duty with which they were especially charged. If this
be the fact, it is easy to perceive how all their reasonings and reciuumendations
should receive a color and characcer. VV^e f(iel obliged to say that we can perceive
n3 other groinid upon which their action may be made consistent with good faith.
(Argument of the United States, p. 209.)

The real conflict between the report of the Hritish commissioners and th<^ case of
the United States seems to bo as to the number of cows in a harem. The British
commissioners assert that the number is unduly large of cows served by one bull;
the United States ]>roduce credible and ex))erien(red witnesses to show that, on the
contrary, the number of females is decreasing. A com)>arison is invited betweeu
the two statenuuits and the ([iiality of jtroof adduced in favor of each. It is plain
that tho British connuissionors could not admit tlio diminution in number of female
seals without admitting that decrease to lie wholly due to pelagic slaughter. They
are therefore reduced to tho necessity of insisting that there is a retlundauoy of
females and a deficit of males on the islands. They are kind enough to admit, how-
ever, that "the sparing of females in a degree prevented, for the tinie being, the
actual depletion of se.ils on the islands" (section 58). It is not probable that any
reasonabh! i)erson will take issue with them on that i)oint. Tho intelligence! and
legislation of the civilized world, not to speak of humanity in its broad sense, have
concurred that to spare the female was not tho best but the only effective method of
preventing depletimi and eventual oxtisrminatiou.

Even if we should concede, for the sake of tho argument and in direct disregard
of the fact, that the diminution is due to tho smaller number of males, we would
venttire to reiutiul this high tribunal, if such a reminder were needed, that the
pirates or poachers who pursue and slaughter the pregnant and nursing females are
Killing, by starvation in the one case, by the nn)ther'8 death in the other, a large
number of males. Even, according to their own showing, the British commissioners

'4:

♦ I-

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

113

•learly appar-
iterent which
1 of the seals,
) accouuts for
consistencies,
iouceded, and
jd for, by an
3(iin^ islands.
or place, and
tetter market
>t this policy
r minds which
ideal is that
; be made the

ilieve it to be
r island!^, and
; of any kind,
Liniiniition, in

them, that it
i\nds and sup-
may bo noted,

and simplest
LJniti'd States
1 c()nsei|uenc()
Mild probably

coMsidert'd as
iny facts now
irciH'es drawn
ill!? i)la('t's, as
I consequence
the l)iceding

iniissionors ot"
tb(^m, leave
first to btst,
?v that they
red. If this
imniendations
•ail perceive
]|foo(l faith.

d tht^ case of
The liritish
by one bull;
that, on the
ted between
It is plain
[)er of female
wliter. They
dnuflancy of
admit, how-
le being, the
ible that any
elligcncc- and
il sensi', have
ve method of

)ct disregard
es, we would
ed, that the
r females are
ther, a large
immissioners

mu.st realize that pelagic sealing is res]>ousible, to some extent at least, for the
decrease in the number of males, as well as of females. They may speak oi' this
"industry," as they term it, and glorify it as re<iuiriiig all the courage and skill
which can be brought to bear on it (whatever that nuiy mean). (Section 609.)
They may contrast its "sportsmanlike " character witli the " butchery " conmiitted
on the islands (section 610); but tliey can not fail to perceive that the mode of
destruction, which principally deals with gravid females, necessarily strikes at the
very foundation of life, and must eventually extinguish the race, because, as they
mildly state it, it is unduly destructive (section (538).

Tlie pelagic sealer not only kills or attemjits t() kill the males that he happens to
meet, but prevents the birth of males to take their place. He often kills three with,
one discharge of his rifle, vi/, the mother, the unborn young, and the jiiip at home;
but lie does it in a "s|iort8maiilike" manner, and he gives the sleejiiiig animal a " fair
sporting chance for its life." (Section (ilO.) In many cases he either misses hia
object or wounds it and loses it. So that there is by this m;inly process an utterly
useless waste of life, in many cases a waste iiioie or less ap]ialliiig as the " siiortsman"
is more or less skillful. How destructive in reality this jiroeess is proven to lie may
be seen from tiie Ibilish coiiiniissioners" ie]>ort under the head of " Projiortion of
seals lost" (p. 101, section (KW). It iimst b»' a consolation to those disposed to extol
this kind of si>ort that while nearly "all the pcligic sealers concur in the opinion
that the fur seal is annually bicoming more shy and wary at sea," it is certain that
"the dexterity of the hnntcrs has been increased pari [lassii with the wariness of
th(! seals." (liritisli commissioners' rejiort, section 101.)

That the nninber of the seals has been diininislioil in recent years at a ciininlative
rate ;iii(l that siichdimiinitioii is the conseciiience of destruction by man is certified by
the Jiiiiit report of all the <'oiimii.-isii)ners. That this human agency is pelagic sealing
exclusively, and not the mode, nianuer, or extent of cajitiire upon tlie breeding
islanils. is ahiindantlv clear.

This follows necessarily from adiiiitte<l facts. The fur seals being iiolygamons,
and each male siitlicicnt for frmii 30 to oO females, and being able to sei-iire to himself
that iiiiiiiber, it follows that there must I>e at all times a larger number of super-
fluous males, and the killing of them produces no permanent dinrnntion of the
numlier of the lieril. On the other hand, the killing of a single breeding female
necessarily reduces ))ro tanto the normal numbers.

All excessive killing of males might indeed tend toward a decrease if carried to
such an extent as not to leave enough for the puri»ose of effectual impregnation of
all the hiecdiiig females, 'i he taking from these herds of 100,000 males would not,
if that were the only draft allowed, be excessive. I'liis is evident from many con-
siderations.

(a) Those who, like the British commissioners, propose to allow jiclagic sealing to
such an extent as would involve the annual slaughter of at least .'>0,0(»0 females in
addition to a slaughter of 50,000 young males on the breeding islands can not cer-
tainly with the least consistency assert that the capture limited to 100,000 males
would be excessive. Xor could they consistently assert this, even though the pelagic
slaughter should be restricted (by some means which no one has yet suggested) to
10,000 females. It re(|nires no argiiment to show that the destruction of even that
number would be rapidly disastrous to the herds

(fi) Ami when we turn to the jiroofs, they are conclusive that prior to the practice
ujion any considerable scale of pelagic sealing the annual draft of 100,000 young
males did not tend to a diminution of numbers.

(e) Of course, it is easily iiossible tbat the indiserimimite slaughter effected by
pelagic sealing may soon so far reduce tlio birth rate as to make it difticiilt to obtain
the annual draft of 100,000 young males. This draft, under such circumstances,
would necessarily at once diminisli the birth rate, for, the number of females being
less, a less number of males would be re(|uired. The number of the whole herd
might he rapidly diminished by the slaughter of females and the conseiinent diminu-
tion of the birtli rate and still 100,000 males continue to be taken fm' a time without
damage. How soon a pidnt would be reached at which so large a draft of males
from a constantly diminishing number of births would operate to produce an insuf-
ficiency of males is a problem which from want of precise knowledge of tlie relative
numbers of the sexes it would be diibeult to solve.

The liritish commissioners' report upon this subject is as follows:

"The systenuitic and persistent hunting and slaughter of the fur seal of the North
Pacific, both on the shore and at sea, has naturally and inevitably given rise to cer-
tain changes in the habits and mode of life of that animal, which are of importance
not only in themselves, l)ut as indicafing the effects of such pursuit and in show-
ing in what particular this is injurious to seal life as a whole. Such changes doubt-
less began more than a century ago, and some of them may be traced in the histor-
ical jirecis elsewhere given (section 782 et seq.). It is unfortunately true, however,
that the disturbance to the normal course of seal life has become even more serious

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 8

v- I

' ■

114

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

iu recent years, and that there is therefore no lack of material from which to study
its character and effect even at the present time."

In the zeal of their advocacy on belialf of pelagic sealing and their denunciation
of the methods in use on the islands the commissioners have experienced much and
evident difficulty in framing their theory. If they admitted, in unqualified terms, u
decrease in number, the obvious deduction from the concession would be that the
unlimited slaughter of females must bi^ar the blame and bur<len of such a result. If,
on the other hand, they sliould assert that the number actually increased, this would
only lie consistent witli an ai>proval of tlie methods in use on tlie land. Ketweeu
thisS(!ylla and this Charybdis a. wayof escape must be found, and it was fountl. The
ingenuity heredisjilayed deserves full notice an<l aclinowledgnient. The joint report
contains tliis statement:

" We tinil that since the Alaska i»ureliase a marked diminution in the number of
seals on and lialtituall.y resorting to the I'ribilof Islands has takt^n place, that it has
been cumulative in eH'eet, and that it is f lie result of excessive killing by man."

Mearing in mind tliat tlie fur seals forinin/; the object of this controversy have no
otherhonie on lanil than the Tribildf Islands, and that the Hritish commissioners them-
selves concede that they, for the most i»art, breed on those islands; bearing in mind,
too, that these gentlemen have not yet discovered any other summer habitat for the
seals, it would seem that this declaration is e<iuivalent. in its fair sense and meaning,
to a statement that the fur seals that frequent the American coast and the Hering
Sea have sulfere<l a marked decrease

Perhajys it was so intended by the Hritish, as it was by the I'nited States commis-
sioners; but if so, tlie former gentlemen have lost sight of their original intention
and have been led to nice distinctions, which we shall ni>\v examine.

That the seal, although "essentially ]ielagic" (section 26), hits not yet learned to
breed at sea is not denied, altliough to the vision of the commissioners the prospect
of such a transformation or evolution is evidently not very remote. We must, in
justice to tiiem, (juote one single ))assa;ie, whicii admirably illustrates the compla-
cency and self-conlidence with which they wnsst to their own imrposes with unhesi-
tating violence the laws of nature and the mysteries of ulterior evolution. If this
quotation does not give a just idea of the imaginative powers of these otticials
nothing but a perusal of the whole of their work will do them justice;

"The changes in the habits and mode of life of the seals naturally divide them-
selves into two classes, which may be considered separately. The lirst and most
direct and palpable of these is that shown in the increased shyness and wariness of
the animal, which, though always pelagic in its nature, has been forced by circum-
stances to shun the land more than Itefore, so that but for the necessity imposed upon
it of seeking the shore at the season of liirth of the young it might probably ere
this have become entirely jielagic."

An animal "always pelagic,' forced by circumstances to shun the land more than
before, and which would become entirely pelagic long before this if it were not
obliged to seek the shore for so trilling an object as giving birth to its young, deserves
to be classed among theciirinsitiesof nature. The difference between animals (now)
always pelagic and those (in the future) entirely pelagic may not readily be under-
stood without explanation not vouchsafed. How can they be always pelagic if they
are obliged to seek the land or ])erish, and why is it reasonable to talk of the prob-
ability of their becoming something different from what they are when that con-
jecture is based upon nothing but reckless and grotesque assumption t Of course,
this and other specimens of affront to common sense are merely gratuitous and
pointless vagaries. Hut the thesis must be sustaineil, viz, that the seals are not
even amphibious animals; their resort to land is a merely accidental necessity, and
therefore the I'nited States can no more claim a right to or possession in them than
in other "essentially i)elagic animals," such as the whale, the codfish, or tlie turhot.

If anything more were iieede<l to emphasize the absurdity of this defiance of well-
known facts and settled distinctions in the animal world we might still further cite
the Hritish commissioners on the subject of the seal jielage or slie<lding of hair. It
seems that these pelagic animals were not endowed by nature with the proper skin
to perform this function in their native element. Unless they can find a suitable
place out of water they retain the old hair and disregard the laws which would compel
an annual shedding. Ijcst this seem an exaggeration, read tlieir report citing Mr.
Grebnitsky: "During the 'stagey' or shedding season their pc^lage becomes too thin
to afford a suitable protection from the water.' (See section 202; also 281, (>31,632.)

It is hardly necessary to say that this theory, so gravely and seriously advanced,
that the seal is naturally and essentially a pelagic animal, is utterly unsustained by
evidence, is refuted by the language of the commissioners themselves, and disputet'
by elementary writers. It is only necessary to ascertain how naturalists define
pelagic animals and then compare such definition with the known characteristics
and rudimentary elements of seal life (see especially for this the books of .Jolins Hop-
kins Univeraity). Hesides, the unanimous and unquestioned testimony of the agents

.;!

■■n

i, I

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS,

115

lirb to study

lenunciatioa
ed nmch and
Hied terms, u
be that the
a result. If,
d, this would

d. Between
1 fonnd. The
B joint report

le number of

e, that it has
y Hiau."
Tsy have no
siouers theni-
pjng in mind,
ibitat for the
tnd meaning,
d the Bering

ates romniis-
nal intention

et learned to
1 tlie prospert
We must, in
i tlie compla-
with nnhesi-
tion. If this
ibese otticials

divide tliem-
rst and most
d wariness of
id by circum-
mposed upon

jirobably ere

id more than
it were not
ng, deserves
inala (now)
be under-
igic if they
f the prob-
en that con-
Of course,
itnitous and
als are not
Bcessity, and
n them than
the turbot.
nee of well-
further cite
of hair. It
proper skin
I suitable
ould compel
citing Mr.
les too thin
81,631.632.)
y advanced,
ustained by
nd disputet'
ilists define
aracteristics
Johns Hop-
f the agents

ily

•t

for the Government and tho lessee.s sliows that the fur seals spend at least four
months of the year on tb<) ''.iliijof IslaudH.

Having found, with the American coinmissioners, a marked diminution in thenum-
ht'T of seals on aiul habitually resorting to the l'ribih>f Islands, the Britisli commis-
sioners proceed to show that the seals are more numerous tlian ever. They have,
no doubt, demonstrated this to their entire satisfaction on jiages 72 and 73 of their
report. Captain Warren they (|uote as saying that he noticed no diminution in the
numl)er of seals during the twenty years that he had been in tliat business, and, if
any change at all, an increase (sei tioii 403 j. To the siime effect t'ajjtain Leary, who
Huys that in Bering Sea they were more nuuu'rous than he had ever seen them (sec-
tion 403), while Mr. Milne, collector of customs at Nictoria, reports, what others
have said to him, tiiat owners and mastt^rs do not eiitertiiiu tlie slightest idea that
the seals are scarce (section 403). What a tribute this must lie to the management of
the Pribiiof Islands if, notwithstanding the conceited destruction of gravid and nurs-
ing females, these statements should l)e true. Cajit. W. Cox took 1. 000 seals in four
days 100 iinles to the westward of the I'riliilof Islands (section IOr>). lie found the
seals much more]>lentitul in Bering Sea than he had ever seen them before. It would
have ailded much to the interest of Caittain Cox's statement if he had told us how
niiuiy of these seals gave evi-leiice of having left their i)ups at ho'Jie.

Tlie British ciunmissioners multiply the evidence to sliow that the general ex]>eri-
ence as stated to them has bteu that seiils were ei|ually or more .-ibiiudant at sea at
tlie time of their extermination than tliey liiid been in former years. It is ditiiciilt
to treat this with the respect tint a report emanating from g<'iitleiiien of character
and high othcial jiositioii should meet. Kitlier the stattMiieiit in the Joint repcu't ia
true anil the assiimptimi of an increase is untriii-, or vice versa. In view of the evi-
dence that tiu'se seals have no other liome tliaii the I'riliilof Islainls, it is iilaiii,
licyonil the necessity of demonstralioii, that all the seals killed by Cajitain (,'ox and
others in the Bering Sea were inhabitants of those islands, and the testimony only
goes to show that the mothers do yo out to sea a hundred miles or more, as is sworn
to by the witnesstis for the United States, and that it is while they are on the feeding
grounds, or searching abroad for food, that they are cai)tureil by the Canadian poach-
ers. If this is not so, then let the commissioners or these aclvocating their views
tell us where these seals slaughtered by Captain Cox and others found their "sum-
mer habitat."

Any pretense that the seals are dec^reasing at home — i. e., where they live through
the summer, and breed, and nurse, and shed their hair — and at the sanm time are
increasing in the sea is simply an absurdity. It would have addt'd much to the value
of the testimony of all these masters if they had not sedulously avoided stating the
sex of the animals that they killed.

There is one, and one exjilanation only, of this, and that explanation makes tlie
atories above ijiioteil plausible. The pelagic sealers were engaged in hunting nurs-
ing mothers on the feeding grounds, where those animals are found in large numbers.
The decrease proved, and indeed admitted to exist (see joint report), hail not yet
been so great as to be manifest to those sealers who were so fortunate as to fall in
with a number of females either intent upon finding the food necessary to produce a
flow of milk or slee])ing on the surfaie of the water after feeding.

And here we may note another illustration of the thesis and its advocacy. Having
satistied themselves that pelagic sealing riither ojieratecl to increase the supi)ly of
seals they remembered that th(! killing of young males was objectionable ami likely
to result in extermination, and thereuiioii discovered the fnct that " a meeting of
natives wns held "' at which the aborigines iMianimously expressed the o]>iiiion that
the seals had diminished and would continue to diminish from year to year (an
opinion, too plain, we think, for argunienl), but they at once assign the reason, which
is not the killing of many females, but the extraordinary fact that " all the male seals
hail been slaughtered without allowing any to come to maturity ujion the breeding
griHUids." (Section 438.)

Iliiviiig thus ]»roved that the seiils were in a flourishing condition of increase, and
that they were decreasing in an alarming decree, the conclusion is reached that the
<iecre;ise is on the land and the increase in the water:

"The general effect of these changes in the habits of the seals is to minimi/e tl;e
niinilier to he seen at any one time on the breeding islands, while the average num-
ber to lie found at sea, at least jiroportionately, though perhajis in face of a general
decrease in \ he uumb(!r of seals, not absolutely increased." (Section 44.'> of British
Conimissionei's' Ifejiort. )

Would it be irrelevant to imiuire what was the "summer habitat" of the numer-
ous seals slaughtered by Captain Warren, Captain Leary, and Captain Cox f Were
they not all of the Pribilof family ? Did not the commissioners, who quoted Captain
Cox to the efiect that he had, no doubt in true 8])ortsnuinlike fashion, with a shot-
gun, killeil 250 seals a day for four days, know that the enormous majority of these
were nursing mothers whoso pups were starving at home? (Argument of the Ignited
States, p. 288.)

If|«'^

v' 1

III

f 1

116

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

II-

PKLAGIC SEALING, CLOSE SEASON, ETO.

That many lioiiest and patriotic men have (littered in tlieir opinions
about the true cause of the destrnctiiui and tiireatened total extinction
of the Alaskan fur seal is not to be denied; for, unfortunately, the rival
interests have been so many and so diverse, and the seal islaiula are so
far beyond the reach and ken of the public, that it has been very diih-
cult to get at tiie plain truth ot the matter as it really exists. Above
all the theories advanced, however, there are two facts which are most
intinuitely connected with the discussion, which never should be lost
sight of if we would understand the luiitter thoroughly.

First. That from 1835, when the IJussians first prohibited the further
killing of the female seals, to 1884, when the pelagic sealers became
numerous and i)owerful, the seal herds grew and nourished and tlie
rookeries expanded notwithstanding long drives and other barbarous
metiiods continued until the United States i)urchased Alaska; and that
from 18(58 to 188(! an average annual killing of 1(K),(K>0 young males was
made before a sign of decrease or diminution ai)i)eared on the islands.

Second. In spite of all that has been said and reiterate«l against the
lessees' management of tiie islands and the methods imrsued tor so
many years in caring for the rookeries and the seals, in driving and
killing, and tiie waste of seal life resulting therefrom, it must be
admitted that under this same management (whicit has been the same,
practically for twenty-five years), the seals increased steadily fron» 18G8
to 1884, or until the pelagic sealers api)eared in force in Bering Sea.

Tliese are facts tliat have been proved beyond the possibility of a
doubt, and although interested or meddlesome parties may and often
do make wild cluirges and unreliable statements about bad manage-
ment, bad methods, and barbarity in the driving and killing of the seals,
there is not a shadow of truth in the stories, nor has any honest man
who ever lived on the seal islands ever said or thought of anything of
the sort.

The word " monopoly " is often used for the purpose of bringing odium
on the seal question when facts are lacking, but the truth is that, despite
all the wicked and idle insinuations thrown out in that way, the leasing
of the seal islands to a responsible comjiany was the best as well as the
most prudent thing the Government could have done under the circum-
stances, as the result showed before the pelagic sealer appeared to inter-
fere with the prosperity of the rookeries which had been fostered and
built up by the wise management of the lessees.

As an answer to the fault-tinder who proclaims the destruction of the
seals through the mismanagement of a monopoly, I will quote from the
island records the number of seals actually killed for their skins on
the islands during the twenty years' lease of the Alaska Commercial
Company, and also the number of skins which were rejected or lost
out of all that were killed.

I Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-second Congress, second session, appendix.]

Total number of seals killed for their skins by the lessees from 1870 to 1S8D, both inclusive.

S Paul 1,463,907

St. George 318,120

Total 1,782,027

Total number of skins rejected from same.

St. Paul 2,480

St. George 628

Total 3,108

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

117

oth inclusive.

In other words, for every 1,000 seals killed by the lessees, during
their twenty years' lease, there was a loss of 1^ skins.

As these figures were compiled by me, originally, from the books
kept on both of the seal islands, I know they can not be denied or suc-
cessfully contradicted, and I respectfully submit them, and the lesson
til' y teach, to the most careful consideration of the Department.

Lest some critic; may say I have not (juoted all the figures, let me add
right here that I am si»eakiMg of the large young males which were
actnally killed for their skins to make up the lessees, annual (piota, and
of those only.

That the natives killed, for food, 99,(i84 j'oting male seals during the
same twenty years (in addition to pups), and that 27.0'.tO of the skins
were rejected, is true; but the lessees are notblamable for that, for they
had notliing whatever to do with it, and f'onsequently 1 have counted
only the skins of the seals killed during the regular sealing season and
before the seals became "stagy.'"

Most of the seals killed for natives' food were taken during the
"stagy" season, hence the rejection of so many of the skins.

This is why I have rejjeatedly advised in this and former reports
that no killing for any purpose siiould be permitted during the "stagy"
season.

The management of the seal islands, and the care bestowed on the
seals by the lessees and their agents, are matters of history into which
it is not necessary to enter, because the above figures show far more
ekxiuently and conclusively than words of mine could tliat that must
of ne(;essity be a well managed business which can make such a show-
ing at the end of twenty years.

Only 7 rejected skins out of every 4.000 seals killed is a record for
good and careful management that the lessees may very well be pnmd
of. and it is a withering rejdy to all the idle story-tellers who have
attempted from time to tinie to make the world believe that careless-
ness and brutality united in driving the seals hurriedly to the killing
grounds, leaving hundreds dead on the road, and that bad manage-
ment, corruption, and dishonesty reigned supreme on the seal islands.

In another part of this report I have given a table showing the num-
ber of seal skins actually recorded as sold as a result of pelagic sealing
from 18(18 to 1804, bo'Ji inclusive, which shows the gradual increase of
the catch from year to year as the sealing fleet increased in numbers
and efficiency, until the 4,.'iG7 skins taken in 18(»8 have grown into
llil,143 in 1804.

To further illustrate the growth of pelagic sealing and the havoc it
has wrought on the seal herd I will now insert another table comparing
the numbers taken on the Pribilof Islands with those taken on the open
sea from 1890 to 1804, both inclusive.

OHiviiil.

Pribilof If

liiiuU.

Otlicial. ]>»•■

Ingic ditrli, Ascorrerted
iiH ciittMiil in l>y tnulp
riiitrt! States stiloH. iidtling

niiil Virtiiria .skins shipped

(Itritisli Co vlaSiiPZ

luiiiliia) cim- Ciilial.

tomhoiisi's.

20, »95

i;!, 4H2

7, 5411

7, 500

18, 031

65, 557

61,H14

60, 788

71), :i»4

78, 08;t

121,14;t

394, 222

aeo.ooo

fl-.^OOO
a 8,5,000
10!), 669
142, 000

471,660

;(

118

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Those taken on the ishnulH, it is hardly necessary to say, were young
males — the sarjihis males of the herd, those taken at sea were taken
indiscriminately, without repird to sex, and were nmstly gravid females
or nursing mothers whose young perished too.

The otlicial figures for the I'ribilof Islands catch are taken from the
Treasury agents' annual reports on tile in the Department. The otlicial
figures of the pelagic catch are based on the reports of the collectors of
customs at Han Francisco, Astoria, Port Townsend, and other p(uts
in the Tnited States, and at Victoria, Hritish Columbia, and, for some
of the years, from the London trade sales of pelagic skins.

There is every reason to believe that the real number of pelagic skins
taken during tlie live years last named aggregate .'»(M>,(MK), and if we
consider the 1(»S8 sustained by the wounding and sinking of seals that
are never secured, the numbers would run up to threetiuarters of a
million destroyed, lost to the Tnited States, in five years.

But let us take only what are given otii(;ially as entered in United
States and Victoria (British Columbia) custom lumses, '.i*M,22'2, and
allow that only oO per cent of thenj were females, or, say, 2()0,0(M>
mothers, one-half of whose pups were "cutout aJive" and thrown over-
board at sea, and the other half of whose pups starved to death on the
rookeries, then the account would run thus:

Male seals killed 194, 222

Gravid females 100, 000

Pujts "cut out of same " 100, 000

Mothers iu milk 100, 000

Pups starved on rookeries 1(X), 000

Total 594, 222

But coming back once more to the bare ofttcial figures as given by
the collectors of customs, what do they teach us?

They show on their face that the pelagic sealers are reaping the
wealth of the seal herd while the United States are paying all the
expenses; that during the existence of the modus vivendi, when it was
agreed that all [parties should cease killing seals until an impartial
inquiry and investigation could be made, the United States lived up to
the agreement, and the pelagic sealer increased his fleet and killed more
seals than he ever killed before.

In 18U0, on the discovery of the decrease on the rookeries, we imme-
diately reduced our catch from the legular annual quota of 10(),(>00 to
20,99r>, but the pelagic sealer continued on his cruise and captured in
the whole North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea .51,iS14 skins.

In 1891 our catch amounted to 13,482; the pelagic sealer, in spite of
pledge, promise, law, and two armed fleets, captured nearly 70,000.

In 1892, witli the modus vivendi thoroughly understood by our agents
on the islands, we took 7,o4!) seals to feed the natives of the seal islands
as per agreement with Great Britain, aiul the pelagic sealer, in defiance
of all law, took 7.'i,394.

In 1893, still abiding by the terms of the modus vivendi, we took
7,500, and the pelagic sealer took 109,000. (These figures include seals
killed on the Asiatic side of the North Pacific Ocean.)

It was in 1893 the Tribunal of Arbitration met at Paris, and, after
carefully reviewing the whole situation and the (piestions at issue, a
decision was rendered and regulations suggested for the settlement of
the Bering Sea question and for the protection of the fur seals.

The full text of tJie award will be found in the Appendix.

With the Tribunal of Arbitration, and the questions of national and

; I

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

119

re young
re taken
I females

from the
le otlicial
ectors of
ler ports
for some

^ic skins
11(1 if we
eiiLs that
ters of a

I United
22L», and
, 2()0,(M)()
•\vn over-
th on the

.. 194,222

.. 100,000

,.. 100,000

... 100,000

... 594,222

given by

ping the
all the
en it was

mpartial
'ed up to

ed more

ve imme-
[)(),(>00 to
tured in

spite of
,000.
ir agents

ivslands
detiance

we took
ide seals

id, after
issue, a
praent of

)nal and

international law decided by it, I have nothing to do; but with all that
appertains to the practical side of the seal question and the measures
which should be adopted for the absolute protection of the seals, 1 have
to do, and I say, without the least hesitation, tliat tlie regulations
adopted for that express i)urpose by the Tribunal of Arbitration are a
failure.

That the two great nations directly interested in the questions laid
before tlie tribunal were honestly an.\ious to have adetinite and mutually
satisfactory settlement is not to be doubted; that the (luestions at issue
were fully and ably presented by counsel on both sides can not be dis-
puted; that our own representatives were in full possession of all the
facts and testimony, and that they had a thorough kiu>wledge and grasp
of the actual situation is shown by the able nuuiner in which they pre-
sented their case and met the arguments of opposing counsel, and yet
notwithstanding all this, regulations have been made professedly for
the protection of the seals but practically for the benetit of the pelagic
sealer.

No l)etter proof of this c(mld be given tl.an theoflhtial figures already
quoted for 18!>4 — a total pelagic catch in tue Ninth Pacific Ocean and
Bering Sea, t'tom shore to shore, of 142,000 seals, while only 10,031 were
killed on the Tribilof Islands from Auyust, IHO.'J, to August, l.SS>4.

Let it be remembered, too, that out of a total of 05 vessels employed
in pelagic sealing only 37 entered Hering Sea in 1894, and yet, in about
five weeks, these 37 vessels killed over 7,000 seals more than were taken
by the J».') vessels on the American side of the North Pacific Ocean,
exclusiveof Bering Sea. in four months, from January to April, inclusive.

That the regulations have already accomplished much good in the
Pacific! Ocean outside of Bering Sea is freely admitted; but so long as
they allow the same seals to be killed in August in Bering Sea which
they protected in May, June, and July iu the Pacific Ocean they can
not be of permanent benetit to the herd as a whole. The fault is not
the fault of the Tribunal of Arbitration nor of any of the American
gentlemen in any way connected with it, fo'' they very clearly showed
that extermination would be the result of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea
at any time from May to September, as the following extracts from
argument of American counsel will show:

PKLAfcIC SEALING.

The Hritisb coniinisaionera, in their report (section 132), say the coiist catch is made
from February to .Iinie, iuclnsive, five luonthtt, while the BerinR Sea catch is taken
during July, August, and part of September, or two mouths and a half.

For each of the 96 vessels engaged in tlie coast sealing, the average per month is
113, wliile the monthly average for each of tiie 8(5 vessels entering Kering Sea is 290.

It is at oute apparent that sealing in bering Sea is over twice; as damaging to the
seiil herd as sealing in the North I'acilic, and tliatin three years 8,000 more seals were
tul;en in Ikriug Sea than along the coast in half the time by a Heet numbering ton
vessels less than the coast tieet.

Certain witnesses examined by the United States give sutticient data to show the
time occupied in sealing along tlie coast and that occupied in Mering Sea, also the
catclics made in each place, respectively, and in many instances the distance from the
islands at which seals were taken. These Lave all been collated and arranged in
the form of a table, an examincition of which will show that they fnlly corroborate
the statement that pelagic sealing is mncli i lore damaging in Bering Sea than in the
North Paciific. The <irst fonr witnesses were examined at Victoria. The page refer-
ences are to the United States case, Appendix, Vol. II.

Such data as these appearing in the above table can not be found in the dei)08i-
tions appearing in the British counter case. It is unfortunate that this important
matter should have been left out of the British testimony.

This testimony further corroborates the statement of the British commissionerH
that the Bering Sea is not entered until about the Ist of July.

I i

'f I

t
* I!

V' f

■ '■■■ i

120

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

Of till! iioliiKic H«iil«rH«xainine(l by th« Unlteil States (I 'iiited Stiiton niin\ Appendix,
Vol. II, i»p. ItlH-aOT, tiioliiHivo) 7H give tustiinony an to tlio tiinit tlusy «'iitere<l Ht^ring
8eu. Ol tills iiumlier US ciitored the sen utter .lune 2(» and HI entmod between .Inly 1
and .Inly 15.

Of till! ;{|ti ilepoHltiimH tiikeu by (treat Hritaiu and printed In tlie HritiHh innntor
cane (A)i|nMiilix, Vol. II) but 5 givi! thi! time of I'liteiinjj llering S»>a. One of those
(Minitr, p. lilt) giveH the time hh "the latter jmrt of .lime;" 2 (llnrtiviMi, p. 112, and
Fi^nera, p. P-Ti) "early in July;" and the 2 otliera (({iiudiii, p. HI, iiiid LntJeuH, p.
121), ".Inly 20."

From the teHtiiiiony Htiited above, it is oviilcnt why (Jreat liritain failed to examine
witiiestsos on thJH ]ioint,Hiiii'e the liritish eoiiinilHsionerHiiroiioHed aHii reHtrictixe reg-
nlation that Heriiii; Sea should not be entered before the Ittt of .Inly, and the Kritish
counsel, in iiresenting a sdieine for reiriiliitions to tlii^ trilinnal, incorporated the Hiime
suggestion therein. It He,irc«'ly seenm possible, in face of the evidemo that sealing
does not usually begin in Heriii^ Sea until .Inly, tli.it (ire:it Itritain's advisers can
really believe that itwoiihi restrict pelajjie sealiiiji to ]irobiliit the sealers fronidoing
what they have never done, do not do. and never would do.

Of the sealers examined by the United i^tates and Oreat Mritain, 2it suggest a defi-
nite piM'iod for II close time. 'I'liey are arraii^Mid below in the form of a table, show-
in;;' tlie months ill which they think jx-laKic sealiiij: should be ]iriihibited. The lirst
7 Were exiimiiieil by (ireat Itritaiii, and their de)iositiiiiis are included in the MritisL
counter case. (Appendix, Vol. II.) 'I'lie remainder were examined by the I'nited
States, and their statements appear in the I'liitcd i^tates case. (Ajtpeiidix, \'ol. 11).

These men, l>eing jielagic sealers, know what nioiitlis sealing is injurious to the
seal herd. If, therefore, the advice of all these witnesses were lollowed, every
month in the year would be closed to i)ela]u;ic sealing.

Tabulation of oi>uii<>iin (if inl(iiiic Hculern, nhowiiifi <liirhi;i what niinitlix iirolictioii h needed

ill III fill (J Sia.

I 4 i:

■= ►; -4

J^ =

I —

UIhIi )w

O'l.f.'rv

E. P. .iliiicr.
Gen. Scott ..

LlllJcILS

Coiinors

Mureaii

Alllll-I'HOII . ..

Aliilririiig...

ISall

Henri Brown

lireniiaii

ClaiiHcii

(duller

Frnnlilyii ...

Funclio

Oriffln

Uitnium

UailllH)!!!

HarriHon

Hansen

Holt'mnn

JoluiHon

Kiernau

Lawaon

Lenard

A. McLean..
D. McLean..
Sundwall ...

.Inly.

.liily-AiijliiHt.

.Iiiiin ir.v .Iiilir.

■Iiilv .Sc|(ti'iii"lH'r.

.Iiily-I)iMt^ii)l«T.

.Iiily-Sept»'nili<>r.

.Tilly .St')(t('tiil)er,

A|i?il-.\iijjii.sl.

.liiiMiary-Aiimint 15.

.liily-Si'|(triiib(M'.

.\|iril-I)c(eiiilier.

Aiiril-Aiijiust.

.Iuly-()ctol)i!r.

A|iril-Noveml)er 15.

Miiy-Septeniber.

Jiily-Si'|)tenil)rr 15.

A|(i-iI-.\uf{u.Ht.

Miiy-Si-ptember 15.

.Iiiiie ]5-l)e'enil)er.

JanuiO'v-Jiilv 15.

.Tiily-N'oviimoer.

June- 1 Illy.

.Inly-Deconibcr.

Mai'ch-Sei)tcniber.

April-dctober.

Marcli-OclolxT.

Jiily-Aiijtiixt.

.luiie l.^-Oetober.

Jilly-OctobtT.

An examination of the foregoing table shows that .as to some months all are sub-
stantially agreed that sealing should be prohibited if the seals are to be preserved.
These months are July and August, the principal sealing months in Hering Sea.

All the 29 include July, except one, who thinks the close season should end on
July 15.

Twenty-four, or four-fifths of the witnesses, include August, and 17 include Sep-
tember in their proposed close season.

SKAL lAVE ON THE I'RIIULOF ISLANDS.

121

On till- f'uctH aliiiM' Ntiitcil tlic rnittHl Stiitcrt claiin that the fuUowing propoHitioim
lijivc \utvu ilHinoiiHtriiti'il hcvonil rct'iitatioii :

(1) That ffiiiiile Hcals 2 yi^ni'H olil anil ovor are pregnant at all times when I'onnd in
the waters of Iterinji Sea.

{■2} That tlie niirHiny; U des are the only chiHs of Heals whieh feed to any extent

while iielanie Keiilin;; Ih ciirried on in Meriiiii; Sea.

i'ii) That the niirHing fenialeH are taken in lar^re nnnihers over 50 niileH from the
iMlantlH.

(I) That the Real ]H\]m arc not weaned ni>ti] after the Healing seaHon IwtH elosod in
Herinj; Sea.

[')) That the Idlling of a nursing female in Hering Sea destroys at least two lives,
nnnu'ly. tlie female and the fetus; anil it is an irresistible eonclnsion that the j)np
left 11, on the islands by the female killed also perishes (see i>ai)er directed partien-
iarly to tliat sulijeet).

till Tliat in )u)int of niimlicrs ah)ne sealing in Horing Sea is over twiee as destrnc-
tive to seal life as sealing in tlie Nortli I'aeilie.

(7) That the sealing season in Itering Sea eomprises only the months of .luly,
August, and a piirt of Sei)ti'mher.

(H) Tliat all the sealers examined l>y the I'uited States and (ireat Mritain as to the
nioiitlis when sealing sliould he |ir<ihiliited iiielnde .Inly in the elose season ])rop()sed,
and nearly all include August.

(!•) I'liat to open lUuing Se;i during the mouths of .Fulv and August, with a pro-
tective /one of 20 miles ahoiit the I'rihilof Islands, ;is (troposcd bv (ireat Mritain,
would iiieaii tlic extermiiiatioii of the seal herd.

(1(1) That alisoliit'' ])roliibiti(iu of pelagic sealing at all times in the wliole Mering
Sea eiist of the ISO degrees nieriilian fnun (lieeiiwicli is necessary to preserve the
Alaskan seals. (Notes for I'liitcd States counsel, ]i. 10.)

it.

-Jy.

'inliiT.

iImt.

l)cr.

lier,

\M.

lifllKt 15.

ibcr.
ilier.

UHt.

RKliULATIONS.
[Kxtnict from Senator MorKan's opinion.]

I will now state, as I gather from all the evidence before us, what is the evil that
these (iovernments have found to be so threatening to seal life in the Alaskan herd
as to draw them into an agreement tliat it should bo repressed by their concurrent
action.

I will not attempt to examine .'igain the details of the evidence so thoroughly jire-
sented and with such .jiidici.il impartiiility by Mr. .Inst ice Harlan. I can tinil no tiawor
omission in his careful statements of the evidence, or in the conclusions that he drew
from it as to matters of fact. I believe that ho stated the exact truth of the situa-
tion, iiuil I fully concnr in his treatment of the subject and in the eoiKdusioiis that
he has reached.

The ]iresent situation, as I understand it, is as follows, as shown by a comparison
of the Pribilof and jielagic catches : '

Yi'iir.
1890

rribilof
Isliiiiils.

2i,'j;u

Total
pi'Iiiuic
catcli.

5 1 , fliVi

1801

1'.'. (171

ri8, iiuu

1802

i8g:t

T.r.do

7 "lUO

7n, ;i!u

a8i). UOU

Total . .

48, 305

273, 040

a Kstiiiiateil.

In 1889 the Pribilof catch w.-is 102,(517, which fell oft" to 21,234 in 1890, and this was
all that the islands would yield of killable seals, leaving a deticit as compared with
the previous year of 81, .379 seals nixm the islands. If thi-. contrast in the number of
seals that could be taken on the islands in 1889 and 1890 was due to the overkilling
of males on the islands and not to pelagic sealing, the falling off of numbers wonld
have been indicated in each of the six years prior to 1889. No one has asserted such
a fact, and we know that a male seal must be of 6 years old before he is able to take
up and uiaintaiii a harem on the rookeries. So that this falling ott' between 1889 and
1890, if it was due to an excessive killing of males, must have occurred at least as
early as 1882. This is not true, and no one pretends that it is. The killing of ;"l,655
seals that the pelagic hunters got, and at least three-fold that number, inciudiug

' These figures, cited by Senator Morgan, include seals taken off the Asiatic coast
of the North Pacific Ocean.

'i.'i

L«i '

'^•w^m

122

SEAL LIFE ON THE PUIHILOF ISLANDS.

those tliat were lt)Ht, must have reacbi-d 80(),()0() seals that wi-re destioyeiL Of this
niiiiiber threo-fdurtliH were females, that are nut kilhible seals ou the islands and are
not cuinitcd in the I'rihilof catch.

The vorilication of this calculation is almost perfect in 1M92, when the itclafjic
sealers took 73,0(M) seals, and in IX'.tl, when tlu y took (W,()(K). The dose appiuxima-
tion of these hjrnres shows that the toss of the seals on the islands was ilne to pelagic
sealiiifi; and not to the want of virility in the hulls <iu the breeding grounds or to any
other cause.

That the process which has actually depleted the seal herd in four years to the
extent of r)6!t,()(i5 (273,()0() of which were females) is an evil that reejuiresto be reme-
died, for the sake of the protection and preservation of seal life, no one can doubt,
as it seems to me. This progressive depletion of this herd of .seals can not fail to
destroy them very soon, and, in the meantime, to deprive tlie I'nited States of all
possible advantage and coni])ensation derived from its ett'orts to save the species.
What the I'nited States has done, or omitted to <lo. to deserve treatuu-nt at the hands
of this tribunal that will expose its lawful indust^'ies to ruin, its revenues to deple-
tion, ami its wards on the I'rivilof Islands to the loss of their only valuable industry
will be an iui|uiry that will seriously challenge the Justice of such an award, in the
estinuite of the civilized world.

The evil to be provided against by this tribunal is, clearly, pelagic sealing with
firearms.

If there is, or has been, any detriment to the seal herd from the treatment of the
United (States, on the islands, the facts on this subject were not unknown to Great
Britain when thi; treiity was made and before ratilicatious were exchanged. This
subject was not referred to in any t)f the correspondeuee between the (iovernments,
and the treaty is silent as to this supposed mismanagement.

Will the tribunal, in such acase, makean oltjection to ]>rotcctingand ))resei vingthe
fur seals on the water because (ireat Itritain lias not thought it ]>roper <u- necessary
to call the methods intoiiuestion, or the I'nited States into account for its maimer of
dealing with that subject o\\ landf True, if it can be shown that the tlcpletion of
the lienl is due to that cause, and not to pelagic hunting, that is a just and pro])er
iii(|Uiry. If it is <lue to both causes, this tribunal will deal with the pehigii^ evil,
that is submitted to its consideration, Mild leave if to the nations concernetl in the
protecticm of seal life to deal with the evil on land.

If the I'nited States are not so wise in curing for the seals on land as the pelagic
hunters are in caring for them at sea, as seems to be asserted, they are ([uite as
earnest in the wish to do so. They destroy no female seals, while the ]ielaglc hunter
never spares (me. They do not tire upon the breeding rookeries when the seals are
massed, many of them asleei>, with double-liarreled shotguns and buckshot car-
tridges. They do not kill indiscriminat(^ly all seals that come in sight.

The United States ])erniit no female seals to be killed; while 73 per cent of those
killed by the ])ehigic hunter are females heavy with young and almost helpless.

Ill that condition, as well as in accordance with a law of their nature, which is au
ini])ortaut fact in connection with their domesticity, the female fur seals re(|uire »
great deal of sleep. When asleep, they turn ujion their backs, fold tlseir tlippers
over their breasts, and curving their hind tlippers upward, they f«»rm their bodii's as
a sort of boat, the s])inal column rt^preaenting the keel. They can only breathe
the n)i])er air; they can not, like a tisli, extract air from the water. After inhaling
the air the nostrils close firmly together, and the air, lieafed by their bodies, ex]iauds
and buoys them up. They seldom breathe oftener than once in fifteen minutes, and,
when diving, they need not return to the surface for air oftener than every thirty
minutes. We know nothing of their habits at night while in the ocean. On hind
they are so boistenuis at night with their bowlings that sleep would seem to be
impossible, except fnmi sheer exhiiiistion. They have not a keen vision, and the
sunlight is painful to tlutiii, so that they leave the land and go to sea on tlays that
are bright. This ciiuses them toseek a sumiu(>r home in a ))lace where fogs and ruins
prevail. Yet they must hii\ e Wiiriiith. Nature has iiniply jtrovided for this necessity
by giving them a double coating of thick, strong hair, and of the thickest and ttiies^
fur that was ever bestowed upon any species of animals. It is as impervious to
water lis the down of sin eider duck. The i)U])s sire born without this fur, and hence
their aversion to swimiuing until it li;is grown out; and this dittains them on land
for four months, at Icist, during which jieriod tln'y can subsist only on the milk of
the ' )W senls. While their vision is not keen, their auditory ciigiins iind sense of
smell are exceedingly iicnte. They are attracted by s(Minds as few other aninwils
are. In this faculty they make ,". dose ai>proiich to the endowments of mankind.
Sir .lolin Tlioni|)st)ii is amused at an account, read by Mr. .Justice Harlan, of the
seals being attracfed in great numbers near to the shore at Hoy by the ringing of a
church bell. In his credulous sport over this inci<lent Sir .lohn forgot that it is the
jiersonal observation of Mr. Low, one of the greatest notiiralists who ever lived,
the friend and com|Hinion of Cuvier, and is more than triuitirmed by M. I'eron, whom
France has honored in the most conspicuous way. Lis abilities as a luituralist.

SEAL MFK ON THE PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

123

>«1. Of this
ikIh and aro

the itoluKic
iiliiuoxiniii-
le to pt'lii>{ic
itlH or to any

years to the
i to b« riiinn-
13 can (loiiht,
ti not tail to
States of all
the sjiot'ies,
at tile hands
les to (lople-
lilt) industry
ward, in the

sealing with

tnient of the
»wn to (Jreat
inj;ed. This
loveri.nu'Hts,

resoiviuj{the
iir necessary
its manner of

iU'pleti«)n of
t an»l proper

pelajjie evil,
;erne<i in the

,8 tlie pelagic

[are qnite as

jlagic hunter

lie seals are

kehot car-

jent of those
elpiess.
whiih is au
Is reqnire »
leir dippers
.. ir bodies as
inly breathe
ter inhaling
es, exjtauds
inutes, and,
every thirty
in. On lanil
seem to be
ion, and the
on days that
ifisaml rains
his neee-ssity
ist and lines*^
npervioiiB to
r, and hence
hem on land
the nnlk of^
nd sense of
hor animals
if nninkind.
rlan, of the
ringinjj of a
hat it is the
ever lived,
eron, whom
, naturalint,

a(4|iiainted intimately with seal life, are as far in advance of those of I'lifessor
Klliutt, from whom Lord llannen (|Uotes with niiich satislHction, as Napole4iu was iu
advance of tiie Sioux chieftain, Sitting liiiil, as a military genius.

I will presently qiiote something further about fur seals Iroin Mr. I'eron.

I know Mr. Elliott, whom the Kritish (■overnineiit hasdnblied "professor." I have
rcs)icct for his character and sprightliness. He is a nainter in water colors of no
mean pieteusions, but his use of color dot^s not stop wit!> his canvas. It enters intty
all he says, ami makes him too vivid an enthusiast for a sa:'« r>>li'vuce on (|Uestion8 of
incasiiremetits. statistics, and cold facts. Mr. Lllioti. was out on the I'libilof Islands
on the loth of .Inly. WM). taking licld notes, which, to lie of any value, should be free
from all romantic ccuijectiire. i'he following is one of his highly colored extracts from
liis report of that day :

" 111 company with Mr. (iolVand Dr. Liitx, I made my plotting of the breeding seal»
as they lity on the Iv'eef and (jarbotch to-day. Here at the very height of the breed-
ing sc'.ison, when the masses were most coinjiact and uniform in their distribution in
ISTL'-IHTI, I linil the animals as they lav lo-il:iy, scattered over twict^ and thrice act
miicli ground, as a rule, as the same number woiilil occupy in 1H72— scattered because
the virile bulls are so few in number am' the service wliii-h they render so delayed or
iiiipiitciit. In other words, the cows are restless; not b»'ing served when in heat,
tlicy seek other bulls by hauling out in green Jagged points of massing (as is showu
by the chart) up from tlieir landing lielts. This unn;itural action of the cows, or
ratlicr unwonted movement, has caused the pnps :i. ready to form small ]>ods every-
wLere, ev«>n where the cows are most abundant, which shailows t«> me the truth of
tlu; fact that in live days or a week from date the suatteriii;; completely of the rook-
cry organi/.ation will be thoroughly done It did not take place until the 20th to
tlio I'iMh of .liily, 1S7-. In 1S72 these conm; were i»romptl.\ met with tiie service which
tliov ciiived on the rookery ground. The scattering of these old bulls to-day over so-
large au area is due to extreme feebleness and combined in many cases to a lecollee-
tidii of no distant day when tli>'y had previously hauled thus far out on this very
ground Mirrounded by bareness, though all is vacant and semi-grass ;>rowu under
and around them now." ( Dissenting opinions, Harlan and .Morgan, |)p. KHi, U)!).)

It is assumed throughout the rejiort of the Hritish commissioners that pelagic seal-
ing is not necessarily destructive, anil that, under regulation, the prosec^ition of it
need not iiivohe the extermination of the herds. This assuiii])tioii and the evidence
hearing upon it will be elsewhere particularly treated in what we may liave to say
upon the subject of regulations. It will t'lere be shown that it is not only destructive
iu its tendency, but that, if j.ermittetl, it will complete the work of jiiratical exter-
inimition in a very short period of time. Itiit so far as it is asserted that a restricted
and regulated pelagic sealing is consistent with the moral laws of nature and should
be allowed, the argument has a bearing upon the claim of the United St.-ites of a
property interest, ami should be briefly considered here. Let it be clearly nnder-
sttiod, th"u,.jiist what pclagit! sealing is, however restricted tir icgiilaled. And we
sliidl now describe it by those features of it which are not dis|iuted or disputable.

We pass by the shocking cruelty and inhumanity, v.itli its sickening details of
bleating and crying otl'spring falling u])ou the decks from t\w bellies of mothers-
as ♦!u)y are ripped open, and of white milk How ing in streams mingled with blood.
'I'bese e'lormities whicli, if attempted within the territory of a civilized State, wouhl
si>cediiy be made th«' subjects of crimina! jiiinishment, are not relevant, or are less-
rch^vnnl, in tliiMliscnssion of the mere ijuestion »if property.

It is not contended tiiat in pelagic sealing (I) tlieriM'an l>e any selective killing,
or v2) that a great ev.ccss of t'einales over males is not slain, or (;<) that a great num-
ber (I victinm perish from wounds without being r»'covered, or (I) that iu most luises-
tln' females killed aie not either heavy with young or nursing mothers, or (ft) that
each and every of these incidents can not be avoided by the selectivt> killing which
is pnicticed on the breeding islands, We do not sto|) to discuss the idle i|uestionH
whether this form of slaughter will actually exterminat*' the herds or how long it
may take to complete the (lestruction. It is enough for the present purpose to say
that it is simple destruction. It is destructive because it docs not make or aim to
make its draft iij .in the increase, which consihts ol the supcriliious males, but, by
taking females, strikes directly at the stock, and strikes at the stock in the incut
dama;;iii|r way, by destroying unborn and newly born pups, together with the r
inoihcis. Whoever nndertak«^s to set up a moral right to iirosecute this mode ( f
slauj,'hter on the ground that it will not necessarily result in com)ilete destruction
must iu;iintain that while it may be against the law of nature to work complct*'
<lcsiruction, it is yet lawful to destroy, ".ut what the law of nature forbids is anj
destruction at all uiiliss it is necessary. 'l\i dc.-ttroy a little and to destroy much
are the same crimes.

If there W(>re even stiniething Icsk than a right, or rather some low degree of right-
tor nothing other than rights can be taken notice of here — some mere convenience,
it iniglitbe worthy of consideral ion; but then? is none. It can not even be said that
pelagic sealing may fitrni-<h to the worhi a sealsklu at a lower price. Nothing cHtt

124

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

"be plainer than that it is th'< most expensive mode of cai)tnrins sealH. It recjnirea
tlie expenditure of a vast sum in vessels, boats, appliances, and human labor, which
is all nniie<'essary, because the entire increaPo c.;.n be reaped without them. 'J'his
unnecessary expense is a charge upon the consumer, and must be reimbursed in the
price he pays. In no way can pelagic sealing result in a cheapening of the product,
except n|)on tite assumption that the stock of seals is inexhaustible and that tho
amount of the i)elagic catch is an addition to the total catch, which might be made
on the land if capture were restricted to the lan<l; and this assum])tion is admitted
on all hands, and <!ven by the commissioners of Great IJritain, to be untrue.

If tliere were .any evil, or inconvenience even, to be apprehended from a confine-
ment of the capture of the seals to the breeding i)laces, it might serve to arrest atten-
tion ; but tlieie is ntme. .Much is said, indeed, in the repctrt of the commissioners of
Great Britain concerning a supposed monopoly wliicli would thus bo secured, as is
pretended, to the lessees of the breeding islands, which would eiuible tliem to exact
an excessive price for skins; but this notion is wholly erroneous. (.Vrgunusnt of the
United States counsel, j). it8.)

'J"he whole herd owes its existence not merely to the care ami protection but to
the forbearance of the I'nited States (iovemnuiut within its exclusive Jurisdiction.
While the seals are ui)on the United States territory during the sciison of reproduc-
tion ami nurture that Government might easily destroy tiie herd by killing them
all, at a considera)>le immediate ]>rofit. From sucli a slaughter it is bound to refrain,
if the only object is to preserve tiie animals long enough toenal)le them to be exter-
minatetl by foreigners at sea. If that is to be the result, it would be for tlu^ interest
of the Government, and )>lainly wit) in its rigiit and powers, to avail itself at once
of .^ncli jtresent valui; as its property )tossesNes, if tho future jtrndnct of it can not
be preserved. Can there be uun<' conclusive )>roof than this ol' siidi lawful ))ossos-
sion and control as constitutes jiroperty, and a'one ]>ro(luces and continues tlie exist-
ence of the subJtM't of it ?

The Justice and ])ropriety of these itropositions, their net e;- v'tv tltv! ;;oueral
inteiests of mankind, and the foundation upon which they rest in h" ; ' aal prin-
ciples from which rights of ownershi]) are derived, have been ( nrl, .i.i.i forcibly
pointed out by Air. Carter. (Argument of the United Stiites eouu.sc). p. I'M.)

Thus it will be seen tliat the diuijier meniuuiiji" the seals in IJering
Sea by huntinf;' in July, Auj^nst, and September was well understood
by American eounsel at Paris, and pointed out l>y tlieni to the arbi-
trators with rare ability and coneiseness.

As I write, th<^ Congressional Itecord of December 12 is on my desk
with a letter from Mr. Elliott in which he speaks very disparaginj^ly of
our agents and counsel at Paris, and of their lack of knowledj^e of the
subject-macter before the Tribunal of Arbitration, thus:

.\t the time these articles of the I'aris award were ))ublishe<l inunense stress was
laid ujion the fact that firearms were prohibited in Bering Sea by our agents, whe
declare tliat this jirohibition would discourage and break up tiie business of the
pelagic sealer. They were strangely ignorant of the truth in the matter, at least
the lawyers were and they had nobody on our side witli them at I'aris wlio really
knew anything aoout the life and haluts of the seals, who could teach them bet! sr.

That they were neither infallible nor omnipotent is freely admit- sal j
that they nijij' have made some mistakes may be true; but thr t;: 7
left beiiind them in America sin equal number of men knowing o.:.
half as much as what they knew about seals has not been, nor can ii
be, shown.

If mistakes have been made at all they were made when \Te tirst
agreed to arbitrate the questioup that have since been decided against
us by the Tribunal of Arbitration; and it is now too late to enter into
idle discussions, (criminations, and recriminations as to who was right
and who was wrong.

Having once put our case into the hands of the tribunal, we nuist abide
by its decision until we can with lienor and dignity, wortliy our country,
bring about other arrangements.

That the regulations, made in good faith, do no«- aceomplish 1'' -'bat
was expected of them is so patent to everyone *<ut t needs no ;;
sion here, and the proper steps ought to be tal- .1 as soon as i)os.m jle
to remedy their defects.

Of one thing we may rest assured, and thwi i ', that August and Sep-

8KAL LIFE ON THE PHIBILOF ISLANDS.

125

lor can u

tember — but August by all means — should have been included in the
*'('lose time,'' if the seals are to be saved from extinction.

It is in August tlie harems, or families, are broken up on the rookeries,
and the motlier seals go away from the islands to distances of from 80
to 200 miles after food mid rest; and it is i.t August they sleep soundest
and longest, after gorging themselves with the tirst full meal they have
had time to secure since .June. In August and September the weather
is usually favorable in Uering Sea, and the pelagic hunter, having a
license to M'(U'k and nothing to fear, goes in annMig the sleeping mother
seals and quietly spears tluin until his vessel is loaded with skins, and
want of room for more admonishes him to stop.

That the seals liave steadily decieased since 1884: tliat much of the
decrease is due to the .slaughter of the fenndes by pelagic Inniters;
that the rookeries are in about the sanu' depleted condition that they
were in 1834, after a long period of female slaugiiter by the L'nssians;
that the remedy api)lied then must be ai)i>lied now if we wouhl save
the fur seals from total extinction, and build u]> and replenish t-ie rook-
eries, are self evident ]>ropositions an<l cannot be denied.

There is no time to debate mere questions of detail, and we are all
agreed, 1 think, that on the absolute safety and continued i)i()tection of
the female seal ;''Miends the i)erpetuation of the species. So well has
this been understood and appreciated since 183.") that no female seal
has been, knowingly, killed on the seal islands in liering Sea for the
past sixty years.

It makes but little «lilference now as to whose theory was the correct
one when guessing was in order; nor does it nnitter much as to whether
sjR'ars or shotguns are used in killing mother seals, or whether they
are killed in the North Pacific Ocean or in JJering Sea; the only ques-
tion worth considering in this matter of fur seals Just now is ''How can
we prevent the killing of females f

Fortunately the declarations nnide by the Tribunal of Arbitration
suggest the most practicable way of solving the problem; and, with
the consent of (treat Britain, we can solve it immediately.

The Tribunal of Arbitration ims declared that:

III view of the critical condition to which it appears certain that the race of fur
seals is now reduced in consctiuencc of circumstances not fully known, the arbitra-
tors think tit to recommend both (iovernnients to come to an nnderstandinf? in ordor
t()])rohibit anv killinj? of fur seals, either on land or at s.-a, for a period of two or
three years, tr at least one year, subject to such exceptions as the two (iovern-
uients might think proper to admit of.

Such a measure might be recurred to at occasi<mal intervals if ionud benelicial.

In the spirit of that declaration, and being only too well '.ware of the
present "critical condition of the race of fur seals," a"d fully appreciat-
ing the importance of innnedifci,te action, if they are to be saved from
extinction, 1 respectfully offer iht following sugg'vstious:

(1) That the Lnitcl States Go. ernment shall olUcially notify (Jreat
Britain of the failure ;>f the " icgulations" to adequately protect the
seals from the destruciivt' work of the pelagic sealer.

(-) That Gitat Ihitain sJiaii be requested to Join with the United
States in establishing a modus vivendi until, Jointly, they arrange to
have the cooperation of both Kussia and Japan in making regulations
for the proper protection of the seal herds coming to tUe islands or
territory of each.

(3) That during the time set apart for the ujodus vivendi no sealing
vessels shall be cleared for sealing purposes, nor shall seals be taken
anywhere in the North Pacific Ocean or in Bering Sea, excepting what
may be taken by the Indians on the American and British Columbian

126

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

coasts for food, and by the natives of the Pribilof Islands for necessary
food, fuel, and clothing, as was done during the last modus vivendi,

(4) That Congress shall be asked for an appropriation to defray the
expenses of a conunission of at least three competent and disinterested
men, whose duty it shall be to visit all the seal islands and breeding
rookeries in the Bering and Okhotsk seas, and any others whose seals
range in either of those seas or in the North Pacific Ocean; to make a
thorough investigation of fur-seal life, and to collect testimony bearing
on the habits of the aninml on land and at sea, and all data that it is
I)ossible to secure regarding the effect of driving and killing on land,
and of pelagic sealing, and such other information as may be deemed
necessary to a tiioj-ough understanding of the seal j)roblem.

(5) Thrtt the said commission shall be ai)pointed by the President of
the United States, and tliat (ireat Britain, Russia, and Japan be invited
to appoint similar bodies for similar purposes, who, at the completion
■of their Joint investigations, shall jointly report the result thereof and
suggest regulations for the i)roper aiul adecjuate protection of the fur
seals on land and water.

In making tliese suggestions I have kept in view the fact that with-
out concurrent action, which shall be mutually satisfactory to the
MiHoiis directly interested, there can be no adequate protection given
t<. . ils; for so long as i)elagic sealers can operate freely in .lapa-

iiese . i.ssian waters during a "close tinie" on the American side, and
vice veii>a, the herds will eventually be exteriiuiated.

The question has been asked, ''Sunposedreat Britain will not consent
to a modus vivendi or a change in the regulations betbre the expiration
of the tive years' term establislied by the Tribunal of Arbitration; what
then?"

It must be borne in mind that the regul.ations do not extend to the
seal islands, nor have they anything whatever to do with our work
thereon.

Let Congress at the present session repeal all laws which limit the
numbers or designate the sex to be killed on the islands, and enact
laws empowering the Secretary of the Treasury to kill without limit
whenever it may appear that adequate protection to the herds has been
sought for in vain. That this last resort is our right and our duty was
plsiinly shown by the United States counsel at Paris, who said:

The wbolo herd owes its existence not merely to the care and protection, but to
the forlieiirance of the United States Government within its exclusive jurisdiction,
Wiiile the seals are upon the United .States territory during the season of reproduction
and nurtuH!, that Government niij>ht easily destroy the herd by killing them all at a
considerable immediate profit. From such a slaughter it is not bound to refrain if
the only object is to preserve tlie animals long enough to enable them to be extermi-
nated liy foreigners at sea. If that is to he the result, it would be for the interest of
the (lovcrnnient, and plainly within its right and powers, to avail itself at once
of such present value as its pro]»erty possesses if the future product of it can not be
preserved. (Argument of the IJnited States counsel, p. 134.)

And yet, while admitting our right, and asking for the enactment of
a law conferring the authority to kill every seal on the Pribilof IsUinds,
should the necessity arise to demand it, I abhor the thought of the pos-
sibility of such a dreadful contingency.

While it is well to be fully prepared, let us use all honorable means to
avert it if possible.

Respectfully submitted.

Joseph Murray, Special Agent,

Hon. John (1. Oaulisle,

Secretary of the Treasury.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

127

appp:ndix.

PELAGIC SEALING.

Deposition of Milton Barnes, special employee of United States Treasury

on St. Ptnil Island.

Tebkitory of Alaska,

St, I'aui Island, hs :

I, Milton Bariu s, beiiiy duly sworn iut'ordiiig to law, depose and say
as follows: 1 an» a ci'.izen of the Ignited States, an«l when ar home
reside near Columbus, Ohio. Have been rempoiarily stationed dmiiija:
tlie last year on the island of St. I'anl, one of the fur seal or I'riUilof
grouj) in Bering Sea, as a special employee of the I'nited States
Treasury Department on said island.

One day during the latter ])art of August or fore part of September
last (exact date forgotten). Col. Joseph Murray, one of tlie Treasury
agents, and myself, in eomi)any with the iiritish coinniissioiiers. Sir
Ceorge Baden Powell and Dr. Dawson, by boat visited one of the seal
rookeries of that island known as Tolstoi or English Bay. On arriv-
ing there our attention was at once attracted by the excessive num-
ber of dead pups, whose carcasses lay scattered profusely over the
breeding ground or sand beach bordering the rookery proper and
extending into the border of the rookery itself. Tiie strange sight
occasioned much surmise at the time as to tlie probable cause of it.
Some of the carcasses were in an advanced stage of decay, while others
were of recent death, and their general a])|)earance was that of having
died of starvation. There were a few that still showed signs of life,
bleating weakly and piteously, and gave every evidence of being in a
starved condition, with no mother seals near or showing them any
attention.

Dr. Dawson while on the ground took some views of the rookery with
his kodak, but whether the views he took included the dead pups 1
could not say. Some days after thi^can not state exact date — 1 drove
with Mr. Fowler, an emjjloyee of the lessees, to what is known as Half-
way Point, or Polavina rookery. Here the scene was repeated, but on
a more extensive scale in point of numbers. The little carcasses were
strewn so thickly over the sand as to make it dithcult to walk over the
ground without stepping on them. This condition of the rookeries in
this regard was for some time a topic of conversation in the village by
all parties, including the more intelligent ones among the natives, some
of whom were with Mr. J. Stanley Hrown in his work of surveying the
island, and brought in reports from time to time of similar conditicnis
at substantially all the rookeries around the island. It could not, of
course, be well estimated as to the number thus found dead, but the
most intelligent of the natives — chief of the village — told me that in his
judgment there were not less than 20,000 dead pups on the various
rookeries of the island, and others still dying. Dr. Akerly, the lessees'
physician at the time, made an autopsy of some of the carcasses, and
reported that he could find no traces of any diseased condition what-
ever, but there was an entire absence of food or any signs of nourish-
ment in the stomach. Before Dr. Dawson left I called his attention to
what Dr. Akerly had done, but whether he saw him ou the subject I
can not tell.
And further deponent saith not. Milton Barnes.

Wn^F

128

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Deposit'ou of C. L. Hooper, captain, United States Revenue Marine.

DiSTRirx OF Columbia,

City of Wanhinf/ton, ss :

Personally appeared before me, C. L. Hooper, who deposes and says:

From the investifjations concerning seal life at sea, personally con-
ducted by me, in the North Pacific during the months of March, April,
May, and June; in Bering Sea during the month of August and partof
September; in the vicinity of the Aleutian chain during the month of
October and part of Xovembei', as well as from the experience obtained
in six other cruises in Alaskan waters and in liering Sea, I draw the
following conclusions :

There were fewer seals to be seen in the water in the vicinity of the
Pribilof Islands during the summer of liS92 than in 18111.

At least 75 jter cent, and probably 80 or IX) per cent, of the seals in
Bering Sea, outside of a narrow zone around the seal islands, are females,
7i5 per cent of whicii are nursing mothei s and the remaining 25 per
cent virgin cows too immature for bearing.

If bairen cows exist at all they are rare. I have never known or
heard of but one instance.

In iJcrIng Sea ujothers go hing <listances — as far as 200 miles from the
islands — to feed, codtish furnishing the bulk of their food.

They sleep much in the water, are not timid, and are readily taken;
and their deatli means the destruction of three lives — the mother, the
fetus, and the pup — on the breeding grounds. The past season is the
first in several years that such deaths among the pups have not occurred
from this source.

At least 70 i)er cent, and probably 80 or !)0 per cent, of any catch in
Bering Sea will be females, either actually bearing or capable of bear-
ing at no distant day. This is borne out by the character of the skins
of the Henrietta, seized last summer for the violation of the modus
Vivendi. The captain informed me that nearly all the skins taken were
those of male seals. Under my direction an examiiiation was made of
these skins by N. Hodgson, a man of exi)erience, in whom I have entire
confidence. The catch, as shown by the log and sealing book of this
vessel, was made in Bering Sea ajul consists of 420 skins, 3G1 of which

lalefe,
determine the sex.

For every 100 seals, the deatli of which results from jielagic hunting,
not nu)re than 05 or 75 skins are secured.

The female seals are widely- distributed over the sea, and hence the
establishment of zonal areas would be ren^lered impossible by climatic
conditions.

There is a wide belt of 200 or 300 miles between the Commander and
Pribilof groups of islands which are devoid of seals, and hence no com-
mingling of the herds occur.

There is no foundation for the statement that during the summer
months there are found in Bering Sea bodies of seals which are inde-
pendent of, unattached to, or do not visit the l*ribilof Islands.

The annual migration is caused by climatic conditions and feed
supply.

The old bulls are the first to leave the islands, and most of them,
together with many half bulls and large bachelors, remain in the waters
of Bering Sea and off the coast of Alaska during the entire winter,
individuals rarely being found south of the fifty-fifth parallel.

The major part of the herd, consisting of females and their paps and

were found to be feniales, 33 malefe, and 26 those of seals too young to

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

129

Marine.

and Siiys:
on ally con-
irch, April,
and part of
le month of
;e obtained
1 draw the

nity of the

the seals in
ive females,
ling 25 per

: known or

es from the

dily taken;
nother, the
ason is the
ot occurred

ny catch in
^le of beir-
f the skins
the modus
taken were
as made of

ave entire
ook of this

1 of which
young to

ic hunting,

hence the
jy climatic

lander and
ce no com-

|ie summer
are inde-

Us.

and feed

t of them,
the waters
re winter,

pups and

-if

young males, begin to migrate about the end of October, and by Janu-
ary 1 all <»f them have begun their migration. These dates are some-
what earlier or later, a«'Cording to the season.

Those that leave earliest go farthest south, arriving on the coast of
California, and tiiose leaving hvter reach the coast farther up. Their
arrival is coincident with the coming of the smelt, herring, and eulachou,
upon which they feed.

On reaching the coast their migration nmte is continually toward
the islands, but following the general trend of the (u)ast. the inner limit
being about -J~) miles otlshore and the outer limit from 7."> to 10((.

As this migration progresses there is a bunithing up of the herd, but
the seals travel independently and not in bands or schools.

The migratiiui route is from the I'ribilof Islands through the passes
across to the coast, up the coast and across the northern sweep of the
North Pacitic to the Aleutian Chain, and through the passes again to
the islands.

There is no foundation in the statement that the l*ril)il<;f fur seals
which migrate have a winter home oP any coast. They appear at about
the same time olf a long line of coast, reaching from Calilbrnia to
Washington. When they are so found they are known always to be
moving northward uj) the coast.

The herd, by reason of hunting at sea, has steadily diminished, and
such hunting will ultimately destroy the lierd unless i)rohii>ited in the
North I'aciticand Bering Sea, for no matter how small the annual catch
may he tliere is a possibility that the hunt will always be encouraged
by the higher prices resulting from the decreasd catch, as in the case
of the sea otter.

C. L. Hooper.

Di'jmsifion of U. II. McTntyre, superiittcndent of the Prihilof Inlands.

District of Columhia,

City of Washington, ss:

II. 11. Mclntyre, of West Kandolph, Vt., being duly sworn, deposes
and says :

I have stated in former depositions my connection with the sealeries
of Alaska and o])portunities for knowledge concerning them.

When the breeding male seals lir.st arrive upon the islainls in the
spring tliey are much more timid and easily disturbed than at a later
])eriod, and might perhaps be then driven from their chosen places upon
the rookeries, but at a later date, when their relation to their neighbors
is fairly established and the cows begin to arrive, no amount of force
will dislodge them, and they will die in defense of their harems rather
than desert thein.

In June, 1872, 1 carried a i)hotographer's camera near the Keef rookery
on St. Paul Island and while focusing the instrument, with my head
under the black cloth, and the attention of my attendant was diverted,
two old bulls made a savage assault ui)ou me, which I avoided by dodg-
ing and running. The camera was left where I had i)laced it and could
not be recovered until seal clubs had been sent for and one of the bulls
kUled and the other knocked down and stunned. The throwing of
stones and noisy demonstrations had no eifect whatever upon them.
This experience only emi)hasized what 1 have observed on many occa-
sions upon the islands. The female seals are more timid, and upon the
near approach of man show signs of fear and generally move toward the
S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 'J

130

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

water, but tlieir Hi^lit is lesistctl by tlie bulls, jukI belbi e iuipicguation
they rarely sueceed in eseapiiijr. After this occurs the discipline of the
harem is relaxed mid tlie lemales jjo iiud come at will.

i neither sinv nor heard, in my tw«'nty years' experieni-e as sui)erin-
tendent of tlie sealeries, of any destiuction of i»ui>s by reason of stam-
pedes of seals, hut 1 have occasionally witnessed the death of i)up8
from beinj;- trampled ui»on by the old bulls <lurinj> th<'ir battles for
supremacy. This is, however, of rare occurrence. Even if stampedes
occurred, the lij>ht bodies of the females, aveiaging «)nly 80 or 1>0 jiounds,
would pass over a lot ol' pups without seriously injuring them.

Later in the season, after the old bulls have been superseded ou the
rookeries by the j onager ones, the pui)s are already able to avoid being
run over, and as a matter of tact the death of imps ujxju the rookeries
from any cause whatever prior to the advent of pelagic sealers in Bering
Sea was so rare as to occasion no comment.

It was not customary to drive from any points near enough to the
breeding rookeries to cause stampedes, aud even if this had beeu done
1 do not think any injury to the rookeries would have been occasioned
by it. It might cause some of the cows to move away, but they would
soon return again.

It is very dillicult to determine the average number of females prop-
erly assignable to a single male, aud ditlicult even to ascertain how
many there are in any given family, because the boundaries of the groups
are never well detined, and such as would be said by one observer to
belong to a certain bull would be declared by another to be in a ditterent
harem. The surface of the ground mainly occupied as breeding rook-
eries is very irregular. Harems sometimes run together. Ledges,
bowlders, and lava rocks hinder the uniform mapping of the family
groups, and it is not ditlicult, therefore, to select certain spots and count
a number of female seals which ai>pear to be unattached to any male.
On the other hand, there are often found full-grown males upon the rook-
eries at all seasons with no families, and a still larger number with from
one to live females each. Such variations have always occurred.

With our present knowledge of seal life, it is impossible to Judge with
any degree of accuracy how many females may safely be referred to a
single male, liut, by anah)gy, it is a very much larger number than
has fre<iuently been named as a fair average.

Horse breeders regard a he.althy stallion as capable of serving from
40 to 50 mares in a single season; cattle breeders apportion at least 40
cows to a bull, and sheep raisers regard from 80 to 40 ewes as not too
many for a single ram, and in the latter case, at least, the season of
service is no longer than that permitted to the male seal. I think it
would be safe to place an average of 40 or 50 seals to a harem as not
excessive.

It is not unusual during the early years of the Alaska Commercial
Company's lease to find exceptionally large harems containing from 50
to 100 females each, but we saw no reason to doubt that they were fully
served by the male.

The erroneous idea seems to have gained lodgment that during the
first decade of the lease a reserve of breeding seals was kept on certain
rookeries, and that toward the end of this decade it became necessary
to draw on these rookeries because killing 100,000 seals per annum had
been too much of a drain upon the herd. This has no foundation in
fact. In the early years of the lease the transportation facilities upon
the islands, both by land and water, were very limited, and, as the
Government agent in charge (Captain Bryant) did not object, we con-

SEAL LIFK ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

131

)rogiiation
line of the

s sui)erin-
m of stani-

tll of ])U])8

DattU'B for
stampedes
1)0 iKmiids,
til.

led oil the
void being
3 rookeries
s in Beiiiig

ugh to the
beeii done
occasioned
hey would

lales prop-

urtaiu how

the groups

(bserver to

a dittereiit

sding rook-

. Ledges,

the family

and count

any male.

n the rook-

witli from

red.

udge with
'erred to a
liber than

ving from
at least 40
IS not too
season of
I think it
em as not

jmmercial
from 50
were fully

uring the
ni certain
necessary
inum had
idation in
ties upon
d, as the
we con-

snltod our convenience and drove more frequently from near-by rook-
erics, but at all times worked the more distant rookeries more or less
frequently, Jis appears by the seal island records. His successors in
ottice theorized that all the rookeries ought to be worked in regular
rotation, and so directed. We therefore increased our number of boats
and niuh' teams in order to transport the skins from distant points, and
complied with his orders. But we did not (io this because of any
scarcity of killable seals; no scarcity occurred until pelagic sealing
had already made serious inroads. There was no such thing ever
thought of upon the islands as "reserves of seals,'' nor was any diiier-
eiit jiractice imrsued in respect to driving from year to year, except
that all rookeries were worked more systematically after the tirst few
years of the lease.

In the early years of the first lease a few of the bundles of seal skins
shipped from the I'ribilof Islands may have weighed as much as 00
pounds, but 1 would not undertake to say that I have seen any weighing
as much. If there were any, the explanation is as follows: The skins
in such bundles were those of small wigs, and such skins were bundled
together so that the tiesh sides should be covered completely and no
overlai)ping edges left.

Kxcrement is voided by seals upon the rookeries as often, I think, as
by other carnivorous animals. Those who assert the contrary appar-
ently exi)ect such discharges as they were accustomed to see in the
track of the herbivora. The excrement of the seals is of very soft, often
semifluid consistency, and in the porous soil or on the smooth rocks is
easily brushed about by the trailing llijjpers of the seals and h)st sight
of. Their food is chietly fish, which is highly orgaiii/ed and contains
very little tissue that is not absorbed and assimilated. The excrement,
therefore, is limited in (piantity, even when the animal is full fed, and
from its nature and surroundings easily overlooked.

H. II. McIntyke.

HABITS, AND MANAGEMENT OF SEALS ON ROOKERIES, AND PELAGIC

SEALING.

Deposition of L. A. Xoyes, resident physician on the Pribilof Islands from

JcS'lSO to 1892.

St. (jeorge Island, Pribilof Group,

Alaska, ss:

L. A. Xoyes, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a native
American, and my home is in Eandolph, Yt. ; 1 am 52 years of age, and
a physicion by profession.

In 1880 I entered the service of the lessees of the Pribilof Islands as
resident physician at the seal islands, and I have resided here continu-
ously ever since, excepting an occasional visit to my home for a few
months in winter, once or twice since 1880.

From June, 1880, to August, 1883, I was on St. George Island, and
from 1883 to 1884 I was on St. Paul Island. I then returned to St.
Gectrge, where I have resided ever since, except the vacations aforesaid.

1 have given much time to the study of the Alaskan fur seal and its
peculiar habits, and I have watched with care and solicitude the
increase and the decline in numbers of the animal on the hauling
grounds and rookeries, and also the methods followed by the lessees in
taking the skins — the driving and killing of the young males of from

■Jri

r 1

i,m

132

SKAL LIFE ON THK PKIIHI.OF ISLANDS.

2 to r> years (»l(l, iind the saUiii*;', ciiriii}*', l>uii(lliii<>'. and sliippino- the
skins. I have lik«'\vise faiclnlly observed and noted the coiniiijj of tlic
seals in tlie sprin;;', the hanlinji' out at <lif1'erent times of the various
ayes and sexes, tiicir disposition on tiie iianlinj; }>roiinds and rookeiics.
the formation of the "liarem" or f.imily. the breaking: np of the liaiems,
the seatteriiifj^ of the cows, and the <;eneral interminfjflinjU' of tlie sexes
in .September, and linally the (h'i)arture of tiie herd fron (lie islands in
Novend)er or later.

I have lead most of all that has been written within the j)a. ; (piarter
century on the fur seal cpiestion, and 1 have listened to and taken part
in many of the controversies indul;i>('d in by my associates and friends
who have spent nnmy years in the liir seal industry, and wliose ]»raeti
cal experience, with ail its details, yives wei<;ht and value to their assei-
tions. !t was 1 who. at the re(iuest of the United States Treasury
agent in eharj;e of the islands, measured all the rookeries and liaulin<r
grounds on 8t. (Jeor^e Island in 1SS7,' and 1 have kept the reeonl of
the climatic changes (Ml St. (leorgesinccs the United States (iovernnieiit
'liseontinued the nieterological station at the I'ribilof Islands.

in addition to my services as jdiysician i have occasionally taught
the school on St. (leorgc, an<l 1 have k«']>t the hooks and accounts for
nnmy years for the lessees on the same island. 1 am thoroughly con
versant with the ordeis issue<l by the general and local agents of the
lessees to the native chiefs in n'gard to everything appertaining to the
business of taking the annual catch and tiie care of the seals. I have
been intinnitely ac(|uainted with the Treasuiy agents who have had
charge of the islands since ISSO, and 1 a(!ted as assistant agent myself
during the temporary absence of the assistant special agent. I am
quite familiar with the general and special oiders and instructions
issued from the Treasury Department from time to time to the special
agents for the government of the natives and the care of the rookeries
ami seal herd; and I know those laws, rules, and regulations have
been faithfully adhered to and fully enforced, i)ublished repoits of
transient visitors to the contrary notwithstanding.

The seal islands of St. Paul and St. George, geographically known
as the Piibilof Islands, are situated in Bering Sea at about 170° west
from (Ireenwich and 5(5° north latitude, and they ai'e nearly 200 miles
from the nearest lan<l.

The climatic conditions in their immediate vicinity are so peculiar
and their formation and situation are so unique that it is not hard to
believe they were selected for a home and resting idace by the Alaskan
fur seal because of their adaptability to that purpose and to that only.
The thermometer rarely goes higher than 00" or lower than zero, the
average for a number of years being 35°.

In winter the islands are sometimes surrounded by broken ice, which
comes from the north, and it will come and go with the tide and curi'ents.
generally from .January to April, but occasionally remaining later, and
again not appearing at all.

In June, July, aiul part of August the islands are enveloped for days
at a time in dense fog, and a clear sunny day is of rare occurrence. Tlie
atmosphere is damp and cool, and the rain falls in a sort of fine mist
which drenches one through before it is felt.

The islands are of volcanic origin, and the shores are rough, uneven
lava rock, and broken rocks and bowlders of like formation. On this

' The measurements were made very imperfectly, and I never claimed anything Imt
an approximate measurement. It was my opinion that the numbers were exagger-
ated, and I so stated at the time. — L. A. N.

Iiiltliiiifi' t]ie
mill}; <it' tilt'
tilt' various
il rookcrit's.
tlic lull ems,
>f tiic sexos
e ishiiids ill

)ii. ; (inarter
[ tal-.o.!i i>art
and tVionds
iiosi! practi-
I their asser-
.»s Treasury
111(1 liau1iii<;
lie record of
Uovernmeiit
ids.

lally tau<ilit
aceounts for
ouj>Uly eoii
^eiits of tlie
liiiiii};' to the
■als. I have
ho have had
ij;eiit niyselt'
igeiit. I am
instructions
I) the special
he lookeries
itions have
reports of

jUy known
it 17(P west
y 200 miles

so peculiar

not hard to

the Alaskan

to that ouly.

an zero, the

sn ice, which
nd currents,
g later, and

ped for days
xence. The
of fine mist

gh, uneven
m. On this

I anything but
were exagger-

SKAL LIFK Ox\ THK I'UIIULOF ISLANDS.

133

rii};}icd shore the Alaskan fur seals make their smmiier honu'; here they
;in' horn and rear"d for tlie lirst six nmnths of their existence; here
tliev conic every spring as regular as time, and here they reproduce their

>;pecie

The career of the fur-seal herd on these shores is not niiliko

that of any doinestitrated animal — it is simply a stock-breeding question.
Areas ujion which it is agreeable for the females to breed aie carefully
reserved and set asiile for that purpose.

Kadi year a snllicient number of breeding bulls are reserved for serv-
ice on tlic rookeries. The utnmst care is taken tliat the future of the
herd is not Jeopardized by the injury or death of a female.

So accustomed have the, seals become to the i)iesence of the natives
that the timidity and shyness manifeste<l in the oceau is not shown on
the islands, in tiieir infancy the pups will approach a native without
1 fear, and later on they are readily handled and the sexes separated,
I should it be necessary to make a killing of pui>s for food. In the hau-
I dliiig, management, and enlai-genu'iitof the seal herd there is as much
I amenability to domestication as there is in a band of range cattle.
? Tlie male breeding seals, or bulls, begin to haul out on the breeding
I rookeries early in May, and they come in more and more rapidly as the
■: month advances, and, selecting their resjiective stations, lie down and
i sleei» almost continuously until within a few days of the coming of the
I females, or cows, when tliey assume a sitting i)ostnre, and set up a bel-
5? lowing noise peiudiar to themselves, which I sujipose to be a '' call''
to the apiiroaehing herd of cows. It is at this time the bull appears at
his best and in his most aggressive mood, and n<uie but the physically
stnmg and successful are allowed torenuiin within striking <listance of
the veterans.

'•'he cows begin to haul out in .lune, and practically they are all on
the breeding rookeries by July i'). Immediately on arriving they are
taken possession of by the bulls, the strongest and most aggressive
securing the greatest number and guarding with jealous care and
increasing vigilance.

As a rule the i)ups are born soon after the cows reach the shore,
though it occasionally happens that a cow will be two or three days on
the rookery before bringing forth her young.

1 think the pups are all born by July 22, and by the unddle of August
the cows have been fertilized for the next year, after which the harems
are abandoned and the bulls begin to leave the islands, and the females
and bachelors (or young males) intermingle indiscriminately on the
rookeries. From the time the bulls haul out in May till they leave in
September they neither eat nor drink, and their lean and lanky appear-
ance ill September is in striking contrast with their rotund form and
sleek and glossy coats in May.

When the juip is born it is utterly helpless and dependent. It is not
amphibious, and would drown if put into water. T .. ve often watched
the pups near the water's edge when in stormy we i icv the surf carried
^tiiem otf, and in every instance they drowned as soon as they went into
deep water. The pup is entirely dependent on its dam for sustenance,
and when it is a few days old she goes into the sea to feed, returning at
intervals of a few hours at first, and gradually lengthening the time as
|the i)ups grow older and stronger, until she will be sometimes away for
a whole week. During these journeys, in my opinion, she goes a dis-
tance of from 40 to 200 miles from the islands to feed, and it is at this
time she fidls a prey to the pelagic hunter.

Returned to the rooUery, the cow goes straight to the spot wiiere she
lett her pup, and it seems she instantly recognizes it by smelling; and

n"^

It I

134

SKAL LIFP: on the PRIIULOK ISLANIiS.

it is eipmlly certahi tluit the pup ciin not recognize its dam. 1 have
ofron seen pups jittonipt to suck cows promiscuously, yet no cow will
suckle iuiy pup but her own. When five or six weeks old the pups begin
to run around and form bunches or "jkhIs;" at seven to eight weeks
old they try the water at the edge, where, after paddling in the shallows,
they gradually learn to swim. After becoming expert swimmers they
continue to show a preference for land, where they generally remain if
not driven into the water by heavy rain or wana sunshine. They make
no effort to secure sustenance of any sort beyond that furnished by
their dams.

1 have examined many pui>s at the food killings in Xovend)er, and I
never ftmnd anything but milk in their stomachs.

The young males or bachelors, whose skins are taken by the lessees,
begin to haul out in May, and they continue to haul out until late in
July, the older ones coming first and the younger ones later; ami tbey
herd by themselves during May, June, and .July, because were they
to approach the breeding grounds the bulls would drive them ott" or
destroy them.

The bachelors of from U to r> years old are the only seals driven or
killed on the seal islands by anyone or for any purjtose, and the sensa-
tional stories told of how they are tortured on the drive luive no founda-
tion in fact. When necessary to make a drive tor skins from any given
rookery, the local agent of the lessees informs the Treasury agent, and
obtains his permission to make the drive. No seals are driven without
the consent of the Treasury agent in charge of the island. All being
ready, the native chief takes a s(|uad of nuMi to the hauling ground,
where the seals are quietly surrounded without disturbing tlie breeding-
rookery, and they are then driven sl<)wly along to the 1 '^'ug ground.

Since the in.iproved methods of 1S7!> there are nod of greater
length than L'A miles, and the majority of them <lo nn ed I mile.

So carefully and so slowly are the drives made, the men driving are
relieved every hour, because of the slow motion they get chilled on the
road. Arrived at tlu' killing grounds, the seals are driven out from the
main body in "pods" of 20 or .30 at a time, and experienced.meu club
and kill tiie desirable ones, and allow all that remain to return at their
leisure to the adjacent waters. The most exi)crienced men do the skin-
ning, and after then) come the women and children, who carry oft' the
carcasses for fumd and the fat or blubber for winter fuel.

In accordance with instructions from the DepartnuMit, the Treasury
agent is always i)resent at the killings, and he has fiUl i>ower and
authority to interfere in all cases where there is cruelty i)racticed or
attempted.

All seals killed by the lessees for skins are killed between June 1 and
July 30, and generally the season closes on the tHHh of July..

After the regular season closes, in July, the natives kill, weekly, for
food, from 100 to 200 male seals whose skins are large enough to be
accepted as part of the next year's quota: and it is during tliese food
drives in August, Se])tember, and October that an occasional female is
accidentally killed. Ueing mixed with the bar,heh)rs at this time, some
females are driven and jiccidentally killed. The killing of a female is
the greatest crime known on the seal islaiuls and is never done inten-
tionally. Of this 1 am most i)()sitive, for I know that every possible
precaution has been taken to guanl against it, and I believe there have
not been 100 females killed on St. (ieorge Island since 1S80, if I may
except some killed by poachers who were driven off before they secured
the skins of the seals they had killed.

.,fe

lie, some

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOP I8LANDS.

135

Never since the ialauds luive been Aniorican property has tJiere beeu
indistniiiiinate killing done n|)on them, nor hiis there lu'en a desire ou
the part ol" anyone connected with tlieni to injure or daina;ie or waste
seal life; on tiie contrary, everything has been (U)ne by the lessees, past
and present, and by the United States, to foster and protect it, and to
improve the methods of driving tiie seals, so that the herds might grow
and thrive and increase, and perpetmite tiienisclves indelinitely. Laws,
rules, and regulations were made from time to time, prompted by expe-
rience, with a view to add to thc^ valui' of the property and to abolish
everything tiiat was not beneficial and in strict accord with the most
humane principles. To this einl all long drives were prohibited and
arrangements made by which the killing grounds have been brought
as near the hauling grounds at is practicable without being injurious
to tlu! breeding rookeries.

Orders were issued by which the driving is regulated in such manner
that no hauling grounds are molested or disturbed more than another,
and, being taken in rotation, the seals are allowed several days rest
between drives. The rules for driving are so strict, so rigidly enforced,
jind so faithfully carried out that 1 hardly know how they could be
improved tipon.

In my o|)inion the cows are the only seals that go into the sea to feed
from the time they haul out in .May till they leave the ).slands in Novem-
ber or December, and my opinion is based on the fact that the seals
killed in May have plenty of food in their stomachs, mostly codfish,
while those killed in .luly have no signs of anything like food in their
stomachs.

Again, the males killed for food as the season advances are found to
be poorer and poorer, and in all cases after July their stomachs are
empty. I am convinced, therefore, that none but mother seals go into
the sea to feed <luring the summer months, and this accounts for the
sudden decrease in the herd after the sealing schooners became so
numerous in Mering Sea about 18<S-t. The decrease in the number of
seals coming to the islands in the last three ov four years became so
manifest to everyone iiccjuainted with the rookeries in earlier days that
various theories have been advaiujed in an attempt to a(!Count for the
cause of this sudden change, and the following are some of them : First,
a dearth of bulls upon the breeding rookeries; second, imjiotency of
bulls, caused by overdriving while they were young bachelors, and
third, an epidemic among tlie seals.

The "dearth ()f-bulls theory" has been tlnmmghly and impartially
investigated without discov«'ring a cow of 3 years old or over on the
rookeries without a puj) by her side at the proper time, and I am con-
vinced that the virgin females coming onto the rookeries for the first
time are the only ones t() be fouml there without pups.

The investigation established the additional fa«t that hundreds of
vigonms bulls were lying idle on the rookeries without cows and many
others had to content themselves with only one or two.

The theory of "impotency of the bulls through overdriving" while
young was also found to be untrue, and it was shown that after 1878
all long drives on both islands had been abolished, and instead of
driving seals from (» to 12 miles, as was done in Russian times, none
were (Iriven to exceed -'A miles.

It is also a well-known tact that none but the physically strong an''.
aggressive bulls can hold a position on the rookeries and that a wfc.*K
or an impotent animal has no desire to go there.

The epidemic theory was urged very strongly in 1891, when the rook-

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136

SEAL LIFK ON THE PHIIUI.OF ISLANDS.

eries were found covered with dead pups, but ji eareful and technit^al
examination was made on several of the (lead bodit's without discover-
ing a trace of organic disease, while starvation was so apparent that
those who exa!nined them decided that it was the true cause of their
death. Mad sit-kness or disease attacked the seal held, it is <mly reason-
able to suppose a few ;;rown seals would be found dead where so many
yonn«;' ones had died »<► suddenly, but the most <lili};ent search has
faile«i to lind a jjrovn seal dead upon the islands from unknown causes.

From the discovi'iy of the islands until the i)resent time the llesh of
the fur seal has l)cen the daily nie;'t raticui of the natives and of the
white peojile, and yet it is a fact timt a tainte«l or diseased carcass
has never been known.

In my opinion the solution of the proolem is plain, it is tlie shotgun
and rilieof the pelauic hunter which ar<' s(» destru»'tive to tluM'ow seals
as^ they jio bac^kward and forward, to the lisliin};- banks to supply the
waste caused b ,• fjivinj^' nourislinuMit to theii' youufj".

At this tinu^ they are di'stroycit by tlionsands and their younn" of but
a few weeks old must necessarily die of starvation, foi' nature lias pro-
vided no othci . cans of sulvsistcnce fos' them at this time of life,

Tnlcss the pelagic hunter is prcv«'iited from takiiiji" seals in Ueriii}?
Sea and in the North Pacific, the Alaskan fur seal will soon ceas.> to be
of commercial value.

li. A. N<)> i;s, M. I).

HABITS AND :\I ANAGKVlKNT Ol' SIOALS AND Uf I.KS

I'ANIES — PKI.AtilC Si;AI,IN(i.

<>I

Fl li COM-

Dejmsition of J. C. Rctlpatli, (i(/cnt of IvNun's ini ^7. I'mil InI<iiiiI.

St. Pail Island. pRiiiii-oF (luotp,

Aldnkaj ss:

tl. C. Rediiath. beinj;' duly sworn, deposes and says: I am an Ameri-
can citi/eii, a native of Connecticut, and I am 4S years of age. At
present I am a resident of St. P.ud Island, Akiska. I have reside<l on
the seal i.lamls of St. (Jeorj^e and St. i aid since my first coming to
Alaska in IST."). JNIy present occupatitui is that of local ag«Mit on St.
Paul Island for the present lessees, the North American Ccmimercial
Company. 1 have a jtractica! knowledge of, ami am thoroughly con-
versant with, the liabits and conditions of the fur seal as it exists on
the Pribilof Islands of St.Ceorge and St. Panl.ainl alsoof the methods
adoi)ted and practic«'d in the taking of the skins, and of the several
eftVu'ts made by the former and present lessees, as experience taught
them, to increase tln^ herd ami to Imild up the rookeries and pei|)etnate
seal life. I have had a i)ersonal experience of sev«'iiteen seasiuis on
the killing grounds, in difVerent situations, from that of seal clubber to
foreman, several years of which I have been the ri'sident local agent.
My position as local agent has led me to make a careful study of the
seal question, ami it is my duty to report from time to time to the gen-
eral agent of the lessees the result of my observations.

The Alaskan fur seal is a native of the Pribilof Islands, and, unless
prevented, will return to these islamls every year with the regularity of
the seaso» All the peculiarities of nat'in' that siirround the Pribilof
grouj) ot islands, such us low and even temperature, fog, mist, ; ,1 per-
petually '"hmded sky, seem to indi-tit*' their (iincss aiiti adaptability as
a home for the Alaskan fur .-teal: and with an instinct bordering ou

SKAI. LIFE <»N THH I'HIItlLOF ISLANDS.

137

COM-

reason tliey liavo selected these lonely aii«l barren islands as the elioicest
spots of earth upon which to assemble anil dwell toyctln'r <lnrin;;' thelx^
six months' stay on land; and annually they journey across thousaiul'i
of miles of ocean and pass hundreds of ishnuls. without pause oi' rest,
until tlie> I'onu' to the jtlace of their birth. And it is a well I'stablislieil
fact that u))on n(» other hind in the world do the Alaskan fur seal haul
out of water.

lOarly in .May the bulls ap|)roach the islaiwls ard, after cautiously aiul
carefully rcc(Miii(U.<'rinj; the surroundinj{s, haul out and st'leci tln'ir
sittnitions on the rookeries, where they patiently await the coininji of
the cows. When tiiey first appeal' upon the rookeries the bulls are f'lt
and sleek and very aj;j;i'essive, but after a stay of from three to four
m(»iiths, without food, they crawl away from tlu' rookeiies in a very
lean c(»ndition. In my opinion the bull seal icturns to the spot ho
occupied tlu' preeediiifj- years, and i know (if several instances, where
he could be distiufiuished by the loss of an eye or a lli|»per, in which
he actually did return foi- a series of years to the sanu' sjtot.

The mother seals or cows commence to haid abont June 10, and nearly
all of them are ori the rookeries by .Inly ir», ami 1 believe they brins
fortii theii' youufjf almost immediately aftci- reat'liiu}'' their places on the
rookeries. When the pup is from four t(» six days old the motliei- jjoes
int(» th ' water for food and, as tiiiu' passes, her stay becomes lonjii'er,
until linally she will be away from her pup for several days at a time,
and sometimes for a wiiole week. Durinu' these lon;;:('r mi};'rations she
often jioes liOO mih'sfrom the rookery, and 1 have been inlbrnu'd by meu
who were eiifjajied in the tra«le of pelajiic huntinf«- that they luul taken
"iu(»tln'is in milk" at a <listanceof JttO mih's from the seal islands.

No cow will nurs-U' any jJiip luit her <t\vn, and 1 have olten watched
the pups attempt to suck cows, but they wow always driven olV; and
this fact convinces \\\o (hat the cow re«*oj;iii/es her own ])up and tiiat
the pup d(»es not know its dam. At birth and for sevt'ral weeks after,
the pup is utterly helpless and entirely depeiulent on its dam for sus-
teiiaiu'e: ami should iinythin<j' pievMit her return durinj;' this period it
(lies on the lookery. Tliis has been dcnu)nstrat«'d beyond adoibt since
the sealiii}'" vessels have operated largely in Ueriii}; Sea durinj; the
months of .Inly, Auijust, and Septend)er, and which, killinj'' the cows
at the feedinfr j^ronuds, left the pups to die on the islaiuls.

At about ."» weeks old the pups bef>in to run about and e(mj;re}j:ate in
Ituiiclu's or "p(»ds,'' and at (» td S weeks ohl they {"-o into the shallow
water and "gradually learn to swim.

They are not amphibious when born, nor can they swim tor s«'\eral
weeks thereafter, and were they put into the water w(tnld perish
h«'yond a dtmbt, as has been w(>ll established by the drowninj-' ol pui>8
caujtht l»y the surf in stormy weather. After learning to swim the
pups still draw their sustenanc*' fi' "i the cows, and I have noticed at
the annual fjllin^ of pups for food in Novendter that their stoimirhs
were alwa.NS full ot milk. »nd nofl(inf>' else, althouiih the cows had h'ft
the island soi'u- days before. I have no knowledy'e of the pups obtain-
iiij; snstenani eo( any kiiul except that furnished by the cows; nor have
1 ever seen an.\ thiiifi: but milk in a dead ])Up's stonujch. The yonnjf
males from li to "» years old, whos«' skins are taken by the lessees, bejrin
to haul nut (Ml land in May, ami tlM>y eonliniu' to haul ont till .Inly.
They herd by themselves dnriu};- the months of May, .lune, an<l -Inly,
and they <lo this because, during tin' breediufj^ season, they dar«' not
aitpioiieh the breeding i<»okeries, or the bulls would destroy them.
iU\'\\\y; thus «lebarred tVom a position on the breediiif; rookeries or from

pppp

138

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

intermingling with the cows, they herd together ou the hauliisg grounds,
where they are easily ai)i)roached and surrounded by tlie natives, who
drive them to the killing grounds without disturbing the breeding
rookeries.

Young males killed in May and June, when examined are found to
be in prime condition, and their stomachs are tilled with lish — princi-
pally codfish — but those killed later in the season are found to be poor
and lean and their stomachs empty; which shows that the males rjirely
leave the islands for food during the sumnier months.

Statute law forbids tlie killing of the fcnnile seal, and nature regu-
lates the matter so that there is no danger of their being driven or killed
during the regular killing season, which takes ])lace in June and .Inly,
when all the "killing for skins" is done; and after all my cxi)erience
here I am free to say that a small fraction of 1 per cent would repre-
sent all the females killetl on the islands since they became the prop-
erty of the United States.

The compact family arrangement so teiuiciously adhered to during
the breeding season becomes relaxed in August, and the females scatter,
and a few of them mix with the young males, and when the nittives
make a drive for food it occasionally hai)i)ens that a female will accom-
pany the males, and sometimes one or two may be acci<lentally killed.
I use the word "accidentally" advisedly, because there is no good reason
why the natives or the lessees should kill a female designedly, as the
skin is of no more use or value (if so much), nor its llesh as good for
food as is that of the male. xVnd, excepting accidents, it is a fact that
no female seals are, or ever were, killed on the Pribilof Islands since
American rules and regulations were established there.

The regular killing season for the skins under the lease begins June
1 and ends practically the last of July; and during this period the
first-class Alaskan fur-seal skins are taken. Tho seals are driven from
the hauling to the killing grounds by experienied natives under the
orders of the native chief, and the constant aim md object of all con-
cerned is to exercise the greatest care in driving so that the animals
may not be injured or abused in any manner. As the regulations require
the lessees to pay for every skin taken from seals killed by the orders
of their local agents, and as the skin of an overheated seal is valueless,
it is only reasonable to 8ui)pose that they wcmld be the last men living
to encourage and allow their employees to overtlrive or in any nninner
injure the seals. I know that the (U'ders given to me as local agent
were always of the most ])ositive and emphatic kind on this point, and
they were always obeyed to the letter. Instead of overdriving or neg-
lecting the seals, the lessees have endeavored to do everything in their
pov/ev to shorten the distance between the hauling and killing grounds,
or between ilio hauling grounds and the salt house.

Before the Alaska Commercial Company leased the seal islands in
1870 it was a common practice to drive seals from Northeast Point to
the village of St. I'aul Island, a distance of 12 miles, and from Zapadnie
to the village of St. George Island, a distance of (> miles, across a very
rough ami rugged country.

From Halfway Point and from Zapadnie on St. Paul Island seals
were driven respectively 5 and (» miles. When the Alaska Commercial
Company took control of the islands the drive from Northeast Point
was prohibited, and a salt house and other necessary buildings erected
within 2 miles of the killing ground, and all the skins taken tliere were
salted and st(ued and shipped from Northeast Point. In 187'.> a killing
ground was miule and a salt house built at Halfway Point, within 2

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRII'.ILOF ISLANDS.

139

luiles of tlie liauliny- grounds, aiul all skins taken at the Point aie salted
there. At Zai)adnie the same year a killing ground was made withiu
a mile of the liauling ground, and the skins taken there are taken to
the village salt lio;ise in boats, or when the weather is unfavorable by
team and wagon.

8in»'e 1878 there has not been a drive n ade on St. Paul Island to
exceed 2 miles. At Zapailnie, St. George, a salt bouse was built about
1875 and tlie 0-mile drive prohibited an<l a trail made at gieat expense
across the island, over which the skins are taken on pack saddles to the
village. Since 1874 no seals have b«'en driven on St. (leorge Island to
exceed L'A miles.

Although the seals are comparatively tanu; after being on the land
for a short time and do not get scared so easily as is (!onnnonly sui)posed,
the rules and regulations of the Treasury Department are very strict
on the question of absolute protection to the seals on the islands, and
the Treasury agents have always most rigidly entbrced them.

It is unlawful to tire a gun on the islands from the time tlie Hrstseal
appears in the spring until the last one lea /es at the end of rhe season;
and in order to properly enforce this law the firearms are taken from
the natives and locked up in the Govciiunent house in «are of the
Treasury agents.

!No pe'son is allowed to go near a rookery unless by special order of
the Treasury agent, and, when driving from the hauling grounds, the
natives are forbidden to smoke or make any unusual noise, or to < o any-
tiiing that might disturb or frighten The seals. All driving is done
when the weather is cool and moist, an<l when the condition of the
weather <iemands it the drives are made in the cool of the night, and
in no case are seals driven at a higher i"ate of speed than about half a
mile an hour. So ciuefully is the <lriving done that it has been found
necessary to divide the native drivers into several "watches," which
relieve each other on the road, because the pace being so slow the men
get cohl.

From 187r> to 188;{ it was no uncoiiniion thing lor the lessees to take
the annual quota <>f 100,000 skins between .lune 1 and rluly L'(), and yet
there was no sign of any dee i-^e, but rather an expansion of most of
the ro(>keries

I do not ])retend to be able t<- say liow nniny seals there ;ire. or ever
were, on the rookeries; nor do I l)elie\(' nybody else can tell: lor the
rookeries are so broken and tilled witii rocKs it is impossible to esti-
mate the inimln'r of seals upon them vith any approach to accuracy.
The lines of exi)ansion and contraction are ])lain eiiougli, mikI ean be
seen and understood by the whole community.

Unt 1 18.S4 sealing schooners were seen but veiy seldom iicar tiie
islands or in l»ering Sea, and the few seals taken ■> the hunters who
raided the rookeries (tccasioiially are too paltry i<> be seriously con-
sidered, because the raids were so few, and the facilities foi- taking
many seals oft so utterly insigidlicant. In l.ssi the seal ig schooners
became numenuis. I believe there were about 30 in !' sea that year,
and they have increased very ripidly every year siiu v , until now they
are said to be about 1-0. As the sehoont'rs increased the seals decreased,
and the lines of trontraction on the rookeries weie noticed to draw nearer
and nearer to the beach, and the killable seals became fewer in juun-
bers and harder to find. In 188(» the de<'rease was so plain that the
natives and all the agents on the islands saw it ami were startled, and
theories of all sorts were a<lvanced in an attempt to account for a cause.

A dearth of bulls on (he breeding rookeries was a pet theory of one

mj.

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140

SEAL LIFE t)N THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

or two transient visitors, but it only needed a tliorouj-h investigatioa of
the condition of the rookeries to convinee tlie most skeptical that there
were plenty of bulls, and to spare, and that hardly a cow could be found
on the rookeries without a puj; at her side.

For live years 1 liii\ e j^iven this particular subject my most earnest
attention, and every succeeding year's experience has convinced me
tliiit there is not, and lunei' was, a dearth of bulls. The theory of
inipotency of the young bulls because of oveidriving when young is
not worthy of consideration by any sane or honest man who has ever
seen a bull seal on a brce«ling rookery; and sis 1 have already answered
the (|uestion of overdriving, 1 will only add here that no young bull
goes upon a breeding rookery until he is able to tight his way in, and
an impotent bull has no desire to tight, nor could he win a position oil
the rookery were he to attempt .t. The man is not alive who ever saw
a G or 7 year old bull seal impotent.

Another theory, equally untrue, was that an e]>idemic lia<l seized the
herd, but investigations of the closest kind have never revealed the
death on the islands of a full-grown seal from unknown causes. Let it
be remembered that the Hesh of the seal is the staple diet of the natives,
an<l that it is eaten daily by most of the white eiiiployees as well; and
yet it is true that a sign of ta-nt or disease has never been found on a
seal carcass in the memory of man. It was not until so many thousands
of dead ])ups were found upon the rookeries that the jtroblem was solved.

The truth is that when the cows go out to the feeding grojinds to feed
they are shot and killed by the pelagic hunter, and the pups, deprived
of sustenance, die ii\Hn\ the rookeries. Kxcepting a few i)ups killed by
the surf occasionally, it has been demonstrated that all the i)ups found
dead are poor and starved, ami when examined their stomachs are fi und
to be without a sign of food of any sort. In 18!)1 the rookeries on St.
Paul Island were covered in i)laces with dead pups, all of which had
every symptom of having died of hanger, and on opening sev-Tai of
them the stomachs were found to be empty.

The resident jiiiysician, Dr. Akerly, exiunine<l many of them and
found in every instance that starvation was the cause of death. The
lowest estimate nnule at the time, placing the numbei- of dead pups on
the rookeries at 25,000, is not too high

It has l>een said that nnin can do nothing to facilitate the ])ropaga-
tion of the fur seal. My exi)erieme does not support this. The reser-
vation of females and the killing of the surplus nuiles, so that each
bull can have a reasonable number of cows, is more advantageous to
the growth of the r«»okeries than when in a state of nature bulls killed
each other in their efforts to secure a single cow.

The same care can be and is exercised in the handling and nninage-
uient of the seal herd as is bestowed by a ran«'hman upon his bands of
ranging stock, and is prodm i [\v of like results. The seals have become
so accustomed to the natives that the jnesence of the latter does not
disturb them. The pups aie easily han«lled by the natives, and for-
merly, when used as an article of footl, thousands of ])ups were actually
pickeil up and examined, in accordance with (ioveniment recpiirement,
to avoid the killing of a fennile. So easily are the seals c<»nti'olled
that, when a drive of bachelors is made to the killing grounds, a. guard
of two or three small boys is sullicient to keep tiiem from Kcraying,
and fi'om the general band any iinniber from one upwar<i can be
readily cut out. it is possible in the fu tire, as it has been in the i)a8t,
to reserve unmolested suitable areas to serve as breeding grounds; to
set aside each year a ju-oper number o<' young males for future service

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

141

upon the rookeries, and by the application of (he ordinary stoekbreed-
ing principles not only to perpettnite, l)Ut to rapidly increase, the seal
herd.

To one who has spent so many years anionji' the seals as I have, and
who has taken so nm(;h interest in them, it does apju^ar to be wrong
that il';'y should be allowed to be so ruthlessly and indiscriminately
slaughtered by pelagic hunters, who secure only abont one-fourth of all
they kill. There is no doubt in my n)ind that unless immediate pro-
tection be jiiveu to the Alaskan fur seal the species will be practically
destroyed in a very few years; and in order to protect them pelagic
hunting must be altsolutely i)rohibited.

The foregoing is substantially tliesame testiimuiy that I gave to the
commissioners who visited the islands in liS'.tl.

.1. C l{in>i»ATii.

l'Hir.IL(»F ROOKEllIES.

D('j>osi(ii»i ofCliorlniJ. (lojf, TrenHUfi) (ujciit in chnnje of pyihHof IsIuikIs.

District of Colfmhia,

Cili/ of Wnsliiiijifint, sn:

Charles .1. (loff, of Clarksburg, W. Va., being duly sworn, deposes
and says: 1 am 45 years of age; during the years 18)S'.> and ISIM) 1 occu-
pied the position of special Treasury agent in charge of the Pribilof
islands. 1 was located on St. Paul Island, only visiting 8t. (ieorge
Island occasionallv. Abont the 1st of .lune, 1SS',>. 1 arrived on St. Paul
Island, and remained there until ()ct<iber 12, l.S.S'.>. when I v^ turned to
San Francisco for the winter. Again went to the islands in 181M>, arriv-
ing tiiere about the last week in May, and remaining until August 12,
18iH). Since that time 1 have never been on the islands. My principal
observations as to seal life ujmn the islands were confined to St. Paul
Island, as I oidy visited St. (Ieorge Island occasionally.

During my rtrst year <m the islands the Alaska Commercial Company
was the lessee thereof, and during my second year the North American
Commercial Company. In 1889 I nnide careful observations of the rook-
eries on St. Paul Island and nnirked out the areas covered by the breed-
ing grounds; in 1890 I exannned these lines made by me the former year
and found a very great shrinkage in the s])aces covered by breeding
seals.

In 1S81) it was quite dillicult for the lessees to obtain their full (|Uota
of 100,(M)0 skins. So dillicult was it, in fact, that in order to turn olf a
sutticient number of 4 ami .'» year old males from the hauling grounds
for breeding purposes in the future the lessees were com[>elled to take
about 00,000 skins of seals of 1 or 2 years of age. 1 at once reportep
this fact to the Secretary of the Treasurj^ and advised the taking of a
less number of skins the following year. Pursuant to such report the
Government fixed unon the number to be taken at (!0,0()0, and further
ordered that all killing of seals on the islaiuls should stop after the 2(Hh
day of .July. I was further ordered that I shoiUd notify tln^ natives
upon the Aleutian Islands that all killing of seals while coming from or
going to the seal islands was i)rohibited. These rules and regulations
went into effect in 181)0, and i)ursuant thereto I posted notices for the
natives at various points along the Aleutian chain, and saw that the
orders in relation to the time of killing and number allowed to be killed
were executed upon the islands. As a result of the enforcement of these

", :

I ':

iiW^'

^^^»p

142

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

regulations tlie lessees werp unable to take more than 2 1. L.'I]S spsils of
the killable a{;e of troiii 1 to ."> years during the season of LSDO, so great
had bten tlie deerease of seal life in one year, and it would have been
impossible to obtain (»0,(KK» skins even if the time had b'^en unrestricted.

The Table A appended to this allidavit' shows how great had been the
deuiease on !St. i'anl Island hauling grounds, bearing in mind the fact
that the driving and killing was done by the same persons as in former
years, and was as diligently carried on, the weather being as favorable
as in 188Dfor seal driving. 1 believetiiat the sole cause of the decreaseis
pelagic sealing, which from reliable infornnition I understand to have
increased greatly since 1884 or 1885. Another fact 1 have gained from
reliable souncs is that the great majority of seals taken in tlie open sea
are pregnant or females in milk, it is an unquestionable fact that the
killing of these females destroys the pui)S they are carrying or nursing.
The r« lilt is that this destruction of pups takes about e<|ually from the
male and eniale increase of the herd, and when so many male pui)sare
killed in this manner, besides the 100,000 taken on the islands, it neces-
sarily affects the number of killable seals. In 1880 this drain upon male
seal life showed itself on the islands, and this, iu my opinion, accounts
for the necessity of the lessees taking so nnuiy young seals that year to
fill out their (prota.

As soon as the elVects of the pelagic; sealing were noticed by me upon
the islands 1 repi rted the same, and the Government at once took steps
to limit the killii.g upon the islands, so that the rookeries might have
an opportunity to increase their nund)ers to their former condition ; but
it will be impossible to repair the depletion if pelagic sealing continues.
I have no doubt, as 1 reported, that the taking of 100,000 skins in 1880
aftected the male life on the islands, and cut into the reserve of male
seals necessary to jirese^'ve annually for breeding purposes in the future,
but this fact did not become evident until it was too late to repair the
fault that year. Except for the numbers destroyed by pelagic sealing
in the years previous to 1880 the hauling gr<mnds would not have been
so depleted, and the taking of 100,000 u)ale seals would not have
impaired the reserve for breeding purposes or diminished to any extent
the seal life on the l'ribil',»f Islands. Even in this diminished state of
the rookeries in 1880 1 carefully observed that in the majority of eases
the 4 and 5 year old nniles were allowed to drop out of a "drive"
before the bachelors had been driven anj distance from the hauling
grounds. These seals were let go for the sole purpose of supplying
suflicient future bi-eeders.

A few seals are injured by redriving (often contli(!ted with overdriv-
ing and sometimes so called), but the number so injured is inconsiderable
and could have no appreciable effect upon seal life through destroying
the virility of the male. The decrease, caused by pelagic sealing, com-
pelled whatever injurious redriving has taken place on the islands, as
it was often necessary to drive every two or three days from the same
hauling grounds, which caused many seals let go in a former "drive"
to be driven over again before thoroughly rested. If a "drive" was
made only once a week from a certain hauling ground, as had been the
case before pelagic sealing grew to such enormous proportions and
depleted the rookeries, there would be no damage at all resulting from
redriving.

In my opinion pelagic sealing is the cause of redriving on the islands,
the depletion of the rookeries, and promises to soou make the Alaska

' See " Island Rocords," Appendix.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

143

fur-seal herd a tbiii}; of tlie past. If contimied as it is today, t'ven if
killiii};- on the ishuids uas absolutely iorl)i<lden, the herd will in a tew
years be exterminated. I am, therefore, of the ojiinion that pclatjic
sealinji' should be abs(»lutely prohibited both in IJerinf,' Sea and tlie
Korth I'aeihe Ocean. If tins is done and a few y»'.ars an* allowed the
seal herd to recover from tlie enormous slanyhter of the i)a^t seven
years the I'ribilof Islands will jjroduee their l(M>,0t)O skins as heretofore
for an indetinite period.

I hereby api>end to and make a ])ait of this aflidavit a table, marked
A,' giving the nund)er of seals killed each day on the island of iSt. I'aul
during the years 1,S89 and 1800 up to the L'Oth day of July.

* • * • - * * *

ClIAKLES J. (lOFF.

MANAGEMENT OF SEAL KILLING, AND PELAGIC SEALING.

DepoHition of Ahiitl P. L(md,spt<-i(il asshtaut Trcaattry agent on Pribilof

J Islands.

cases

roying

com-

ds, as

same

drive"

" was

en the

and

r from

lands,
ilaska

District of Colimuia,

Citi/ of Washhiffton, ss:

Abiid P. Loud, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a resident
of Ilanjpden, Me., and am oo years of ago. On April 4, 1885, I was
appointed special assistant Treasury agent for the seal islands, and
immediately started for the islands, arriving at the island of St. Paul
on May 28 or oO. Spent that season on St. Paul Island, and returned
for the winter to the States, leaving the islands on the 18th of August.
Went back again next spring, arriving there in latter partof JNIay, and
remained until August, 1887, on St. Paul Island. Spent the season
of 1888 and 1880 on St. George Island, returning in the fall of 1889 to
the States. In 1889 I spent some time in the fall on St. Paul Island.
On whichever island I was located 1 always kept careful watch and
made frequent examinations of the rookeries during this entire period.
During the time from ISS-T to 1889 there was a very marked decrease
in the size of the breeding grounds on St. l*aul Island, and from 1887
to 1889 I also noticed a great decrease in the areas covered by the
rookeries on St. (leorge Island.

In his reports of 1880 and 188/ George li. Tingle, special Treasury
agent in charge of the seal islands, reported having measured the rook-
eries on the islands, and that the seals had largely increased in num-
ber, giving the increase at about 2,009,000. From this report I dissented
at the time, as I was unable to see any increa^" but, on the contrary, a
perceptible decrease, in the rookeries. I expressed my views to many
on the islands, and all agreed that there had been no increase in seal
life. I do not think that there was a single person on the island except
Mr. Tingle who thought there had been an increase, or, in fact, that
there had not been a decrease in seal life. The measurements of the
rookeries on which Mr. Tingle relied were made with a common rope by
ignorant natives while the seals were absent from the islands, the
grounds covered by them being designated by Mr. Tingle from memory.
Even if these measurements had been eorrect, which was impossible, I

' See "Island Records," Appendix.

YTfwmm

144

SEAL LIFE ON THE PUIBILOF ISLANDS.

do not bi'lieveit is possible to calculiite oven apiMoxiuiiitely tlie number
of seals upon the roakeries be«!ause of tlie broken nature of the jjround
and the irrejiular outliiu;sof the breediujn' ;;rounds. While J was on
the islands 1 attended nearly every (b'ive of tlie bachelor seals frojii the
hauling' jjronnds tothe killin<>' {jronnds, an<l these drives were eondneted
by the natives with yreat rare, and no seals were killed by ovi'rdriving,
plenty of time bein{;' always j^iven them to rest and cool off. A few
were snu)thered by the seals climbin}; over each other when wet; but
the number was very inconsiderable, Ikmuh" a fraction of 1 ]ter cent of
those driven, and did not to any extent allect the seal life on the islands.
The greatest care was always taken to avoid overdriving' both by the
CJoveriMuent ofh(ters and employ<'es of the lessees.

Dnrin;;- my experi«'ine (and 1 was on the killinj; ^•lound at every kill-
inj; that took place wiiile I was on the islands) 1 never saw a male seal
which had been injured by bi-inj;' redriven several tinu's from the same
liaulinj; j^round. 1 am convinced that while 1 was tliere there was not
a sinj^le case in wiiich the virility of a mali! seal was destroyed or
impaired in the slif>htest decree by drivinjf. redrivin«", or overdriving,
and 1 took i)articnlar notice of the couilition of the nniles during' eacli
drive. Tlie males old enough for service on the breeding grounds were
always allowe<l to return to the hauling ground from a drive, and I am
satisfied a sullicient number of males was always reserved Ibr future
breeding i)urposes. A suggestion was made to the Secretary of the
Treasury in the fall of 188."* that some old l»ull8 should be killed, but
the Secretary declined to jtennit suc^h animals to be destroyed. I am
convinced that the decrease in the rookeries was caused entirely by open-
sea sealing. As 1 was not present on the islands in th(^ fall of 1885, 1
am unable to make a statement as to the nundier of dead pups on tlie
rookeries in that year, but in 188(1 I saw a large number of dead pups
lying about. These ]»ups were very much emaciated, and evidently had
been starved to deatli. I account for this by the killing of the mothers
by open sea sealers before the pups were weaned, and because a mother
will not suckle any pup excejit her own.

In 1887 the number of dead pups was much larger than in 1880. In
1888 there was a less number than in 1887 or in 188',>, owing, as I believe,
to a decrease of seals killed in liering Sea that year, but in 1881) the
increase again showed itself. 1 believe the number of <lead pups
increased in about the same ratio as the number of seals taken in Bering
Sea by pelagic sealers. While I was on the island there were not more
than thi'ee or four raids on the rookeries to my knowledge, and 1 think
that the destruction to seal life by raiding rookeries is a small part of
1 per cent as compared with the numbers taken by killing in the water.
Another fact in connecticm with open-sea sealiug is that the great
majority of seals killed are females, an*! that a great part of the females
are pregnant or in milk. The milking females are most all killed whde
visiting the feeding grounds, which are distant 40 or 00 miles, or even
farther from the islands. The female necessaiily feeds so she can sup-
ply nourishment for her young, while the males during the summer
seldom leave the islands. This accounts for the large number of females
killed in Bering Sea. In July, 1887, I capture<l the poaching schooner
AngH Dolh/ while she was hovering about the islands. I examine<l the
seal skins she had on board, and about 80 per cent were skins of females.
In 1888 or 1889 I examined something like 5,000 skins at Unalaska
which had been taken from schooners engaged in pelagic sealiug in
Bering Sea, and at least 80 to 85 per cent were skins of females.

I have conversed with the captains of several marauding schooners

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'UIHILOF ISLANDS.

145

nutiiber
> jfrouinl
1 was on
I'roiii thc!
)ii(ln(',ted
idiiviiig,
. A lew
wi't; but
r cent of
Q islands,
li by the

very kill-
male seal
the same
• was not
troyed or
■rdriving-,
rinji; each
mds were
and I am
or future
iry of the
:illed, but
2d. I am
y by open-
of 1885, I
ips on tlie
lead pups
lentlyhad
e mothers
? a mother

18S0. In
I believe,
1881) the
pad pups
in Bering
not more
id I think
U part of
le water.
16 great
females
led while
, or even
can sup-
summer
)f females
schooner
lined the
' females.
Jnalaska
ealing in
ea.
chooners

and others who wereemph)yed in pelagic^ sealing have informed roe that
they usually use rifles in shooting seals in the water. Hcmie, however,
use'shotgunsjbutto no great extent, l-'rom these (tonversations I should
judge they did not secure more than one half of the seals killed, and
this, I think, is a large estimate of the number sectured. I am of the
opinion that the Pribilof seal luud should be protected both in Bering
Sea and the North I'acitic Ocean. If an inuigiiiary line were drawn
about the islands, 3(> or 40 miles distant thereCrom. within which sealing
would be prohibited, this would be little protection to seal life, for all
the poachers whom I interviewed acknowledged that they could get
more seals in the water near the fishing banks, lU), 40, or more miles from
the islands, than in the immediate vit-inity thereof, and the hunters on
the schooners always complained if they got much nearer than 40 miles
of the islands. I am certain that even if sealing were prohibited entirely
upon the islands the seal herd would in a sh«nt time be exterminated by
pelagic sealing, if permitted, because the fensales — that is, the pro-
ducers — are the seals principally killed by opeu-sea sealing.

Abial p. Loud.

PELAGIC SEALING — MANAGEMENT.

Deposition o/Kerriok Artomanoff, native chief, resident of St. Paul Island.

Alaska, United States of America,

St. Paul Island, Pribilof Group, ss :

Kerrick Artomanoff, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a
native Aleut and reside on St. JPaul Island, Pribilof group, Alaska.
I was born at Northeast Point, on St. Paul Island, and am 07 years of
age. I have worked on the sealing grounds for tlie last fifty years and
am well acquainted with the methods adopted by the Russian and
American Governments in taking of fur-seal skins and in i)rotecting
and preserving the herds on the island. In 1870, when the Alaska Com-
mercial Company obtained a lease of the islands, I was made chief, and
held the position for seventeen years.

It was my duty as chief to take charge of and conduct the drives
with my people from the hauluig to the killing grounds. The methods
used by the Alaska Commercial Com])any and the America.i (iovern-
ment for the care and preservation of the seals were much better than
those used by the Russian Government. In old Russian times we used
to drive seals from Northeast Point to the village, a distance of nearly
13 miles, and we used to drive "> or 6 miles from other hauling grounds;
but when the Americans yot the islands they soon after shortened all
the drives to less than 3 miles.

From 1870 to 1884 the seals were swarming on the hauling grounds
and the rookeries, and for many years they spread out more and more.
All of a sudden, in 1884, we noticed there were not so many seals, and
they have been decreasing very rapidly ever since. My people won-
dered why this was so, and no one could tell why until we learned that
hunters in S(;hooners were shooting and destroying them in the sea.
Then we knew what the trouble was, for we knew the seals they killed
and destroyed must be cows, for mostly all the males remain on or near
the islands until they go away in the fall or fore part of the winter.
We also noticed dead pups on the rookeries that had been starved to
death. These young pups have increased from year to year since 1887,
S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 10

^ 1.

:| -

146

SEAL LIF1-: ON THE PhMHII.nF ISI,AND8.

and in 1891 the rookeries were eovered witli dead puns. In my sixty-
seven years' residence on tlie islands I nevei- before saw anything lilte
it. None of our pe(>i>le have ever known of any siirkness anionjj the
pni)s or seals, an<l liave never seen any dead i)nps on the rookeries,
excejit a few killed by (he old bnlls when li^htinji", or by <lrowning
when the surf washed them oft'. If they had not killed the seals in the
sea there would be as many on the rookeries as there was ten years ago.
There was not one-fourth as many seals in IMM as there was in ISISO.

The fur seal goes aAvay from the island in the fall or winter and he
returns in May or .lune: and I believe lie will haul up in the s:ime ])lace
each year, for 1 particularly noticed s<une that 1 could tell that hauled
up in the same place for a number of years; and when we nnike drives,
those we do not kill, but let go into the water, are all baitk where we
took them from in a few hours. The i>ups aie born between the middle
of flune an<l the middle of -Inly, and can not swim until they are ('» or
7 weeks old: and if burn in the water they would die. I have seen the
surf wash some of the young juips into the sea, and they drowned in a
very short time. In four or ti\<' days after it is horn the mother seal
leaves her i)up and goes away in the water to feed, and when the pup
is 2 or Ji weeks old the mother often stays away tor live or six days at a
time. The mother seals know their own ])nps i)y smelling them, and no
seal will allow any but her <»wn pni>to suck lier. When the jtnps giow
to be (i or 8 weeks old they form in ''iiods" and wtu-k down to the
shore, and they try the water at the edge until they learn to swim.
They will remain on the island until November, and. if not too cold,
will stay till December. 1 have seen them swimming around the island
late in .lanuary. All the seals when they lea\ e the islaiuls go off south,
but 1 think they would stay around here all winter if the w«'ather was
not so cold.

When they come back to the islands they C(mie from the south, and
I think they come from the North Pacilic Ocean over the same track
tluit they went. The females go ui)on the rookeries as soon as they arrive
here, but the yearlings, nudes and females, herd together. I think they
stay in the water most of the time the first year, but after that they
come regularly to the hauling grcmnds and rookeries, but do not come
as early in the season as they do after they are 2 years old. Male seals
fr<mi 2 to (» years old do not go on the breedi!;g rookeries, but haul out
by themselves. The female seal gives birth to but one pup every year,
and she has her first pup when she is .'{ years old. The male seal estab-
lishes himself on the breeding rookery in May ov June, when he is 7 or 8
years old, and he tights for his cows and does not leave the place he has
selected until August or September. Our people like the meat of the
seal, and we eat no other meat so long as we <'au get it.

The pup seals are our chicken meat, and we used to be allowed to kill
3,(H»() or 4,(MM) male pups every year in November; but thefiovernment
agent forb.ide us to kill any in 1891, and said we should not be allowed
to kill any more, and he gave us other meat in place of pup meat, but
we do not like any other meat as well as the pui>-seal meat. We under-
stand the danger there is in the seals being all killed off, and that we
will have no way of earning our living. There is not one of us but what
believes if they had not killed them off" by shooting them in the water
there would be as many seals on the island now as there was in 1880,
and we could go on forever taking 100,000 seals on the two islands.
But if they get less as fast as they have in the last five or six years,
there will be none left, in a little while.

Kebriok Artomanoff.

y six ty-
ing liice
oiig the
okei'ies,
rowning
Is in the
ars ago.
1880.
■ ami he
IU1 place
b hauled
' drives,
lu'ic we
' middle
are <» or
seen the
ned ill a
lier seal
the i>up
lays at a
uand no

\\)S J>10W

I to the
\o SAvini.
:oo cold,
le island
itt' south,
;hev was

nth, and
nc track
•y arrive
ink they

it they
ot come
ale seals

aul out
ry year,
il estab-

is 7 or 8

he has
it of the

d to kill
prnment
allowed
eat, but

nnder-
that we
ut what
e water
in 1880,
islands.

years.

SEAL LTFF, ON TFTK PUIHILOF lSI,ANn«»,

Peposition of Ihinlcl Webxter,

147

Alaska, Unitkd States.

St. (ienrtje Ishiinl, Vrihilnf (iroup, «.v;

Daniel W<'l)ster, iM'ing duly sworn, deposes and says: I am (to years
of age, and am a resident of Oakland, Cal.: my (iccnpation is that of
local agent for the >iorth American Commeicial ('om|)any, and at pies-
ent I am statione*! on St. (leorge Island, of the Tiihilol' group. Alaska;
I have been in Alaskan waters evei-y year bnt two since I was 14 years
of age. I first went to Ueiing Sea in IS4."i. on a whaling voyage, and
annually visited these waters in that puisuit until IsCiS, at which time
the punhase and transler ol' Alaska was made to tlie I'nited States;
since that time I have been engaged ii' taking of fur seals for their
skins. In 1S7(> I entered the en)ploy of the lessees of the I'ribilof
Islands, and liave been so <'iigaged ever since, and for the last thirteen
years have been the com]»any"s local agent on St. (ieorge Island, and
during the sealing seas(»n have, a part of tlie time, gone to St. Paul
Island and tcxk charge of the killing at Northeast Point, which is known
to be the largest fur seal rookery in the world. lM>r ten yi-us ;iiior to
IfSTiS I resided most of the time at Northeast Point, liaving laiide<l and
taken seals tlu'ie in ISOS. I have ha<l twenty-four years" expeiienrt' in
the fur seal industry as it exists in the waters of the North Pacilic and
IJering Sea. and have made a very careful study of the habits and con-
ditions of this useful animal. During this period it has been my duty
as a trusted employee of the lessees to observe and report, «'a<li year,
the condition of the rookeries. My instriu-tions wer«' explicit and
emjihatic to never permit, undci' any circumstances, any jiractices to
obtain that would result in injtiry to the herds, 'fhese instructions
have been faithfully carried out by myself and other employees of the
lessees of the islands, and the laws ami regulations governing the ])er-
petmition of seal life have been rigidly enforced by all the <lovernment
agents in charge of the islamls.

In my twent.y-three years'experienee as a winiler in IJeringSea an«l the
N(uth Pacilic, during which tinu' I visitedeveiypartof t he coast surround-
ing these waters, and my 8id)aequent twenty-four years' experieiu'e on the
seal ishuuls in P.ering ami Okhotsk seas. I have nev<'r km»wn or heard
of any pla<'e where the Alaskan fur seals breed except on the I'ribilof
group in Bering Sea. These islands are isolated an<l seem to possess
the necessary climatic conditions to make them the favorite breeding
grounds of the Alaskan fur seals, and it is here they congregate during
the summer months of each year to bring forth and rear tlieir yiiung.
Leaving the islands late in the fall or in early winter, on account of the
hicleinency of the weather, they Journey southward through the passes
of the Aleutian Archipelago to the coast of (Jalifornia, Oregon, and
Washington, and, gradually working their way ba«k to Bering Sea,
they again come up on the rookeries soon after the ice disappears from
the shores of the islands; and my observation leads me to believe that
they select, as near as possible, the places they occupie<l the year
before. The young seals are born on the breeding rookeries in .lune
and July. TJie head constitutes the greater part of this aninnd at this
time, and the.y are clumsy and awkward in all their movements, and if
swept into the water by accident or otherwise would perish from inabil-
ity to swim — a fact that 1 have often observed, and one which is well
known to all who have paid any attention to the subject. Practically,
they remain in this helpless condition, though taking on fat rapidly,
until they are from 6 to 7 weeks old, when they commence to go into

' I

-M

I U

II f

rr^T ^

148

HKAL l.irE ON THE PRiniLOF KSLANDS.

fill

Hliiillow wjitt'i', iiiul, after repcatcMl trials. It^ini to swim: but ev(Mi then
they spciHl most of tlicir timr on liiml until tlie.v leave the ishiiuls late
in November. Daring the flrsf few weeks iil'ter their birth they are not
ainpliibious, and html is a ne(!essity to their existencre. The mother
seals j>o out to sea to feed soon after j^ivinj; birth to their young, and
return at intervals of from a few lionrs to several days to suckle and
nourish their young.

Tlie mother simI readily distinguishes her own otlspring from that of
others, nor will she permit the young of any other seal to suekle her.
1 have noticed in the killing of young seals (pups) for food in November
that their stomachs wen^ full of milk, although, apparently, the mothers
ha«l not been on the islands for several days ju-evious. 1 have observed
that the male seals taken in the forepart of the season, or within a few
days aftei- their arrival at the islands, are fat ami their stonujchs con-
tain quantities of undigested fish (mostly cod), while the stomachs of
these killed in the latter part of the season are empty; and they dimin-
ish in tlesh until they leave the islands late in the season.

I am of the opinion that while the female often goes long distances to
feed while giving nourishment to her young, the male seals of 2 years
old and over seldom, if ever, leave the islands for that purpose until they
start on their migration southward. When the seals are on the bjced-
ing grounds they are not easily frightened unless they are too nearly
approached, and even then they will go but a short distance if the cause
of their fright be<M)me8 stationary.

It is impossible to estinmte with any sort of accuracy the number of
seals o:i the Pribilof Ishinds, because of the seals being constantly in
motion, and because the breeding grounds are so covered with broken
rocks of all sizes that the density varies. I think all estimates hereto-
fore made are unreliable, and in the case of KUiott and others who have
endeavored to make a census of seal life, the numbers are, in my opini n, •
exaggerated. Measuiements of the breeding grounds, however, show
an increase or decrease of the number of seals, because the hareuiK ire
always crowded together as closely as the nature of the ground and
temjter of the old bulls will permit. My observation has been that
there was an expansion of the rookeries from 1870 up to at least 1879,
which fact I attribute to the careful management of the islands by the
United States Government. In the year 1880 I thought I began to
notice a falling oil' from the number of seals on Northeast Point rookery,
but this decrease was so very slight that probably it would not have
been observed by one less familiar with seal life ajid its conditions than
I; but I could not discover or learn that it showed itself cm any of the
other rookeries. In 1884 and 18s.^ 1 noticed a decrease, and it became
so marked in 1880 that everyone on the islands saw it. This marked
decrease in 1881) showed itself on all the rookeries on both islands.

Until 1887 or 1888, however, the decrease was not felt in obtaining
skins, at which time the standard was lowered from <> and 7 pounds to
5 and 4A pounds. The hauling grounds of Northeast Point kept up
the standard longer than the other rookeries, because, as I believe, the
latter rookeries had telt the drain of open sea sealing during 188") and
1880 more than Northeast Point, the cows from the other rookeries
having gone to the southward to feed, where the majority of the sealing
schooners were engaged in taking seal. There was never while I have
been upon the island any scarcity of vigorous bulls, there alw.ays being
a sufficient number to fertilize all the cows coming to the islands. It
was always borne in mind by those on the islands tbat a sufficient num-
ber of males must be preserved for breeding purposes, and this acoounts

, fr

8EAL LIFE ON THK PHIHILOF ISLANDS,

14f)

partly for tin* loworinj,' of tlit> standiird wcijilit of skiiiH in l.sss. The
.sfasoii of is:*! sliowctl that iiiah' seals iiad certainly bceii in siihii-ient
nuniher tlie year before, be<'aiise the pups on the roolvei i«'s were as
many as shoulil be for the unniber of cows laiKJin^. the ratio beiii^ the
same as in former yeais. Then, too. tin're was a snrphis »»f \ i^^oroiis
bulls in ISUl whoeouhl obtain no rows. I'.very raie is taken in driving
the seals from the haiiliiij^ to the Uillin;: grounds, and during the re^u-
hir killinfr season of .Inne an<l .luly there are im» lenmles driv<'n, be<'aiise
at this season tliey iii< on the breedin;;- rookeries and do not interminylo
with tlie younji' males. If o(>easionally one does hapiieii to be in the
drive j;reat care is taken not to injure her; the law prohibiting the kill-
ing of the female seal is well umlerstood by the natives, and tbey are
tlnaoughly in sympatliy with it. ICven were I to ro<|m'st, tlieni to kill
a female seal they would refuse to do it, and would immediately report
ine to the (iovernnieiit agent. I have known au uecasional one to be
kille<l by accident during the food drives late in the season, when the
males nnd fenndes intermingle on the hauling grounds, but the clubber
was always severely rebuked by the chief lor Ins carelessness, as well
as by the (lovernment and t-oinpany otVicers.

My observation is that the nundier of female seals killed on the
islands from all causes is too insignificantly snndl to be noti<'ed. The
longest drives made on St. (leorge Island are fnau Starry Arteel and
(Jreat Kastern rookeries, and they are h ss than .'5 ndles long. Drives
from these rookeries retpiire from four to six hours, according to the
weather. At Zapadnie rookery, on St. (Jeorge, the drive to the killing
grounds is l?ss than a mile, the seals are now being killed there instead
of being diiven at-ross the island as they were ]»rior to 1S78. when it
took three days to make the Journey. There is now a salt house at
Zapadnie, at which the skins are salted as soon as taken. The killing
grounds on both islands are all situated within a very short distance
from the slntre, and seals not suitable to be killed, or that are turnti
out for any cause, immediately go into the water, and, after s))orting
around for an hour or two, they return to the hauling grounds, and to
all appearances they are as iin<'oncerned and careless of the presence
of man as they were before they were driven to the killing grounds.
I have often observed that the seals when on the islands (lo not take
fright easily at the presence of man ; and the initives go aujong them
with impuidty. They will go into a herd of seals on the hauling
grounds and (piietly separate them into as many divisions an«l subdivi-
sions as is necessary before driving them to the killing grounds. At
the killing grounds they are again divided into bunches or ''jkmIs'' of
20 or .'{O each more reailily than the same number of domestic animals
could be handled under the same circumstances.

The bulls on the rookeries will not only stand their ground against
the approach of nuui, but will become the aggressors if disturbed.
Pups are tame and very playful when young, and ])revious to I.S91,
when it was the in-actice to kill .{.OIKI or 4,(M)(> for imtives' food in
November, thousands of them were jdcked up and handled to determine
sex, for oidy the males were allowed to be killed. Hair seal and seal
lions haul out on the islands and are seldom disturbed, yet they will
plunge into the water at once should they discover anyone upon their
rookeries. But it is not so v»ith the fur seal. They seem at home on
the rookeries and hauling grounds, and they show a degree of domestica-
tion seldom found among similar animals. At Northeast Point rookery,
on 8t. Paul Island, the hmgest diive is 2 miles. In former times the
itussians used to drive from this rookery to St. Paul village, a distance

Iff I I. I, m

150

SEAL LIFK ON THE PlilBILOF ISLANDS.

of VJi miles. Seals tiiri!<'.d away tVoiii thu killing grouiMis roturn to the
rookery tVoin which they weie drivtM' ; therefore a male seal is not
redriven day alter day, oeeause u, haiiliiifjf {ground is always f^iveii .sev-
eral days' rest before l»eiii{^ driven from ajiiiin. I never saw or heard of
the jjeneraMve orj>ans of a male seal !»einf;' inji.red by driving or by
redriving, ai.d if sm-li a tiiinj;' liad takeii pbice, even in exceptional
eases, the natives woidd have noticed and reported it, which they never
di<l. 1 have seen a seal's Hijipers made sore by driving, but I never
saw one that was .seriously injured by driving. I do not believe that a
male seal's powers of reproduction v\ere ever allected by driving or
i-edriving.

The bulls maintain their positions on the rookeries IVom the time
they arrive till the cows come by m(»st bh>ody battles, and after the
cows commence arriving they ure contini'.i'!!.; contending for their pos-
sessions. During these v-ontlicts they aie oltcii seriously wounded, and
their exertions are far more violent tlian any «'11'orr nnule by a young
male (Inrjng a drive. Then, too, tlie male seal nuist have great vitality
to remain ov the lookeries for three niontiis witliout eating or drinking
and with little sleep. In spite of tiiis drain on his vital force he
is able to fertilize all the cows which he can get possession of, and a
barren cow is a rarity. 1 believe that a bnll can serve ..ne hiiinlred or
more cow.' and it is an al>surdlty to think that an animal iK>sscssing
such r''i':,irkahle vigcu* < ould be nnule impotent by being driven or
redriven when a bachelor. An impotent bidl would hav«' neither the
inclination <u- vigor to maintain him.self on the rookeries against the
fierce and vigor<»ns posses.scus of harems. Tlu', only bulls hauling up
away front tlu^ breeding rookeries are those who.se extreme old age and
long service hav.^- mi*<le them impotent and useless, and I have never
seen or heard rell of anything that would make an exception to this
ride. The metluMls employe«i in taki'ig the .skins are, in my opiniim,
the best that can l»e adopted. Tin' killing grounds are situated as near
the ro<'keries and hauling grounds as is po.ssible without having the
breedeis or batdielors disturbe<l by the smell of blooil or putrefaction,
anil most sti'ingent regulations have always been enforc«'d to prevent
disturbing or frighteidng the bree<ling seals.

I am (HMivinced that if open-sea sealing had never been indulged in
to the extent it has since 18S."i, or perhaps a year or two e.irlier, 1()0,(K)0
male skins couhl have been taken annually forever front the I'ribilof
Islands without det'reasing the seal herd below its niuinal si/e and
condition. The cause of the <lecrease which has taken place can be
a»tc(uinted for<Mdv byopen sea sealing; for, until that nu'ans of destruc-
tion to seal life grew t(» be of su<tli piopoitions as to alarm those inter-
ested in the seals, the seal iienl increaseil, an<l sin(;e that time the
decrease of the nnml>er of seals has been proportionate to the increase
in the nniid»er of those engage<l in open «< a sealing. The majiMity of
seals killed in the water are females, )unl all the !«:uales kille<l ii; Ber-
ing Sea are nndliers who have Icfi llicir |»ups on the rookeries and gone
some (listance from the islands in seai'fli of foo<l. The death of every
such mother seal at .sea menis the death ot her pup <m shore, because
it is abs(dntely and entirely dependent on her for its daily snsteiuince.
1 never heard of any diseasi* among the .seal herd, n<u' of an epidemic
of any sort oi- id any tin)e in the history of the islamls, I do not
remendic) the piecise datt^ of the lirst .successful raid upon the rookeries
by sealing sidiooners, luit 1 do know that f(»r the past ten years there
have been many such raids .ittemiued, and a few of them .successfully
carrie<1 out and that as the nundier of sehoonei's increased around the

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

151

pnium,
as lu^ar
ill}; the
iiction,

<;«>d Id
(K»,(K)0
Miliilof
i/e and
can be
estruc-

inter-
Mie the
unease
ority of
Hi Her-
i<l ;>one

every
M'canse
'iiaiice.
»id<Mnu'
do not
tokerie«
I's til ere
essfully
md the

islands, the attempted raids increased in t)roportion, and it ha^i been
deemed necessary to keej) armed {guards near the rookeries to repel su a
attacks. Althou$;'h a lew of the raids were successful, and a few hun-
dred seals killed and (rairied otf from time to time during; the psiat tea
years, the a}fgrej{ate of all the seals thus destroye<l is too small to ^)e
mentioned when considering the cause of the sudden decline of se-J
life on the Pribilof Islands.

Tw 'ty-fonr years of uiy life have been devoted to the sealiu}; indus-
try in ali of its details as it is pursued upon the l*ril»ih>f islands, and
it is but natural that I slunild be«!oiiie deejtly interested in the subject
of the seal life. My experience has been piiu^tical rather than tlieo-
rrftu'al. I have seen the herds <;i'<>\\ and multiply under caretul man-
afjement until their uumliers were millions, as was the case in ISHO.
t'rom 1.SS4 to 1<S!)1 I saw their numliers decline, under the same can-ful
maiiaj^ein Mt, until in the latter year there was not more than oiie-fourtli
of their iiui l>ers coming' tu the islands. In my jiidfjment there is but
one cause for that decline and the i»rescnt condition of the nntkeries,
and that is the s|iot}>'Uii and the rille of the pelagic hiinter, and it is my
opinion that if the ]ess(>es luul not tak*'ii a seal on the islands for the
last ten years we would si ill tind the breeding •grounds in about the
same ciMidition as they are to-day, so destructive to seal life are the
meti uls a(h>pted by these hunters. I believe the number they secure
is siiiall, as compared with the nmnlmr tliey destroy. Were it males
only that they killed the damaji'c w<»nld be temporary, but it is mostly
females that they kill in the open waters, ami it is plain to anyouo
familiar with this animal that extermination must soon follow unless
some resi.ictive measures are adopted without delay

The forcffoing is substantially the same statement that I made to the
commissioners who visited the islands in '.-*!>l.

Daniei. Wkhster.

PEr.A'JK' SEAI.INd AND PRinU.oi' IIOOKI'.KII'.S.

DepoHitioii of WasliiuntoH ('. Vniifson, [Iiiifcil Stohs Ixrrt'niir Matiiit\ in

eoiiniitintl of the li'iisli.

State of California,

Cihj titiit County of Sail Fnnirisco^ns:

Washiiiffton ('. Coulson, haviiij; lu'en duly swtM'ii, deposes and says:
I am captain in the United States liev<Miue Cutter Service. At present
I am in cmnmand of the ITiiited States n'venne cutter /»'»«//. I was
attac>hed to the United States revenue cutter hiiirohi, under the com
luandof ('apt. ( \ M. Scammon, diiiiny the year IHTtK from -Iiine until the
Hose of the year as a third liei;UMiant, and have leen an otlieer in the
revenue service ever since. In ti. month of that yeartliat I was in the
Bering bea ami at the seal i^.;ands M' St. Paul aiui St. (Jeor^ie. I went
on shore at both islands and observed the seals and seal life, the
method of killing, etc. I noti«ed particularly the great number of seal,
which were estimated by those competent to judge that at least .■».(HM»,(KM>
and possibly (i.(KM>,tKK», were in sight on tin' dilVerent rookeries. To lue
it seemed as though the hillside and hauling grounds w«'re literally
alive, so great was the number of seals. At St. (Jeorge Island, though
the seals were never in as great numbers mu' were then' so many haul-
ing places, the seals were very plentiful. At this time and tor several
year thereafter pelagic sealing did not take place to any e.\tent and the

1^' i^

■w

152

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIblLOF ISLANDS.

li^t

animiil.s were not diverted from their usual paths of* travel. All tire-
aruis were forbidden and u<w«',r have been used on these islands in the
kiliinjf and taking of seals, in fact, unusual noise even on tht' siiipsat
anchor near tliese islands is avoi<led.

Visiting the rookeries is not iKMinittcd only on certain conditions, and
anything tliat might frighten tlie seals avoided. The seals are never
killed in or near tlie rookeries, hut are driven a sliort distance inland,
to grounds especially set apart for this work. I do not see liow it is
possil)le to conduct the sealing pro<'ess with greater care or Judgment.
Uiuler the direction of Mr. Ueditath, on 8t, Paul, and Mr. Webster, on
St. (leorge islands — men who have superintended tliis work lor many
years — the natives do the driving, and the killing is pertbrmed under
the supervision of the Governna-nt agents. The natives understand
just how much fatigue can l)e endured l>y the seals, and the kind of
weather suitable tor driving and killing; no greater precaution in that
regard can be taken. The evidence of this is in the small }>ercentage
of aninuils injured or overheated in these driv>»s. 1 do not believe the
animals are nnu-h frightened or disturbed by tiie process of selecting
the drives from the rookeries, nor do 1 think it has a tendency to scare
the animals away from the islaiuls.

During the seasons of l.SUO and 18'.>1 I was in conunan«l of the reve-
nue cutter Huxh in IJering tSea and i-ruised extensively in those waters
around the seal islands and the Aleutian group. In tiie season of 1890
I visited the islands of St. I'atd and St. (ie(»rge in the months of July,
August, and Septend»er. and had aui))le and frequent oi)portunities of
observing the seal life as (compared with 1870. 1 was astonished at the
redu<ted num'iers of seals and the extent of bare ground on the rook-
eries in I.SOO as coini>ared with that of 1870, and which in that year was
alive with seal life. In 1800 the North Anierican C<mimercial Comi)any
were unable to kill seals of suitable size to make their (plot a of ()(>,000
allowed by their lease, and, in my opinion, had they been permitted to
take .■)0,0(io in 1801, they could not have secured that nuniber if they
had killed every bachehu' seal with a merchantable skin on both islands,
80 great was the diminution in the nund)er of animals found there,

I arrived with my coinmand at St. Paul Island .lune 7, 18!»1 ; at that
date very few seals had arrived and but a snnill n»iiid)er had been killed
for fresh tbod. On tlie ll'th *Mune, 1801, we were at St. (leorge Island
and tbund a few seals had been taken there, also for Ibod, the number
of seals arriving not bei g enough to warrant the killing of any great
uuniber. During that year 1 was at and arouinl bot!- these islands
every month from and im'luding June until the 1st day of December
(excepting October), and at no tinu» were there as many seals in sight as
in 1800. I assert this from actual observation, and it is my opinion we
will tind less this yeai'; and shoidd ])elagic sealing in the North Pacittc
and ISering Sea continiie, it is oidy a (piestion of a very few years when
seal in these seas, and esjtecially at the seal islands, will be a thing of
the past, for they are being rapitUy destroyed by the killing of fenmles
in the open sea.

As to the pen'cntage of seals lost in pelagi*'- sealing where the use of
firearms is emfdoyed, 1 am not able to state of my own observation,
but from conversations with those engaged in the business 1 am of the
o|»inion that the number secured is snndl compared with those lost in
atten)])ts to secure them. No mention was ever made of any unusual
uuniber of dead {uips upon the rookeries having been noticed at any
time prior to m,, visit in 1870, but when I again visited the islands in
1800 I found it a subject of much solicitude by those interested in the

. I

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBIi.OP ISLANDS.

153

aiise

perpetuation, aiul in 18J>1 it had assumed sucli proportions as to cauj
serious alarm. Tlie natives makinj; tlie drives first discovered tii
tronbh', then spe<'ial ajjents took note, and later on I think almost every-
one who was allowed to visit the rookeries eould not close their eyes or
nostrils to the jireat numbers of dead pups to he seen on all sides.
In company with Special Ayent .Minray, Caotain Ilooi)er, and Engineer
Brertoii, of the Coririn, I visited the limit' and (larbotch rookeries, St.
Paul Island, in Aufjust, I.SIH, and saw o.ie of the most jtitiable sights
that I have ever witnessed. Thousands of <lea«l an<l dying pui)s were
scattered over the rookeries, while the shores w«'re lined with emaciated,
hungry little fellows, with their eyes turned toward the sea uttering
plaintive cries for their uu)thers, which were destined never to return.
iS^mnbeis of them were oikmumI. their stomachs examined, and the fact
revealed that starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease
being ai)parent.

The greatest number of seals taken by hunters in I81H was to the
westward and northwestward of St. I'anl Island, and the largest num-
ber of dcijd pu]>s were found that year in rookerit's situated (m the
western side of the island. Tliis fact ahnie goes a great way, in my
opinion, to confirm the thecn-y tiiat the loss of the nntthers was the
cause of mortality among the young.

After the nu)ther seals have given birth to their young on th«* islands
they go to the water to feed and bathe, and I have obscived them not
only around the islands, bnt from 80 to 10() miles out at sea.

In diflerent years the feeding grounds or the location where th<' greater
number of seals are taken by jKiachers seem to differ; in other words,
the seals freqnently change feeding grounds. For instance, in 1887, the
greatest number of seals were taken by jtoachers between I'namak,
Akutan Passes, and the seal islands, and to the siuithwestward and east-
ward, in many cases trom r>0 to !")(> miles distant from the seal islands.
In the seas<ui of 18*.M> to the scnithward and westward, also to north-
west and northeast of the islands, showing that the seals had been scat-
tered. The season of 18!U the greatest nund)er were taken to northward
or westward of St. Paul, and at various distances, from IT) to L"»(» nules
away.

On my (jruise to St. Matthews and rnanuik Island we did not discover
any seal within LT) or ."U) miles of those islands, nor do I know of or believe
that the seals haul out up<ni land in any of the American waters of
Bering Sea except at tlie Pribilof Islands. If the seal life is t() be
preserved for commercial puri)08es the seals nuist be prote(!ted, not
only in the Bering Sea, but in the waters along the Pacific Coast from
the Aleutian Passes to the Columbia Itiver.

Wash. C. Coulson,
Captain, United IStates Revenue Marine.

Ihposition of Thomas F. Morf/aii, af/cnt of lenscen of Pribilof and

t'omniaiuh'r islandn.

Statk'of Connecticut,

Neir London Coiniti/, hh:
Thomas P. Morgan, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am the
person described in and who verified two certain afli<lavits on the 5th
day of April, I8!L', before Sevellon A, Brown, notary public, in rela-
tion to tlie habits, managemeiit, etc., of the fur seals.

154

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

II tl

The harems on the Pribiluf Islands have at all times varied very
much in si/e. In tlie years when I was on the islands, between 1874
and 1887, it was always possible to find individual harems with 50 or
perhaps 80 females, while others would only have 4 or "> females, not-
withstanding the average harem would perliaps contain from 1") to 30
females. . Large harems, though in smaller numbers, continued to exist
even in the years 1885 and 18S7, when, as 1 iiave alieady stated in a
former aHidavit, the number of females began to deciease.

While 1 was on the islands there was no such thing known as dis-
turbing breeders or stanii)eding the rookeries. The herd is driven
from the nxjkery, is kept away from lilth as nuich as possil»le, for the
reason that the skins whidi are taken, if <*lean, take salt iM'tter, cure
in better condition, and bring better prices. Filth, grease, and oil
make skins come out of kencii tlat, and such skins are classed as low
when sold. Mud spoils the salt for quick work, so the cleaner the skins
are, the better. As the rejected seals are only to be got away from the
killing ground, the quickest way to the sea is the route chosen, and
they often pass over decaying caniasscs, but not of ne<^es.sity, as they
are allowed to choose their own gait and route to the sea. They do not
seem to object to this any move than to the filth caused by the excre-
ment and <lecayiiig placentas on the bnseding grounds.

1 was on the Commander Islands in 1891 as agent of the Russian
Seal Skin Company. 1 never heanl anyone state that barren females (I
mean females without young) were noticed there, and 1 <lon't believe
that any person whose opinion would be entitled to consideration noticed
this fact. It soon would have become a matter of common knowledge
on the islands if there had been any number of adult fenuiles without
young. The only sure way to determine whether an adult female is
barren is to exUnuue her as to whether she is giving milk or is dry. As
the youiig seals do not follow the mother contijiucmsly, the fact of seeing
females without juips with them does not prove that they have not pups
somewhere on the breeding grounds, and no person having any knowl-
edge of rookery life could «lraw such an inference, and claim that the
females were therefore barren.

While on the I'ribilof Islands 1 don't know that 1 ever saw a sterile
female seal. It is impossible to recognize the same seal fnmi year to
year unless, as in the case of a few old bulls which have large scars, a
torn lip, a white blind eye, the nose split, or some unnatural mark.
And, although 1 have seen old females without milk, very fat, associat-
ing with the young males, I could not say that they had not been fertil-
ized, and, not having an olfspring to care for, were associating with the
males until the season arrived for the herd to leave. At one time the
suggestion was made that it would be a good plan to kill these fenuilea.
I denied that it was possible for anyone to know that they would not
bear young, and that if the killing of ont^ female was authorized it
wouhl oi)en the way to do great injury to the her«l. For, when it
became desirable to market a large number of skins, the clubber would
see large numbers of fenn»les un'it for itreeding.

It is ditllcult to distM)ver fresh excrement on the rookeries, lor the
seals' Hippers soon wipe oiit the evidence looked for. Still I ha\e often
seen it. In color it is orange, light yellow to almost colorless, and in
consistency soft, almost litpiid. At times it is very otlensive, and at
others nearly odorless. But the soil of the breeding ground is inqireg-
nated with it, which gives to the rookery a most disagreeable odor that
is increased by the decaying placentas.

1 am quoted by the British commissioners (section 825 of their report)

I -;

SEAL LIFE ON THE HRIBILOF ISLANDS.

156

to show that in 1H.S4 a>! irregularity in the habits of the seals took place
at the Pribilof Islands. This irregularity consisted in the following: lu
previous years the seals that arrived in .June furnished nearly all 8 pound
skins and over; very few of *hesc seals were let go or rejected, and wheu
any were rejected it was principally because they were too large. lUit
this year the 2-year-<dd seals commenced to land nuich earlier, and the
run of large haif bulls arrived in more scattered bunches, just as if the
her<l had been turned back in |)la«-cs and hurried ahead in others, thus
ImrryiMji' the smaller seals, so that they came on with the head of the
flock,and turning back some of the large seals wldch formerly had arrived
later. No irregularity was observed in the habits of the female seals.

Thomas V. Mouuan.

Di'pofiUion of p/iimtH (i. Sirnn, formrr inspector of i-ustomn, implotfcc of
Indian llureau and of Fish Commission of f'nitcd States.

State of WASiiiNtiTON,

Jefferson Coiintif, ss :

James (i. Swan, having been duly sworn, depos«'s and says: 1 am 74
years old, a resident of I'ort Townsend, Wash., and by occupation a
lawyer. 1 am also Tnited States commissioner. Hawaiian consul,
commissioner for the State of Oregon, and a notary |)ublic. I eanu> to
the I'acilie Coast in ISoO and to I'ort Townsend in 18.jt», where 1 have
since iield my residence the greater i)art of the time to the present
date. From I8<»2 to ISOO I was empi<»yed in the Indian Bureau of the
Interior Department an«l stati<»ne«l at Neah Uay, and again iVoni 1878
to 1881 I wa^ inspector of customs at the sanie place. In 18s;; | also
visited there in tlie employ of the l-'isli Uommissioner.

In 1880. at tlie reipiest of the late Professor IJaird, ol" the Smithson-
ian Institute at Washington, I made a careful study of the hal>it8 of
the fur seal ((Jallorliinus insinus) found in the vicinity of ('ai)e l-'lattery
ami the Strait of .Inan <le l-'uca, and tlie result of my observation is
embodied in tlie Tenth I'nited States ('ensus (report of United States
Fish and Fisheries, sec. ."». vol. li, p. 2!).'i. Fur seal o. Cape FlatU'ry
and Vicinity) and in the report of the Inited States I'ish Commission,
(liulletin United States Fish (Jcnnmission, vol. 3, pp. L'()l-l,*(>7. i

The observations upon which these leports are based were nnistly
contiiuHl to the immediate vicinity ot Cape I'lattery, and I had at that
time no oi>piatnnity for <'xten<led in(|uiry as to the pelagic habits of
the animals. The natural liistoryof the seal herd of the IM-ibilof Islands,
when upon or in the imiiiediate vitMiiity of the land, had been minutely,
and, 1 have no doubt, accatrately, described by II. W. JClliott in his mono-
graph imblished in 1875. There had been nj) to that date no series of
observaticms nor good evidence on which to base the hyjiothesis that
the I'ribilof herd and the large mass of seals annually seen (hi the lati-
tude of Cape Flattery were identical. On the contrary, there seenu'd
then to be luajiy eviden«*es that some other rookeries than those of the
Pribilof islands were located at sonu' point on the ( »reg()n, Washington,
or British (*olumbia coast. Young seals were occasionally found by
the Indians upim or near the beaches, and pregnant females were often
captured by them so heavy with pup, and apparently so near their full
term of pregnancy, as to warrant the belief that tlie young must be
either born in the water upon bunches of kelp or upon the rocks and
beaches on or near th»! coast. Young seals were often brought to the

15f)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Indian villages, and the testimony of both Indian and wliite hunters at
that time pointed stroiifjly to the tronidusion tliat the breediiiff pounds
oftiie animals with which we .vore familiar could not be far distant. I
have myself seen tiie black pups in the water when they ap])eiired to be
but a few weeks old, and others have assured me that a considerable
number were found from tin>e to time swimmin}»: with their mothers.
This i»henomcnon being' of constant o(!currence year after year, and in the
absence of a wider range of observations, we were naturally contirmed
by them in the conclusion to which 1 have above referred.

In recentycars ithas been <lemonstrated by the large j-atches obtained
off the coast by pelagic huUvers, and by the testiniony of a great num-
ber of people wliose attention has been directed to the matter, that the
herd of seals, of which we saw only a very limited proportion trom the
Neah Bay station, is a very large one: and it now seems beyond a doubt
that the comparatively few authentic cases in which pups were set :»
upon or in tin' vicinity of the coast were anomalous, for it is reasonable
to suppose that in so large a mass of ]n'egnant females an occasional
one would be prematurely overtaken by tlie ]>ains of the parturition,
and that the offspring brought forth under favorable conditions, as
upon a bunch of kelp or some rock, should survive at least a few days
and be hiought in and kejil by the Indians, as I have occasiomilly seen
them. I have also seen at the villages late in the seascm, in the hiinds
of the Indian boys, live i)ups which had been recently renM)ved from
their speared mothers, and whose vitality was such that they continued
tolive for several days; but it is a well known fact that young mam-
malia may be born several days, oi- ])ossibly even a month or two,
before full term and still survive. It is possible, too, that as a source
of error the 'lunters may have mistaken gray pups whose coats had
been darkened by wetting, or tho ■ a few months old, born the prece-
ding summer, for the so-called bhit iv pups.

At the Neah Bay station large bull seals are seldom seen, and the
major part of those killed are pregnant fenniles, having in them small
fetuses early in the season — say ab«mt .lanuaryor February — and later
full grown young. Frou) all the evidence I am able to gather, 1 believe
the different classes of seals remain apart when upon the British Colum-
bia coast, and old balls and innnature young males being chiefly found
at a considerable distance from the land, while the pregnant females
and young males travel ctlose along the shore, and are fretpiently seen
in limited nund)ers in the straits and iidets.

In the light of investigation and research had since the date of my
observations, the most of which wen^ nnide nntre than ten years ago, I
am satisHed that the nniss of the herd from which the British (Jolumbia
or Vict<uia (-atch is obtained are born neither in the water nor upon the
land in the vicinity where they are caught, and it appears most probable
irom the routes upon which they are followed and the location in which
they are found by pelagic hunters between March an«l August that
they originate in, migrate from, and annually return to Bering Hea.

It has been stated in print tliat 1 said 1 had seen pups born (Ui the
kelp in the water. This is a gross misrepresentation. I merely said
that it had be«'n reported to me that such birth had been witnessed,
and (pioted as my authority ('apt. K. H. .M<'Abnon«l, of the s<'hooner
Champion {]). 203, vol. 1, of United States Fish C(»mmissi(m's report).

Pelagic sealing was carried on by the Indians at Neah Bay long
before I tirst went among them, but they were then, and until within a
few years, ])rovided only with their canoes, spears, ami other native
implements, constituting the necessary outfit for an aboriginal seal

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

157

huntpr. The destruction wrouglit by them upon the seal herd was,
compared with tlie vast number of wiiieh it was romposed, very slijjfht,
and did little harm to anyone, wliih' the result to the Indians was then
and is still of great importance. N<»w pela;;i«t seal huntinj; is carried
on in (luite a (liferent manner. Numerous expeditions are lifted out in
well-e<|uipped vessels, some of them under both steam and sail, nsanned
by whites and Indians, aiul armed with <>inis and spears. 1 am
informed and believe that the herd has jjreatly decreased within the
last two or three years, and that if itela;;ic scalinj;' is not soon checked
the herd will be driven hither and tliitiier and soclecimated as to render
it commercially valueless. This would l»e a j^reat wronj; to the Indians,
who are dei)endent to a great measure upon tiie seals for a livelihood,
as well as needless, wanton waste, which civili/ed nations ought not to
permit. It can not be denied that the natives, who have utilized the
seal fisheries adjacent to their settlements from their earliest history
and profited by them, deserve some consideration. I believe that in
order to preserve the nM)keries upon the islands and build them up to
their former productiveness it is only necessary to restrict pelagic seal-
ing to the coast simth of r»4° 40' and confine it to the use of the primi-
tive methods formerly employed by the natives.

James G. Swan.

Deposition of Joseph Stanley- Brotrn, Treasury agent.

District of Columbia,

City of Washinfiton, ss:

Joseph Stanley-Brown, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 37
years of age; am a citizen of the Tnited States; reside at Mentor,.
Ohio, and am by profession a geologist.

I spent the entire season of 1891 upon the Pribilof Islands, and during
the summer of 1892 again visited them and spent the period between
June 9 and August 14 ui»on the islands of St. Paul and St. George in
continuation of my investigations concerning seal life. This season, in
addition to the continuous general examination of all the rookeries and
the plottings of the breeding- ground areas upon ch'M'ts, certain special
stations were selected at i»oints within easy reach of the village and
daily visits made thereto. This method of work gave me an excellent
opportunity to make comparisons between the breeding areas of 1891
and those of 1892.

As the result of my observations during the past season, it is my
oi)inion that there was no increase among the females — the producing
class — but on the contrary that there was a perceptible falling off.
This decrease was the more noticeable at points on the rookeries where
the smaller groups of breeding seals are to be found.

There was so littledriving during the season of 1892 that an excellent
opportunity was given to observe lifeu|ion the hauling grounds, several
of which were not disturbed during the entire season. There seemed
to be a slight increase of the young bachelor seals, although this may
have been more ai)parent than real from the fact that being unmolested
they accumalated in large bands.

It is quite certain th<at the normal habit of the hollaschickie is to
remain most of their time upon shore, and if left to themselves would
spend more time there than in the water. I have kept a close daily
watch upon groups of yonng males, the members of which did not go
into the water for a week or ten days at a time.

158

SEAL LIKE ON THK rKIHII-OP ISLANDS.

Any statement to the ettect tliat the occasional occurrence of large
harems indicates a decrease in the availalde number of virile malet<, and
hen<;c deterioration of tlic rookeries, should be received with great
caution if not entirely ignored. The bulls i)li»y ouly a secondary part in
the f(»rniiiti<ui of iiarenis. It is tlie cow which takes the initiative. She
is in tiie water beyond tlie reacli or <'ontrol of the male and can select
her own p(»int of laii<ling. Her n)anm>r on fon)ing ashore is readily
distinguished from that of the young males which continuously play
ahuig the sea nnirgin of the breeding grounds. She comes out of the
wt;ter, carefully noses oi- smells tlu' rocks here «u' there like a dog, and
then makes her way to the bull of licr own selecting. In this incipient
stage of her career on slun-e there is but little interference on the part
of the male, but once well away from the water an«l near the bull she
has chosen, he approaches lier, manifests his i)leasure. and greetings are
exchanged. She then Joins the other cows and as soon as dry lies down
and goes comfortably to sleep. I have seen this selective power exer-
cised repeatedly, and the result is that one bull will be espe«'ially favored
while tiiose within l") or liO feet will be ignored.

The size of the harems, therefore, has of itself but little to do with
the questi<m of lack of virile males, but iinlicates only the selective
power of tlie females. If 100 bulls represented the neiu'ssary supply of
virile males we might, by reascui of this fact, lind 10 bulls with very
large harems, 10 with still less, rti) with a reasonable luimber, L'O with a
few, and 10 with none. An oidooker would not, therefore, bejustilied
in stating that by reason of these few large harems there is a lack of
virile males.

In the very nature of things it seems impossible that any method
other than tliis one of selection on the part of the female could ever
have existed.

Large harems are fretjucntly due to topographic conditions, the con-
figuration of the land being such that the fennUes can only reach the
breeding grounds through narrow passageways between the rocks, and
around the termiinitioiis of which they collect.

Iliirems often (coalesce; then boundaries become indefinite, and when
their size and position make them too large for ci>ntrol, cows pass to the
rear and are appropriated by the bulls there.

When once the female is located, the bull exercises rigid control and
permits no leaving of the laiuls until she has been served. I never saw
a harem so large that the vigilance of the bull in this respect was ever
relaxed. I lis consorts may escape to .another harem, but they are never
permitted to go to sea uulil an inspection convinces the bull that they are
entitled to do so. No i intelligent observer would b(; so bold as to assert
that during the seasoii of 1892 there was not an abuinlance of males of
complete virility, despite the occurrence of occasional large harems.
The accompanying photographs' show that even at the height of the sea-
son, and just previous to the disintegration of the breeding grounds,
there were unsnp]>lied with cows old males which had taken their stand
and from which 1 was unable to drive them with stones.

I should have been extremely glad to have been able to note a great
many more of these large harems, but the work of the pelagic hunter
among the females has been so etfeirtive that the average size of the
harems is growing smaller and smaller, while the number of the idle
bulls is steadily increasing. The rookeries of the Pribilof Islands will
never be destroyed by superabundance of large harems.

> Not furnished.

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KI! 'LOF ISLANDS.

169

I arrived on tlie islaiids this year a few days after the coming of tlie
lirst cows, and by selectinf; a small liarcm comiiosed of seals, the arrival
of whicli I have seen, and jjivinji it daily observation, 1 was abh' to sat-
isfy myself that females bejiiii to g<» into the water from fourteen to
seventeen days after lirst landin;:. On tirst entering: tlir sea they make
a stniifilit line for the outer waters, ami as Isii' as the eye can follow them
they seem still to he traveling'. The tirst cows to arrive aic the lirst to
dejtart in search ot food, and by the lirst week in .Inly the cows are
cominjj and goinj;- with sucii fre»|ueney as to be rea<lily seen at iiny
time. The aecuiiipanyinjj photo.iir;ii)h' (taken on .luly.s, 18t»l', from the
same i)ositioii Imt one da\ earlier than the one of last \ear which faces
j)a}ie 13 of vobime L', of the case) shows pups, the mothers of which
are at se;i.

The fact that the coat of the cow assumes IVoni residence on the sliore
a rusty or sunburned asjjcct jiives a leady means oi observin}^ her
movements. 'I'he rustiness is quickly lost by lite in the sea.

The movements of females can also to a certain extent be well observed
by their apjjcarance aftci- jiiviu}; birth to thcii' pups — after liistinj;' and
after f^ory in ji' themselves with food. Alter the birth of the pup, and
after remaininji uimhi the rookeries even for a few <lays when the period
of comiufi' from and }j;<'i"J? '"to the water ha> been entered upon, the
mother has a very decidedly ptunt appearance, in str<»ny <(>ntrast to
the plumpness of i)re^nancy or full leedinji'. Alter fet dinj^ at sea they
coiiie ashore ajiain well rounded u]». So marked is this that 1 have
been rei)eatedly misled by mothers in such a condition, mistakiu}; them
for i)re;;nant cows, and liave discovered niv error by seciu}; her call
her pup and suckle it. It 1 had any donbt in my mind as tocowsfeed-
injj at sea it was <lispelled by an examination of three (tows 1 shot at
Is'ortheast i'oint on .Inly 'S>, Jst>-'. Two ••sjinburnt" cows wer»' tirst
killed, and their stomachs were fouiul to be empty. Another was shot
Just as she came ashore and her stomach was j;orj;ed with half digested
codlish, which was identified by Mr. Townsentl, an expert of the I'nited
States Fish Commission. A tlissection was made of this seal, and the
udder — which extends, as a broad, thick sheet, thinnin<i out toward
the edj^es, over the entire abdominal portion of the cow and well up
to the fore flippers — was so charged with milk that on removing the skin
the milk freely flowed out in all directtions, and previous to skinning it
was possible with but little eft'ort to extract a suflicient amount to enable
me to determine its taste and consistency. A large sui)pljM)f food is
necessary to furnish such an abundant anuuint of milk. 1 have no
doubt that a well-developed mother seal (iould yield between a pint and
a quart of milk in the first twenty-four hours after lauding from a fee«l-
ing expedition, and with such rich fountains to draw upon it is no won-
der that the voracious pups increase during their residence upoji the
island not less than four times their weight at birth. And it is efjually
certain that without such a constant supi)ly of nourishment they could
not make such a rapid growth as they do.

The i>resence of exerenu'ntitious matter upon the bleeding rookeries
is recognized both by sight and smell. It is of a yellowish color, and
though much of it is excreted, it is of such a liqui<l consistency that it
is quickly rubbed into and mingled with the soil, and thereafter its
existence can only l)e noticed through the discoloration of the soil and
the offensive odor. The latter is readily detected at a distance of miles,
when the wind is completely impregimted with it. The odor bears no

^Notfarnished.

JPT'

w-i-

160

SKAL LIFE ON THK I'KIBILOF ISf.ANUS.

|>/ I

resHinbliiiicu to that wliicli iirises tVoin the bodieB of a hnj^e iiuinber of
aHMeinblud iiniiii-.ils.

Th«'. (jujiiitity orexncmentitious niatter present is iiiHiieneed by the
nature of tlieir diet, wliich. beiiiy lish. is hirtjely assimihited, while in
their eniiiiii^ iind j;'oi"fi' imieh of il may be dejMisited in tlie water, to
say notiiing of drenching from rain, to which tiie rookeries (many of
wiiicli are solid roek; are subjected.

Oil the liauliii^ grounds, <*n tlie other hand, it is almost impossible to
detect su(di matter, either tiirouyli its ju'eseiue, the appearance of the
soil, or its odor. Tliis is a well known fact to anyone who has even
casually inspected such iiaiilintj j^rounds as Middle Hill, parts of Za-
padnie, western en<l of lOnglish May, western einl of North Rookery,
Starry Arteel, (xieat Kast Kookeiy, and others.

Tills dilference between the breedin}; gnmnds and the true hauling
grounds is explained V)y the fact that the former areoccui>ied by nurs-
ing females, which are constantly fee<liug, while the latter are frequented
chiefly by young males, which take but little food during the summer.
This abstention from food on their [lart is further indicated by the fact
that, with excei>tions now and then observed on the killing grounds,
they grow thinner and thinner as the season advances.

The pup at birth is received by the mother with an atl'ectionatc regard
that is unmistakable; a sound not unlike that mside by an ewe, but not
so loud, can be heard, and care is exercised by the mother for the pup's
protection. I have repeatedly seen a mother, when her offspring was
still so young as to be helpless, remove it beyond the reach of the surf,
or gently lift it from a hole between the bowlders into which it had
fallen. I have seen them o' n place the udder in the most available
position for the pup to suck, and move themselves suflliciently close for
it to be within easy rea(;h. After an absence in the sea, the mother
invariably calls to her y(mng repeatedly, and manifests pleasure on find-
ing it. Jjater on the pup is able to recognize its mother, and as the
female will suckle only her own pup the pleasure and contentment
which the meeting gives both is evident to the most careless observer.

I")ead pups were as conspicuous in their infrequency in 1892 as by
their numerousness in 18i)l. In no instance was there to be noted an
unusual number of dead pups, except on the bree<ling grounds of
Tolstoi, the position, character, and size of which g.ive prominence to
the carcasses. Here the moi'tality, while in no way approaching that
of the previous season, was still beyond the normal, as indicated by the
deaths upon the other breeding grounds.

Any surreptitious killing of the mothers <!an not be charged with it,
for such killing either there ov anywiiere else on the island would have
become the gossip of the village and readily detectted by the attempt to
dispose of the skins. There are no hauling grounds so close to the
breeding areas that the driving of the young males could cause conster-
nation among the females during the breeding season. Ktam))edes or
disturbaimes can not account for it, for not only are the breeding
grounds in this particular case of Tolstoi one fourth of a mile away
from the hauling grounds, namely, at Mid<lle Hill (the nearest point to
that breeding ground from which seals were driven in 1891 and 1892).
but it would be practically impossible to stampede this breeding grouna
by any disturbing cause save of such magnitude as to be the subject of
common knowledge on the islands, and I know that no cause for such a
commotion occurred.

Seals will stand a large amount of annoyance before leaving their
harems, or, indeed, being permitted to do so by the bulls, and the man

SKAL I, UK ON THE iMilUILoF ISLANDS.

Kil

does not live who can .staiii|HHle niokcry Imlls. No smokeof v«*sseh or
preseiH'C of Hliips evor <'aust«, the stampede of an entire breeding {ground.
8u(;h tliin^:s have been reported luit no one has ever seen it, and it
would require persistent etlort to aeconiplisii sut-h a result. 1 have had
eause to send natives on sevrrai occasions entirely a<!n)ss a rookery,
and no stampede ensued, i have thrown c<,rj>>'Hliells lilled with blue
paint at female seals, for the purpose of uiarkin;; them, until rocks and
seals were a mass of blue color, but with iu> disturbing ellect. in the
prosettutiou of my investij^ations i have shot females witii a noiseless
ritle upcui a snnill detached l»ree<iin^ ground, have (trawled in and
drafjjfcil out thesealskilled withoutcausiii}; the other mothers to recede
more thanliO t'ect.aiul in lift ecu minutes thereafter the bieediiijjf grounds
l)resented their wonted appearance.

After two seasons' observation 1 unhesitatingly state that I do not
believe there has ever i»een brcedinji' grounds stampeded in such a whole-
sale manner as to cause the death of pups. If such ociairred in 1<S!IL
and ISiCi it iscertaiidy extraor<linary thatonly thestarvelin^s metdeath.

The true explanation of the deatlis upon Tolstui tiiis year is not
readily found, and must be soufjht in local (tauses other than those indi-
cated above, and 1 am contiilent that to none of those causes can be Justly
attributed the dead pups of ISiM and lst»J. The followiufr explanation,
based U|)on my a<M|uaintancewitli the facts, is olfei-ed in a tentativ*^ way:

A j>lance at tin* map will show that the location and topojfraphit;
I'lianicter of this rookery have no counterpart elsewhere on the island.
The rookeries upon which deatlis are intVe(pu*nt are thost^ which are
narrow and ui»on the rear of wlii«'h are precipitous blntfs that i)revent
the wamh'iiny of pups backward. The larjjer part of Tolstoi, as will
be seen from the nnip, <\\tends far l)a(;k and has ;;reat lateral dimen-
sions. M(u;h of it is composed of drifting sands and it has rather a
Bteep inclination down to the sea. The shore is an open one. and the
surf, either gentle orvi(dent. is almost constantly present. As the time
for learuiii}; to swim approaches the jaips tind it easy to come down the
incline. They cony:rej'ate in larye numbers upon the sandy sli(»re and
beffin their swimming? lessons. This is at a period when tliey are still
immature ami not very strong;'. The bulletin}; of the waves exhausts
them ami connn^ ashore they either wamler «»ll', or strnjjfjlinf; a certain
distance up the incline, nuide m(ne dillicultof ascent by the loose sand
of which it is composed, lie down to rest and sleep, and are overlooked
by their nu)thers returninj; from the sea. I have seen mother seals };o
up the entire iiu'line seekinjj tiieir pups,

I liml notliiu}? in the histcuy of dead pups ujion the island this year
which does not contirin my belief that the j;reat nn>rtality of the season
of lSt)l was due to pela^iic sealing in lierinj; Sea. Had it not been so,
there is no reason why the deaths in l.S!»2 should not have been as
widely distributed as they were the previous year.

Diuinj^the past summer particular care was taken to have the drives
coiKlucted in the san>e nninner as in i)revions years, in cu-der that the
elfect of driving upon the young nuiles ndght be noted.

Fr()m .luue 10 (the day after my arrival) to the close of the season, on
August 1», there were eleven <lrives made, the longest one being from
Middle Hill, about 2 miles from the village killing ground. With two
exceptions, no drives were made from the same hauling grounds except
at intervals of two weeks. As the killing this year was linnted to
7,."iO<>, there could be but few seals taken eat;h week, and this necessita-
ted turidng back to the water, about I'OO yards distant from the killing

!S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 11

M HI ' '

if;2

8KAL LIFE ON THE I'KIItll-OK ISLANDS.

I ?■

groniHl,fi'(>m !'» t(» Ho per cent of tlioHe drivrn up, and nnxo an (excellent
opportunity to obHcrve the etl'eet of driving upon liir);e bandn of seals,
in driving it is true tliat if the weatlier in unfavorable a few nniy die
en I'oute. or in anticipation of tiieir deiith are clubbed, Hkinned, and
their peltH added to the «|Uota. It is also true that sonu-tiiiies then* are
nninii'estatiftUK of weariness iind r.xhaustion among the driven sealH;
that <lriving causes some excitement; thsit occasionally smothering
occurs, anil that there are other cjtisodes ha|ipening on and about the
killing field which are lU'cessarily incident to and must always form
part of the killing of seals on land, and which are likely to obscure the
Judgment of the observer or be allowed to assume undue |>rominence in
ins )nind. Hut the chief <|Ucstion is the potency of these episodes as
destructive agents. To what extent <lo they occur and to what extent
do they efltM't the herd at large are the points t(t lie fairly considered;
and their coiisiderati(ui must not be intiuenccd by an exaggeration due
to the sensibilities of tlie observer, ('arc should be and is at all times
exercised to avoid needless waste; but after giving the greatest promi-
nence ])ossil»Ie to the injurious metlnuls w hicli ar<' allegi'<l to have been
emjiloyed at different times sin<-e the American occupancy of the islands,
my (tbservations leiul uw to believe that the loss ot lite from the causes
in<lieated above would be but a t'ra<'tion<»f 1 pei-cenf of the sciils driven;
and I also believe that it can not. with any show of justice, be nnule to
account for or play other than a very insigniticant part in the diminution
of seal life. After my obsei-vations of two seasons I ciin not believe
that <'reatures which in their nmturity possess suflicient vitality to live
for eighty or ninety days without food or water. an<l in which their fetal
life can be cut from the nmther and still live for days, are as bachelor
seals injured in their virility or tetany extent disiibled physically by the
driving to which they are subjected on the I'ribilof Ishinds.

.losKi'ii Stanley r>KO\VN.

J)KAD PI I'S.

DepoHitinn of. I. (\ S. Alrrh/, siinicon I'liitnl States h'muiie MarinejOnd
rcsitfent nnr(jn>u on St. I'ttul Island.

Statk of California,

Vitji and Vonnty of San Fraiivixro, hh:

J. C 8. Akerly, Ph. B., M. U., having been <luly sworn, depo.ses and
says: I am a graduate of the University of <'alifornia, IHiili, and a
gra^luate of the Cooper Medical t.'ollege, I88r». From June to August
18, 1891, I was surgeon on the revenue-marine steamer Concin. From
August 18 to November -i, 18iH, I was resident physician on t^t. Paul
Island, one of the Pribilof (tr seal islands. 1 am at present a practicing
}>hysician at Oakland. Cal. During my stay on the islands I nmde fre-
quent visits to the dinerent seal rookeries. One thing which attracted
my attention was the immense number of dead y<mng seals; another
was the presence of quite a number of young seals on all the rookeries
in an enuiciated and apparently very w eak condition. 1 was requested
by the Oovernment agent to examine some of the carcasses for tlie pur-
pose of determining the cause or causes of their death. 1 visited and
walked over all the rookeries. On all, dead seals were to be found in
immense numbers. Their number was more apparent on those rookeries
such as Tolstoi and Ualfway I'oint, the water sides of which were on

SF.AL I. IKK ON THK FRIHILOF ISLANDS.

i(;3

(•as

smooth };roiiii(1, iiiid tlie eye could ;;li<1e <»V(M' putclies of );i-(Minil huii-
(IredH of feet in extent wliicli w»'re thickly Htrewii with tiirciisscs.

Where the water si«le of tin* rookeries, as at N«ntlieiist Point and the
Keef (soiitii of tlie vilhi);e), was on rorky ;;roiind, tiie iinniens4> num-
ber of dead was not so a|)|>arent, hut a closer examination showed that
thedea^l were there in e<|ually {jreat nnndM'r s«att«'re<l aniouf; the rocks,
in some localities the jjround wa^ so thickly strewn with the dead that

le had to pick his way carefully in order to avoid stepping on the car-
s,>s. The ^aciit mass of dead in all cases was within a short dis-
taui'c of the water's ('d}ic. The patches (»f dead would comnu'nce at
th«' water's ed;i«' and stretch in a wide swath up into the rookery.
Amon«:st the imiiuuisc masses of de id were seldom to he t'ound the car-
casses of fiill-jjrown seals, hut the carcasses w«'rc those of pups or
youn}> seals horn that year. 1 can ;>'ive no idea of the exact numher of
dead, hut 1 believe tiuit they could only he tiunibered hy the thousaiuls
on each rookery. Alonj; the water's cdj^c, and seattere«l anu)n;rst the
dead, were ipiite a numher of live pups, which were in an emaciated
condition. Many had hardly the strenj^th to dra^^ themselves out of
one's way, thus contrasting' stron(j;ly, both In appearance ami actions,
with the plump condition and active, ajf^'t'^^'^ive condnt't of the healthy
appearing: jaips.

Themajinity of the pu|>s, like all healthy nursin;; animals, wei-e ])lump
and fairly rolling; in fat. 1 have watched the female seals dr.iw up out of
the water, each pi(;k imt its pup from the hundreds of yoiin^' seals sport-
ing near the water's ed;^e, and with them scianddetoa clea'spoton the
rookery, aiul lyin;; down jjive them suck. .Vltli(m;;h 1 saw pups iiurs-
hifi in a yreat nniny cases, yet I never saw one of the sickly lookiuf;
pups receivinj; attention from the leuuile. They set'incd to he deserted.

The caus«' of the {jrcat uu>rtality amonj; the seal i)Ups scciiu'd to nu^ to
ha\e ceased to act in jireat part before my first \ i>its to the rookeries,
for subseiiucnt visits did not show as fjreat an increase in tlie masses
of dead as 1 wcadd have expected had the causes still been in active
upcrati(m. It seemed to me that there were fewer sickly looking' juips
at each suhse«|uent visit. This ;;rcw to he more and more the case as
the season advaijced. When I visite<l the rtMtkenes for the purpo.sc of
examininjr the<lead bodies it was with extreme ddlicidty that t*arcasses
could b(> ftaind fresh enou^di to permit of a satisfactory examimition.
I examine<l a Iarj»e nundier of car«*»ss«'s. All showed an absence of
fatty tissm; between the skin and muscular tissue. The omentum in
all cases was destitute of fat. These are the p«»sitious where fat is
usually present in all aninuils. Wcll-ncuirished yonn^ animals always
have a large amount of fat in these localities. The few carcasses which
were foun«l in a fair state of preservation were examined nuue thor-
ouffhly. The stonuu'hs were found emi>ty and contracted, but jire-
sented uo evidence of dise-ise. The intestines were empty, save iu a
few «*aHes, where small amounts of fet-al nuitter were found in the large
intestines. .\ careful examination of the intestines failed to discover
any evideiu;e of disease. The heart, lun<;s, liver, and kidneys were in
a healthy condition.

Such is the evidence on which I have found<'d my opinion that the
cause of the great nxutality during I.S'.M among the yjumg seals on
St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, was caused by the deprivation of mothers'
milk. The result of my investigation is that there was great mortality
exclusively among nursing seals. Second, the I'anse of this mortality
seemed to have been abated pari passu witli the abntenient of sea seal-
ing. Third, the presence of emaciated, sickly looking pups which

■m^^— ^^""MlBtlW^

164

SHAL LIFl': l)N THK PUIHI .OF ISLANDS.

i i

w«i«! itpimrt'ull.v <k\seited by tlieii- mothers. Fourth, the phiiiip,
Lealthy iiitpciiranct! of all the |>up.s I saw iiur»iii^'. I'^itth, the eiuadated
uoiiditioii of the dead. Sixth, the absenee of fo<)d in the istoinauhs
and their eoiitraeted coiHlitioij. Seventh, the absence of dijjested food
ill tlie intestines. Hi/;htli, the absence of men feeal matter, save in
KUiall amounts in a lew eases. Minth, tlie absenee of struetural
chanj,'es in the viscera or otiier parts of tlie bo«iies to account for the
death.

J. C. S. Akjckl^, Ph. B., M. 1).

iM'jtositinii of Hen 11/ W, HI Holt.

("IT^ OK \VAslllN(i TON,

i)is1rii:t of dnhimhia, ss :

Menry VV. I'ibott. beinj;- duly swuin, deposes and says: I am a resi-
dent of l'U!Veh\nd. Ohio, where 1 was Ixnii; am Kl years of ajjfe, and
am a citi/eii oJ the IJniled States.

1 first visited the i'ribilof Ishunls in Apiil, 1872, under the joint
appointment o.' the I'nited States Treasury Depaitnn-nt and of the
Snrilhsonii'U Institution, and residid thtsreon until Auj;us;, IS7.'?. In
18'i i I m.ide anothei- prolonjifd visii under the authority of a special
act of Congress. I visited tiie islands ajjain brlelly in IS7t», and during
JNIay, Jiuu', 'lul\. and Au^iusl. under authority oi" a spej-ial act of Con-
gress, in IS'.Mi. Durinj;- each visit I carerully studied the seal life on
these islantls, and i n vest ijia ted the habits of the fur seals. In these
; ears 1 also \isitcd the various islands in and around Heriufj Sea, the
.eading ports and inhabited places on the mainland and islands of
Alaska in the Tacilic Ocean, as als(» the ports of British (Jolumlua and
the I'uited Slates; witnessed the methods of pclajiic sealiuf;^, con-
versed with many pelaj:ic seal hunters, shipmasters, and fur traders,
and sought in all possible ways to acquaint myself fidly with seal life
ami the taUiiiii' of seals.

t'l.lMAIIC l'<lNlilTI<)\8 OI l>l!IIUI.<>l' ISI .\M»«

The Tribiiof Islands posL,esH a peculiar climate. There are but two
seasons, winter and summcM-; the former begins with Ni>vember and
ends w'tti .April, the mean tempeiatuiti being lib'^ to li«»'^ F. above zero;
8umi:!e> livings oidy a slight elevation in the temjterature, between 15^
or L'O , s,, that tlie mean temperature of that i eason is 40^ to MP.
With the opening of the summer, about the Ist of May, a (!ol<l, moist
fog settles down upon these islands, and is ever present until tlie latter
part of October. It is doul)tless to this renuirkably damp and sunless
atmosphere, ;.ogether with the isolatiim of thes«> islands, and the fact
that fnnn tl'^eir foiniation they are rapidly drained, that the seals seek
thi'na islands to breed; in fai^t, it is necessary that such a sunless and
moist climate with a low temperatuie should exist tor this species of
I'ur seal when on land, and it becomes highly important that they should
be so protei'ted as to make their chosen home as free from unnecessary
niolestatum as possible. It is i\i\\U' certain that the seal herd whi(;h
jiereunially fre«pientsthe I'ribilof Islands has no other tttrrestrial haunt,
and now nev r lands, even temporarily, on any other terra tirma in or
boun<ling the Tacilic Ocean or Ih'iing Sea.

VVhei; all the climatic, topographi(\d, aiul other facts are considered,
which are so remarkably favorable to st'al lile on the Fribilof Islands,

SEAL LII'K ON TIIK rRIIHUU' ISLANDS.

IGfl

plain p,
laciated
tomachs
ted lood

save in
ruetural
t lor the

M. I).

in a resl-

;i<'i', and

the Joint
d of the
ST.'t. In
[I special
(Idnrin;;
tot Con
al life on
In these
Si'a, tlie
"ilantls of
inltia and
[w^, <'on-
trade IS,
seal life

but two
her and
>ve zero;
ween l^P
to UP.
d, moist
le latter
sunless
the faet
Mils seek
dess and
)ecie8 of
>y should
ie«M'ssary
id which
al liaunt,
•nia in or

nsidered,
Islands,

and which, with the exception of the Coniniaiuler islands of Ifussiii,
can not be tound anywhere else in tin' Northern Pacilic (tr lierinj; Sea,
the rciisons are plain why these islands liiive been selected by the fur
seals for their brcedinj:' resorts, since reprodnetinn of tlieir Uind can
not be ctfectc«l in tlie sen.

My personal observation and study of seal life dnrlnjj the piist
twenty years have led nu' to the ci-rtain «'onclusi<Mi thai all tin- herd of
fur seals [iUiUoihlnutt iirsiniift) which now make their aniiu;il nii<>ratioii
from and back to the I'ribilof Islands (de.s(ril)ed hereafti'i) were all
born in .Inne and July (annually) upon th4> I'ribilof Islands, pass the
tirnt four months of their existence on rhese islands, musing' at irrej'U-
lar intervals, learning to swim, and in shedding; their fetal coats of
black hair Ibi- their sea<;oin}>' Jackets of Indr and far. leaxe in Novem-
ber, and annually return there to spend from four to six months of each
year. In my published ob.servations of LSTl* an<l ISTl I lluuiyht it
possible there ini<>'ht be some conunin};lin<>' of the I'ribilof seals with
the seal herd of tlie Kussian Islands, luir from my snbsetpu'iit study of
their mijiratlons and of th' "arietal ditferences in the herds in the two
localities, it is now very clear to nni that they never nniiffle on the
islands, (-ach herd keeping tt> its own side of the ocean and annnally
resortinji' to its <»wn llxe<l bre«'ding ni'onmls.

AHun.M. (IF nil': mi. is.

Between the 1st ami "»tli of May a few of the adult mah's (bulls) nniy
he fonnd upon the breeding gronmis <ui the I'ribilof Islands, but many
(tf them may be seen swinuning a short «listance from the shore for sev-
eral (lays before landing. The method of hmding is to ronu' collectively
to these rookeries which they o(rcnj»ied the fornu'r season, but whether
a bull always takes up the same position or stiiv<'s to do so I was unable
to gather sullitnent data to determine, niy opinion bt'liig to the onitrary.
After lamling, the bulls tight furiously for positions npon the rookeries,
the place of advantage being nearest the sea.

I .\Kri\.

All the bulls, IVom the tinn' they have established tiiemsdves upon
the breeding grounds, do not h'av«' them lor a single instant, night or
day, noi tlo they until the end «>f the lirecding season, which closes
sonu' time between the 1st an-' Kith of August as a iiile. The bulls
therefore for the space of thr«'e or lour months abstain entirely from
food of any kind or water. When they do return to the water they are
greatly ennu-iatcd and hu^k life and activity. But the fenniles, diiectly
t<> the contrary, feed at frequent iidervals during the suckling period,
and at the eiul of the season are as sleek and fat as when they tiist
hauled oiJ.

AUIil\ Al. ul rilK IdWs,

The cows, or fenniles, begin to conn^ up from the sea during the lore
part of .Inne, aiul after continual battles between the rival bulls are
iina'ly settled upon the rookeries. All the females of 'J years of age or
older "haul up" on the breeding rookeries, whether they are pregnant
or not, and during the period from dune until the middle of August
they may be found coining and going almost ciuitinuously to and from
the rookeries, except a. few barren e<»ws, which 1 will mention here-
after. The pregnant cows lain) upon the islands from ..istinetive knowl-
edge that their period of gestation, which is ab(mt twelve monthS)

ON THE PHIBILOK ISLANDS

ItM-kiiiji only a A*\r <la,ytt, hem eoine to iiii end. Ah tlie jMips (the young
ae;iis) (!an nor be Imhmi in ttU** wati^r, tlie female's instinct causes her t«
seek th«' lanti, iipon wjiieh iwr youiiy is broujiht forth. s«)nu'!tiuies in a
few lionrs, but usually in a day or two. aft^r lan«lin;;.

The bulls on rhe lookeriesare .*t ;i«ast (> years of age, that beiii^' about
th«' time when rliey attain th»*-' ,''o\vth. »he a^e of puberty being
pr<)babl> altout ."> y.-ars. The r#rmaii.«ler of the nnile seals. l)eintr those
y<Minj;er an<l less ixMwerful.eaJled - baeheJors," i will reJier to later. The
t;ows probably reach th»'ir gi»'»wth betweei. 4 ami •*• years, but give birth
to their first ^»np w\iru .i, so f«at -a^wa J ^««rH *At\ are found upon the
bivedin;: gn)n«Ml<s: they are rlw* JinMU*^.

X* the cows i>H«# up on the shores nb^y mf Met by the bulls, who
coax and nrj^e vhew ->»ward tlieir <twn pot*»rioit otf the rookeries. Dur-
ing tills process rlie MM»st liiltet tights occnrrei" b^nween the bulls for
j^wseshioii of the eow. '( 1.S7U-IM74; those iiea.iv>«* rjt4> water jieing the
most advantageously |i>< >«ted, obr^iineii the greafWHt number for their
harems, snutetinies having as mans .i^s *4hir ."lOctwws in th«'ir pcwsession,
while those farther iniaii<l i«»nld obtain sonietinu's oiilj J or .'t: it was
v«'ry ditlicnlt t(» li\ the average niiiuber -j^' com's ii. a loHem in IST'J-
1H7I, but I estimated it at about !.'> or 'JO.

l'K.I.\<il<: iMlllo.N IMI-O'^^'llllf.

In the act of coition on t|ie breeding rookeries I have nti^^.r<l the tact
that no etfecti\(> eoitioii took pI'M-e until the tow <' as bi'oUl||^ > toor
laid agaiiisr an ine<|iia!it,\ «»f th*- rookery or tVagnu'iit of tli« 1191 t uit,
in spite of the Inilk «•!' the tnaW' being so great and vk^MmM tt\>< n the
female a *U*' lies n|*irti her bellv. tin- orgasms are s«> rapid mwS violeni
that sln' i-. shoAcd forw.ird mdeK> soii** if >strnei ion holds her ,\\ jdace.
This fHrt is. I lM»4J4'\e. sufti< iei«1 to satiety anyone who cai'el'iill\ ronsid
«'rs the mattcF -tfeiit it is :i ph\>.i4-al impossibility for these .seal' to <opn
late ill til*' wat*y In my opinion th»ie i> im> cdiieeivable po.« ■ i<M' in
whieh etVe'ual euition ♦an fake place in the water. I also <»</.♦ ■« vH
that the perio'l of eoimection in tlieearly part ol tb#«»e-i son InstC ' '''
eight to font te*-!! iHMini-ri. ai d in the latte. p»it.w|icn the Itull w.i. .. /
as vi;:oi-oiis. fr<»«> Umt bwsix minutHv^

I H I y*

'I'he pup when boniean not s\»lm. If he is thrown a rod or two
the water, his liead,wlii<'h is heavy, will immediately sink, and his
terior parts rise to the surface HiiHfH-ation is only a matter of a

;

SKAL LIFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

167

iiiiiiutes. Until he is alinoKt six \veek.> oUl a pu)i can not live in the
water, lie then bejjins to try the water, never fioiofj; intentionally
beyond liis depth: soon liebe(ton)e» holder and strikes out, nsin^ at HrHt
only liiH lUppers; then he ^rows more and more expert, until finally the
sea alonj;shore is his frequent abidinj; pla<'e. The yoaiiH; seal, there-
tore, up to the time it leurns to swim, is a land animal — in iu> way a
tull-th'd^ed amphibian; and it requires tour months of suckling by its
niotlier on the laml before it becomes able to shift for itself and is
abandoned by its parents.

ItAKItKN I'KMAI.KS.

Whenever a female ceases to breed ov is barren she hauls up with
the bachelors, and no longer goes on the breeding grounds; she, how-
ever, can be easily disfinguislied, and whenever «)ne becanu' mixed in
a drive the natives ]>ointed her out to me in 187i;-IS7l. The whole
nund)er of barren cows was then very inconsiderable.

tNATTArni:i> mai.k^.

lichind the harems then; were always a number of idle and vigorous
bulls in i<S72-IS7t, who were unable to obtain any consorts, but they luul
t/O (losevtire battle to nmintain their ])osition at ail.

lilMOKIiANI/.ATIoN OK THK ItOOKKIIIICH.

liet wi^en the L'oth of July, when the rutting season closes, and the oth
or Stli of August, the harems have changed from their nu^thodical com
|)act disposition on the nxtkcries. The old bulls begin to leave; the
pups are gathered into pods or groups. The cows, pups, and idle bulls
iieforc mention ,1 now take possession of the rookeries is a disiudered
manner, togctlici with a large contiii;:ciit of thebaclmlor seals, who have
not thus far been permitted to ,'and on the bleeding grounds by the other
niiilcs. Ily the middle of August three fourths of the ,'ows spjmd the
greater part of tlicir time in the water, only coming on shore at irregular
ititervals to nurse their youiij;. Tlie food of tiie fur seals is inaiidy lish,
K(piids and crustaceans, and iiioriiers, while nursing their young, I am
satislied. go great distancesin Bering Sea for tiiis foot! — ."•(>, HKI,and«iveii
L'(M> miles away Irom the I'rilulof Islands foi that sultsistcnce.

swrMMiNti <)! si;ai>.

I am unable to state |>ositivt ly how rapidly a seal can swim, but f
have seen sipiads of youn;.v bachelors follow tjie revenue cutter. /tV/i
ainr, upon which I was, swiiuming alon;;side and around the vessel for
hours, when she was moving at tiie rat(M*l' 14 knots an hour. .My «>pinion
is tliat the itaehelors an<t those cows \s liicli are not hoa\ y with pups can
travel through the water fnun IS to L'O miles an hour tor many consecu-
tive hours without pausing to rest.

liOLLirSCniCKlK, OR IIACUKI.OU M'lAI.S.

The mah' fur seals under the age of (i years are not allowi'd to land
upon the breeding grounds by the older and stronger males, aiMl so are
coiiipelled to herd by themselves. These seals are called holliischickie
or itaehelors, and the places whi(;h they occupy on land are called haul-
ing grounds, in contradistiiu-titui to tln^ breeding ronkeries. It is from
this class of seals that the killable seals are selected.

A ''

i
i

•i I

i' II

168

SEAL LIFK ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

I.OCATlNd TIIK IIAUMNd OIIOINns.

Tlu' liiuiling yi'ouiuls are located on the low. IVee bea«;lios not o<;cu-
pied by the breeiliii^ ^rouiiiiis, or else iiihiiid behind Mie harems. In
the hitter ease, huies are leit b«!tweeii thi^ harems by tlie ohl bulls for
tlie baehelors to pass to and from the sea. In ISTl' I noticed one of
these lanes on the I'olavina rookery and the one at Tolstoi and the
two at the IJeef r(»okery, but when I returned in 1S7I the lanes had
been entirely closed u|>. I»ut the otlu'r locations on unoceu]>ied beaches
are the most favoicd haulin;;' ^n)nn(l>. 'i'iie biichclors when on land
can b«- readily sej>aiated into their se\«'ral class«'s as to n^". by the
color of their coats and sizes.

' imn iN«i TIIK si:ai> to tut. kii.i ixi. (.iioinos.

Only th«' bachelor seals of from iJ to .") years of a^je have been killed
by the lessees of the islands. No female has been ()r is allowed !<) be
taken; a few have been killed by accident. A number of seals are
driven from the hauling' jjrounds to the killin;^' grounds after being
separated tVom the rest by the natives. They can l»e driven safely at
the speed of half a mile an hour, providing the weather is reasoind)ly
wet and .-old. On arriving at the killing grounds they are killed with
clubs and tln'ir skins removed. During my visit to the islands, in 1S!)0,
1 was led to the coni-lusion that some unnec<'ssary loss of life had been
oc<-asioned by excessive driving, and that the methods of culling the
herd must be abolished; but tins loss, which is liad enough, bears in>
<;oni])arison in its injurious etTect upon the herd to that loss by reason
of indiscriminate slaughter which is i!illict<'<l upon the fur seal herd
unchecked by ]>elagic hunting. Ol this 1 will speak later. Heside.s,
the injurious ellect of excessive driving can be easily corrected, it
w^as stopped in IS'.K), and has been stdl further restrictetl since on the
ishnxis.

wiaoiiT AMI si/v: ok mai.s.

.\ bull when full grown weighs between 100 and .jOO pounds, some-
times even (iOO, and measures from (> to 7 led in length. The female
weighs from 70 to \'2i\ pounds, and measures I tu i.^, U'vt in length.
The bachelors, over 1 year and u|) to ."> ycais old. weigh from ">0 to 2(K)
]>ounds. and arc trom 4 to •*>.] or <» feet in length.

ItKrAKTCKK Ol I'lir. SI AI-.

Abmit the 1st of Novend)er the great mass of tin' cows and bachelors
begin to depart, ai.d the pups lollowing from the islands, going south-
ward, the old ludls having nearly all lueeeded them in September and
October. Some, however, remain as long as the ice and snow will i)er-
mit, and when the winters are mi!<l and little h-c is abiuit the islands,
which (X'casionally occurs, fur seals are seen there until late in .lanuary
iu snndl nundters, a few hundreds at the most.

Tin: MIOHATION Ol Till I'KIHII.ol' M'.AI. IIKKh.

To this, my attidavit, i appeml a track <'hai t ' of the path traveled by
the Pribilof fur-seal herd in the North l'a<'ill(! Oiean from the time it
leaves the seal islands and ISering Sea in th*' late autumn until it
reenters Hering Sea in .lune or Jth to loth of July folhiwing. l''rom
records kept at Tnalai-ka and I'mnak for the last eighty years, a>id
from other informati<Hj, 1 believe it to be a fuct, \v«ll settiiid, that the

• "Not Inrnished."

.Iw ~ii*,,4(«„«

somc-
fcinale

h) to l.'(M)

ii'lH'lors
south-

j<M- iiiid
ill per-

slillldH,

iiiiuary

i>I«'(l by
tiiiio it
until it
I'roin
rs, and
hat the

SKAL LII'K ON THK I'RIIULOI' ISLANDS.

169

fur seals n*yulaily pass out t'nun the wati-rs of Hcriiijr Sea into the
North I'atMlie l>y the middle or end of Noveinher as a l)ody: that these
animals do not turn to the eastwaid and up l>y the p<>ninsular and
Kadiak coast, Wut keep directly south till Inst to view.

I'"r()m ship captains who liave sailed durin;; the last twenty yeai's
between San Kran«'iH«"o and IMif^et Hound. I liave learned that wiiile
makinn out from San l-'rancisco from the Sound, a lonn westerly reah,
they have seen Iar;;e nuinhers ot' fur seals St>(» (»r more miles at sea in
.lanuary or late December movinj; toward the Ciilifornia Coast. Karly
iti .January the lirst stra;.;filers be;;in to a|»|>ear <tlf the California Coast
and by the middle of I'diriuiry the main body of the heid ariives
simultaneously oil between Santa Barbara and (.'ape .Mendocino, l-'rom
this point the projLi;ress of the herd iu)rlliward is indicated on the chart
hereto attached.' The fact of this annual iniiiration ol the I'ribilof fur-
seal herd and the n)ute there«>f is stated frcm knowledjj** derived from
my own study in the Hehl, i;nd from the testimony of those traders .iud
mariners who responded to m,\ in<piiries at i'nalnska. Cmak, .Sannak,
Beleovskie, Kadiak, Nuehek, Vakutat, Sitka. Kort Simpson, Victoria,
I'ort Townsend. /.nd Astiu-ia.

TUK iiKitn visrr oxi.v thk im ack or iukik imktm.

Fi-oi'.i all tin- facts that have come to my knowledfje in relation to the
annual migration of the fur .seal herd, and also Iroin information care-
fully (gathered. I am convin<-ed and believe that the Tribilof herd of fur
seals now never lanil upon any other coast or islands sive the I'ribi-
lof <.;roup, the land of their birth. At no lime alon^° the coast does the
I jnl approach nearer than }j;unshot of the .shore, and is olten KM) t'tl'(H)
miles distant therefrom.

(iitow iM OK I'K.i.xtiic si:.\r ixo.

When 1 lirst visiti'd .Maskan waters in l.st».")~(»(», and a;.;ain iii i.sTli,
peia};i<' .sealing was almost unknown, except by hulians in canoes aloii^
the North Pacific Coast and the catch w.is small, from "•.(lOO to Itt.tMM)
annually. In l-SS."* it bej;an toassunu* lar^^er proportions, for while men
then embarked, and in ISSti the number of vessels en;;a;ted with white
crews in jM^la^fie seabn;; was 17; the numliei' in iS'.iOwas 42, ;indin 1S".»1,
Ht) known craft; and i:)robably 10 or \- more clearing for *■ whidin<;and
tradinji,"' where, in fiM-t, they intende<l to seal.

The distim-tive etlWrs of open-\vat«'i' killinj; on the seal lienl may be
Ix-tter understtKxl by »\.aminin^^ the manner in which pelagic .sealing is
now carried on.

WANNKK ol CKI.AtiK sK.M.INti.

A seiUinj; s<'hooner is -ieldom over SO or under U( tons measurement,
einployiuff l."» or L'O men. The vessel sails well into the track of the
rni^ratin^ lierd of fur seals. iOach boat, to the number ot 7 or S, is
manned with two men, one of whom rows: tin- other sits mi the bow
with his shotgun «)r lille and j^affpole. The lioat also contahs^ .i s..;all
ke^; of water, some provisions, ammunition locker, skinnin;: k. lives, and
an «'.\tra pair of oars and sail. Thes<' boats are let down over the side
of the vessel, and row out oih' after the other to tin; windward, taking
nji positions just so far from «'iM'h other as to be in hail of the one next
to tlu'iii toward the schooner: in this way they can cover »», 7, or 8
mih>.s, and the fuithermost may be out of si;;ht of the s< homier.

■'Ik-

,i ii.

!' 1

ill

It^n 1

> *' Not t'liriiiaked."

ITT

170

SEAL LIFE OX THE PUIIULOF ISLANDS.

When tliu hunts have taken tlieir position tlio oarsman just i^cepHtlie
boat^H nose to tlie winil, aiil tli«> liuiiter keeps a lookout tor seals.

A t'ur H(sil, when dist^overcd by the hunter in theoj i^n ocean, is either
sleepin;*' or teeWinfj;, ami so tlie only ciaHsilication by these linnters is
"tee»b'rs" or *' sleepers." It is an absolute impossibility for the hunter
to determine the sex or the aye of any fur seal when in the water, until
it iH dia^^ed into the boat.

in swimminj:; tlie seal is always sultmeryed several feet below the sur-
faee. The seal also devours its foo<l beneath the water. It is, however,
compelled to eome up every three, live, or lifleen minutes to breathe,
rising: head and slioulders above the water for a Hecoiid or two. If the
seal rises very near the hunter's boat it will dive ayain too ipiickly to
bo shot at, but it it raises .'SO, ")(» or 100 yards from the boat, it will ])iiUHe
•A moment — lony enou;;'h for the hunt<>r to shoot at it.

If the seal is not hit or is wounded it at once dives and can never be
seeured; if it is kllle<l by the shot it sinks, and nidess the iioat is m(»ved
up in a minute or two t«> the spot where the animal sank the eareass will
be invisible from the surfiu;e. If, however, the seal hap])ens to be
wounded so as t<» be stunned or da/ed, it will thmnder on the surface
of the water until sei'ured. KiXcepI, therefore, in the last peculiar man-
ner of wonndiufj, the seal hunter never known whether he has ndssed,
wounded, or killed the seal. Provided, howev«'r, the boat van be rowed
immediately to the sp(»t where the seal was, whiiih depends on the aceu-
ra«'y of Mxinjr the spot — necessarily a most dirt' "ult nmtter — the hunter
may perceive the sinkiii}; body, if the seal was killed, some I, <», or 8
feet below the surface. In that case he reaches down with his ^atV and
fastens on to the carcass ami drays it up to the boat. Seals wounded
either fatally or sliyhtly are nev<'r found. They instantly dive and
swim away, to perisli soonei' or later.

TMK W.\*TK Ul' Mil:.

A hunter takes, .say, LMM> cartri<lj;es when he leaves the .sclioctuer in
the moiiiiiiy, and after pcrliaps sixteen horns' work returns to the v«'s-
Hel with all these expended. If for these lie can sho\v 10 or 1*2 skins it
Is c(msidered a yood day's woik. The pelayic hunter < ertainly kills and
fatally wounds a very Im j^e niimbei i»f aninnils which he never secures
tin* l>odies of, the nunil>cr hit and secured dependiu}'- \«'ry largely upon
the retrieving skill ot the hunter. From c«Miversations 1 have had with
pelayic hunters, 1 am of the o]»iiijoii that a larye majority of them do
not yet oiu' out of evi-ry li\i> that they shoot at within and lieyond a
ranye of ."»o vards. .\t .io to ."io vards' clistance they ani almost .sure to
hit them iltlie,\ use biu-Usliot. No hnntci' who uses a yuu can tell the
exact nuiiiltcr lu' secures, as ompared with the nundier he kills or
fatally wounds, lie can not f»«»s.vil)|y tell tin' truth, even if he wants
to do so. He ii>nan> bla/es :i\va.\ at every seal that rises within ranye
to a hundred yards or even lartlu'r.

The Indian hunters accumpaiiyiny a sealiny schooner yeneially u.se a
tijyyle licaded sprar, tasti'iied to tlic canoe by a line which they use.
After a storm tiie seals sleep more than at any other time, and it is
then the Indian hunt(>rs are let down in tlieii' canoes ami paddle
otV to the windward, the hunter standiny or sqnattiny in the bow,
spear in hand, lookiny for the protrudiny nose <d' a sleepiny seal.
WIu'U a "slee|»er" is seen, the canoe is silently paddled as near the
aninnd as possible, tin* spear is thrown, and if the .seal is stru(!k she
is dragyeii into the eam)e by the line. .\n Imlian hunter secures
nearly every seal he strikes; but it is also indiscriminate slauyhter, as
he ean not distiuguish the age or sex of the "sleeper'* before striking it.

SI.AL LIl r, ON THK PIJlBFLoF iSI.ANhS.

171

I'llOlllltlTIDN IN ItKlilNti SUA .\NI> NOKIII IV\(II l( MlK-SAItY.

After ciin't'iilly exiiiiiiiiiii^ tliu situation, actiiiil records, and trust-
Avortliy testimony of men en;>ii;4'ed in sealin};, with wimni I havu eon-
vers' d, and also from l<n<)\vled;ie of tiic niitriiitory lialtit and peeuliar
4:ireiiinstane4;s of seal life, I am of tiie opinion that unchettiied pehi;>iu
seaiiiiK is sure, speedy destruction of the I'ribilof herd of fur seuLs;
that if allowed to continue, and the lleet increases in nundterof veMsels
and increased skill u. hunters, even though the present modus vivendi
should remain in force, it would result in the utter commercial ruin uf
the herd ; that in order to preserve the seals from (;otnplete destruction,
as a commercial factor, it is necessary that pelagic sealing should not
oidy be prohibited in Hering Sea, but also in the North ra<iilc, from
the 1st of May until the end of October, annually. The pcia;;ic huntera
t<) day kill at least !>0 per iient <m)ws, the {jreat majority beiiiff with
youn;;, nearly ready for <lelivery, in the Pacitic Ocean.

As the vl.ysical conditions are such that it is utterly impossible to
discrimi.iate in matters of sex or nfHi when shooting,' or spearing in
the water, it is evi<lent that pelagic sealing can not i>e regulated in the
slightest degree beyfuid its complete prohibition within c(>rtain lindts.
A /.one or belt of 'M or even more ndles about the I'ribilof Islands will
be entirely inettective. No pelagic sealing can be pt'rmitted in llering
Sea with safety to the preservation of the herd, and the pnddbition
should extend into the North I'acilic to a period sullic-iently early (at
least by the 1st of May) in the season to protect in great measure the
pregnant female seals as they pass along up the coast.

The visit which I nmde to the I'ribilof Islands in 1S!)0 satisfied me
that a very great tiecrease had taken place in the seal h»*rd which
annually resorts to those islands. My observations in 1S7L', 1.S74, and
187(5 led me to the con(!lusii)n that, pidvided matters were conducted
in tiie seal islands as tliey were then. 1()(),(HM> male seals under ."» years
of age might be safely taken each yeai' without injury to tiie regidar
biith rates or natural increase of tiie herd, providt-d no abnormal cause
of destiiK'tion occurred, lint in IS'.tO I found an entirely ditlercMit (!ondi-
titai of affairs existing. Thisdecii'iise I atliibiite in tin' gieatest nu'as
lire to the pelagic sealing abov»' UK'utioned. Its cIVect has l)«'«'n so gn'at
tliat there is demanded, in my opinion, a cessation of all killing on the
islands, except for the necessities of the natives for a few years, as well
as the permanent |noliibitioii of pelagic sealing, as already indi<'ated,
thus giving an o|)poitunity for tin- herd to reestablish itsi'lf approxi-
mately to its ntninal coiiditioiss. W'iien tiie killing is again permitted
on the islands for commercial purposes the regulations of the 'freasury
l>e|)artment<'aii l»e rigidly enforced. overdrivingcan easily he prevented,
and the present killing of pups liy the natives f(»r food slioiihl be pro
hibited. at least until the lierd shall have reached the form ami condi-
tion which I found during l.s7l.'-IS7(!.

NVitki .Aiich regulations in force, and with pelagic sealing dis<-oiiiinued,
it may l)e conlidentl.N anticipated that within a few years this species,
so valuable to the human race, will be icstored to a condition which
will render it valuable auw again to tli<^ comnu'rce ol' the civilized
world; and this restorati<»n will piove enduring.

ni;NJ{^ VV. Klliott.

Subscribed and sworn to before me. a notary i>ublic in and for the
JUstrict of I'idundua, this l.Uh day of April. ISJH',

[L. s.] Seveli.on A. Bkown.

ipf

iPi

i£m

172

SKAL IJFK ON THE PKIIUhOF ISI-ANDS.

Unitki) Statks Toast and <Jeoi>ktio Sirvky.

Stfomtr MrArthin-, linrmlnr 9, ]S9i'.
Hon. John \V, Fostkk,

Scvirttirif of iStiii),, WasliiniifoH, />. r.

Siu: I liiivctlu'lioiiortoforwiird tli«'iil1i<liivit (l«'sir<'{l,aii(l will toiwiird
tbe duplicate tomorrow,

\Ve aiiclioiod oil" Se<*liat villajrc at ',\.'.\0 p. in. April 20. Our native
chit'f came alouffside and was riMpu'sted to conu' on hoard in tlie niorii-
in;; and bring with liini soin4> ol'tlie rliict' men of Mie village, lie had
))lanned to f^o liuntin;;: wild j^eese, whieli were l'.yin«;- at the time; so I
])roniised him •<'$ in- $"» for his loss of time and to aci'iunpany us to other
villages. We took their testimony in the moi'uing of the iMst, and ran
to another village, anchoring at I4K45 a. m., took testimonv and left at
l.L'O. Anchored olV Ichielet at li.4(» and left at ljr». An«'linre<l off
Taylor Island at 7.J(» ]>. m. and left for Port Townsend at 10 ]>. m.

Two to three dollars were given to each head chief and (Mie ilollar
each to the others for their loss of time and ivitness te*- after testimony
was given. All that was requested of them was to answer the «|uestion8
truthfully. Tlu^ white storekee]>er was on hoard but a few minutes, and
was invited to take a glass of beer or liquor. The pi-iest dined on board,
and, I believe, took a drink aiul some claret wine. We were not long
enough in any one place to intoxicate anyone if we had been foolish
enough to do so, I sincerely believe they would give the same
teHtimony to an ICnglish paity at any time.

There were four commissioned oHicers of the Navy present during the
testimony, and as nniny of the witnesses could speak and understand
Knglish, all weie satisMetl of tlu'ir truthfulness.
Verv I'espeet fully,

W. V. Kav,
Liciitntoiit, I'liili'^l Sfiilts Snt'if, Cotniintinliinj.

IttiHmtiiin oj' W, /'. linji.

Statk OI" (.Ialuokvma:

W. I*. Kay, being <luly sworn, deposes and says: I am an ollicer in
the Tnited States Navy, holding the grade of lii'utenant. Under
instructions from Washington I went from Port Townsend to l(ar<;lay
Bound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, April 1!>, l.S!>2, in the
steamer McArlliitr, of the Hinted States ('«)ast Survey. I returned to
Port Townsend three days later. Tlie object of my visit to Barclay
Sound was to procure inibrmation in the form of atlidavits as to the
habits of the fur seals, to be used in the pending arbitration with (ireat
Hritaiu. 1 visited the various points in that vicinity inhabited by the
Indians, and took the testimony of a number of these people and of
the priest of the village. For greater convenieiuie I took the testimony
aboard the steamer, and I agn-ed to pay, and <lid pay, each witness a
reasonable sum for attendance, which sum «lid not exceed the usual fee
allowed a witness in a court of Justice, The total amount disbursed
by me in obtaining the testimony of these witnesses was .*.■{."», which
amount was distributed among l."> men. It was made up partly of the
amount i>aid to each individual witness on account of his attendance
on board my vessel, ])artly of sums paid out to men wh(» undertook to
ascertain the whereabouts of (;ertain of the witnesses and secure their
attendance as above. Kach witness received a plug of tobacco. No
other gratuity of any sort was dispensed.

jL..^.

SEAL LIKE ON THE I'KIIULOI' ISLAND!^.

173

At no time during my stay at llarirlay Suiiiid was any intoxiciitiu);
liquor (liHpt'nseil to any iiativ«' witiu'ss, nor was any witness nn<h'r the
influence of licpior at the time wlieii 1 took his testimony. We were
not more than two and a lialt' iionrs at any one vilhi^e.

The testimony wiiich 1 obtained was };iven in every instiinee willin^^ly
and elieerfnlly. Neither tlie witness tees nor tlie <;ratnities aho\ e men-
tioned formed any part of tlieeonsideration for the <>ivin^of tliis testi-
mony, and I tirmly Itelievt^ thi^ same statenu'iits will lie made to anyone
visiting; tlie plaee for information it any time.

.lust iM'fore leavin<f, Chief Ohaiiie. chief of police, stated that he and
his peo]ile liad ;:'iven food, clothing', shelter, and protection to nniny ship-
wrecked Americans, and he requested blue cloth enough to make a uni-
form suit, as he «'oidd not procure any tln-re. It was y:iveii to him as a
s)ij;lit acknowled};ment of his kindness tn «mr people in distress.
Value, * 10.

W. v. Hav,
l/initi'Hiiul, rnittil StatfH Stirif.
<'onnnnii<liiiji Cntist Surrri/ iShtinitr MrArlliiir.

Sworn to before nu' tiiis Uth day of heircmbcr. IS'.H'.

[.SEAL.j .\. S. M AOOttNALI).

Ao/rt/// I'lihlir ill mill fur Alamnla Coiinty, Stnlv of i'nlij'oriiiii.

Ihposilion of (', I.. Hoojur.

DiSTRIO"" Ol- COI.I MHIA,

('it J of \Vanhiiijiton, sm:

Per.sonally appeared before me t'. 1.. Hooper, who. beinji' didy sworn,
dejioses and says: I am "iK years «»f aif.^'; a resident of Oaklainl, Cal.,
and am an ollic«'r in the United States K'Vi'nui'-Miirine Service, hohling
the jirade of captain, and iromnnindin^ the I'uited States n^venue-
steamer Vorinii.

In obe<lience to instructit»ns from the Secretary of the Treasury, I
cruised in the North I'adllc Ocean fr(»m .March S) to .May l«», 1H1H', for
the purpose of investigating; the habits of the fur seal when at sesi.
During these investigations 1 had «>«-(;asion to take the depositions of a
nund)er (»f natives and white men familiar with the subje(;t.

Durin;; a jxu'tion of Septend)er, all of ()<-tober, and a portion of
November these investij^ations were continued in the vicinity of the
Aleutian An^hipelatro, and a number of de|»ositions were takeu also
from the mitivesol' the Aleut villafjes situated ther<'on.

No depositions were taken by me from the natives of N'aiu'onvor
Island, nor from the natives from any other localities except as pre-
viously iiulicated.

In no instance was liquor in any form ^-iven by me, or by anyone on
my vessel, to any artisint; in> alliant was under the intluence of licpior
wlien his statenn>nt was made; no undue intluen<-e of any sort or
descii|)tion was used; no {jratuities were jjiven; oidysnch witness fees
were paid as would be a fair compensation for lo.ss of tinu' when sucli
loss of tinu' actually occurred, and the testimony obtained was given
freely ami willingly.

Two huiulred and eighty depositions were taken, and the aggregate
foes paid was $()l>.r)().

C. L. HOOPKB.

Subscribed ami sworn to before me this 13th «lay of December, 1802.

[SEAL.] SEVELLON A, BEOWN.

TTT

III'

174

SKAL LIKE ON THE FUIKILoF ISLANDS.

IfepoHttion of Williaia II. Willitnnn.

UlSTIlK T OK C'OLUMIJLV,

Cifif of Wtmliiiuiton, sm:

Personally apiH'iii'Hl before me Williiiiii II. VViUiiiiiis, who lieiii); duly
Hwuni, tlepoMes and sayH: I leHiWe at VVflliiiKton, Ohio: I am ")« years
of age, and am I'liited States Tieasuiy ajjent in eharjje of tlie I'rihilof
iHlands.

I have seen several newspaper articles in whi(;h I am charged with
bavin^r ''suborned Indian testimony," with employing; >*uiifair means''
in obtaining midenie from Indians, ami that ronrlusive proof of thiH
miseondintt has been procured by Major Sherwoo*! of the Dominion
police.

The fa«-ts in connection with the procuring' of these depositions are
aH foUows: l)uriii<; the summer of 1S*)L* I had occasion, in aiccordance
with instructions from tlic Secretary of the Trt'asury, to take the depo-
sitioiisof certain natives eoncerinn;; the subjects of seal life and sealinj;
at sea. The Indians from whom I took depositions were the Makah
Imiiaiis at the Makah A^^ency, two Nitmit Indians at the same place,
and the mitives on the I'rilulof Islands. No depositions weie taken by
nie from any other natives, and 1 was never at Harclay SoumI, on the
wetst of N'aiu-onvei' Ulaml, or on the west coast of liritish Cobunbia.
In takin;>' depositions from the Makah Indians the oidy sum of money
l)aid was •*«:!..■»(>. whicli was j;iven by me to Chestoqua l*et«'rson, son of
the chief, f»»r his services as interpreter for two ami one-half days. On
the IM'ibilof Islands the sum of $'> was paid to Simeon Melivedof, a
lUitive and school teacher on the island, for four day8* services as a
copyist. These wt-re the (udy sums of money paid by me to Indians or
to natives, or to anyone in Alaska.

In no instam-e was any litpuir ;:iven to an aMiaiit by me, nor by any
one either directly or imlirectly associated with me; nor was any athant
under the intluence of liquor when his deposition was made or verilied;
and no undue intiuenee of any sort or description was employed. No
{gratuities in any form were {fiven. The testimony obtained was not
oidy fr<>ely and willin;j;ly given, in all instances, but often voluntarily.
This was especially true of the two Nitnat Indians.

In the case of the natives at the Makah Ajj;em!y, the depositions were
taken in the othce of the Indian aj^ent, Glynn, and under his personal
knowledge, lie is a radical in his opposition to the giving of intoxi-
cants to natives, and had anyone attempted to otter one of the Indians
licpior he woidd have been at (Mice ejected from the agency.

Wm. II. Williams.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of December, 1892.
JSKAL.J Chas. S. Ill ohks. Xotary Pnhlic.

Additional depoHition of WHUkhi II. WHliamn.

DisTRif'T OF Columbia,

Citt/ of Waxliinjiton, ss:

I'ersonally appeared before me William II. Williams, who, being duly
sworn, deposes and says: I reside at Wellington, Ohio; am of} years of
age, and am United States Treasury agent in charge of the Pribilof
Islands.

During the suininer of 18!)2 I luul occasion, in act'ordance with instruc-
tions from the Secretary of the Treasury, to take the depositions of cer-

1." !

..I.

SKAL LIFK ON THK I'KIIUIA'F ISLANDS.

I7r>

tain wliit«iiiiMi rdiHttM'iiiiif; tlieBiibiertoCHeiiliii^iitstsi. TlicilcpositioiiH
went taken in Vi(;toria iVoni sliip captains, seainun, boat piiliei-H and
Htoerors, s«'al iiuntcrs. and otliern intcrestiMl in seulinfj;, anion;? tlirni the
vice-president of tlie Seah'rs' AsHocialion. All <l<'positioii8 \v»Me taken
and veritled before tlie llnited States consid. Myers, at Vic'toiia. TliiM
was the only plare in wliirli I took depositions in Itritish ('olntid>ia. In
no instance was any liipior ^jven by nie to an atliant; nor was any alliant
under the intlnent*' of li(|nor when his deposition watt made or veiitied;
and no nndne intliience ot any sort or description was employed. No
gratnities were yiven. 'I'he testimony oiitaincd was, in all instances,
not only ;;iven freely and wililn;;ly, bnt oltcn voliintaiily. The iisnal
witness tees (in this case raniL;in); from ^l to m.'S) were paid, and oidy in
three instances was the latter sum jfiven. the usual pric«' bein;; ^-.

VVm. II. NV 1 1, LI VMS.

Sul»scril)ed and s\v<»rn to before ne this LM»th day of December, lHt»ii.
I8I;AL.| (JitAS. S. Ill tillKS, Xotarif I'lihlic.

IS were

M'sonal

intx)xi-

xlians

AMS.

•, 1H92.
ihlic.

Ih-fKtMttiint offlomplt Murrtty,

DlsrilK T OF COLIIMIUA.

City of W'onlii Hilton, hh :

Personally appeared before me.loseph Murray, who. beiii}: <Iuly sworn,
deposes and says: I reside at Fort ('ollins, Culo.; I am ■*»0 ycais of aj^e,
and am the tirst assistant Treasury ay:ent at the I'libilof Islands.

In obedience to instrnrtions iVtun the Set-retary of the Treasury, I

■<te:

Alltoti

accompanied tlie Kish <'
by that vessel during th(> month of April, IS!L', and took de|>osition8
from the mitives of Cooks Inlet and Prince William Sound. I also took
deiMtsitions in Kodiak, Victoria, Port Townsend, ami .Seattle from white
men. In no instance was any li<pior ^iven to an aftiant; nor was any
atliant under the intluence of liquor wlien his statement was made or
verilled; and no undue intluenceof any sort «tr description was employed.
No <-ompensation whatsoever was ;;iven by the (Joveinment to any
native or other person for any purpose, and the testimony obtainetl was
in all instances given freely and willingly.

.FoSKI'lI MURBAV.

Snbscribe<l an<l sworn to before nie this 21st day of hecend>er, 18*.Hi.
JSI'.AL.) .losKl'll A. IvlN.si.KV, Xotary I'ulilic.

DESTRl^CTION Ol" FKMALi; SKALS.

Textimony of Amerintii furriers,

Kelative to nnitter of d<q)letion of seal herds of the Pribilof Islands,
this most deploi-able fact is due in our opinion in great part, if not
en'' cly, to the action of sealers in the indiscriminate killing of these
aiiimai vhile in transit to and from these islan<ls for breeding puri)oses,
til' fem:i'es being killed in much greater ])roportionate numbers, owing
to t]<<Hv less aggressive nature and their being less able to escape.
Wh;!!j o 1 their way to these islands the cow (female) seal is in a condi-
tion of pregnancy, the period of gestation ending shortly after their
landing. If intercepted and killed while iu this condition the loss is
obvious. (G. G. Gunther's Sons.)

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

^
^

1.0

1.1

1.25

I'- li^

I. ^

1.8

U 116

Photograplil

Sdences

Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80

(716) S73-4S03

ITT-

■m

176

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

At that time (ISOij) be made his ]>urchasers from the Iiitliaiis on the
western coast of the American continent, who ofil'ered to liim only the
skins of female seals; that the ])rice he originally ])ahl for them waf- as
low as oO cents per skin; that he offered the Indians a much hijjher
price for male skins, and was tohl by them that the male seals could
not be caught, and that many Indians whom he has personally seen
kill seals, and from whom he has bouglit skins, have told him that male
seals and the young cows were too active to be caught, and that it was
only the female seals heavy with young whicli they could catcli. The
uuiles, for instance, as deponent was told by the seal hunters, come up
to the surface of the water after diving ofteu as nuich as a mile from
the place they went down, whereas the females can, when pregnant,
hardly dive at all.

Deponent says that, from his own observation of live seals during
many years, and from liis personal inspection of the skins, he knows
the difference between tlie skin of a female seal and a male seal to be
very marked, and that the two are easily distinguishable. The skin of
a female shows tlie marks of the breasts, about which there is no fur.
The belly of the fenntle s(;al is barren of fur also, whereas on a male the
fur is thick and evenly distributed. Tlie female seal has a much nar-
rower head than the male seal, and this difference is apparent in the
skins; also that the dillevences between the male a';d female seals' skins
are nuirked; that there is now and always has bce^i a difference in the
price of the two from oOO to "jOO per cent. For example, at the last sales
in London, on the U2d day of February, 1S1>2, tliere were sold .30,000
female skins at a price of 40 shillings apiece, and l.'},000 male seals at a
price of 130 shillings apiece, on an average.

Second. That from the year LS({4 down to the ])resent day deponent
or his tirm have been large purchasers of seal skins on the western
coast of America from the Indians and residents on the British coast;
and deponent believes tiiat he has handled nearly three-fourths of the
catch fnmi that time down to tlie present. That during the whole of
this i)eriod he has purchased from .'iO,000 to 40,000 seal skins a year, and
that he has personally inspected and pliysically handled the most of the
skins so bought by him or his tirm.

That from the year 1880 he has been in the habit of buying skins
from American and l^higlish vessels, engaged in what is now known as
poaching, and that he has persomilly inspected every cargo bought, and
seen unloaded from the ])oaching vessels, and subsecjueutly seen and
superintended the unpacking of the same in his own warehouse; that
the most of the skins mentioned as purchased by him have been bought
from the poaching vessels, and that of the skins so bought from the
vessels known as poachers deponent says that at least 90 per cent of
the total number of skins were those of female seals, and that the skins
of male seals found anuing those <!argoes were the skins of very small
animals, not exceeding 2 years of age; and, further, that the age of the
seal may be told accurately from the size of its skin.

Third. That the skins bought at Vi(!toria from the poaching vesseli
are shipped by liim largely to the firm of CM. Lampson & Co., in Lon-
don, who are the largest selleis of skins in the world, and the agents
of dei)onent's hrm; that he has been through the establishment of
C. M. Lampson tS: Co., in London, very frequently; that he has fre-
quently heard stated by the superintendent thereof that the great major-
ity of the skins received by them from what is called the ''Northwest
catch" — that is, the northwest coast of Victoria — are tlie skins of seals
caught by vessels in the open Facilic or the Bering Sea, and that a

SEAL LIFE ON THE PUIBILOF ISLANDS.

177

i on tlie
ouly the

I bi fiber
lis could
illy iseeu
II at male
it it was
jh. The
come up
lile from
regnant,

s during
le knows
ieal to be
le skin of
is no fur.
male the
luch nar-
Mit in the
sals' skins
lee in the
last sales

Id ;i(),ooo

seals at a

deponent

i western

isli coast;

hs of the

wiiole of

year, and

ost of the

ling skins
known as
lugbt, and

seen and
luse; that
in bought

from the
ler cent of
Ithe skuis
jery small

ge of the

^g vessels

in Lon-

lie agents

fhment of

has fre-

Mt major-

lorthwest

Is of seals

Wd that a

large proportion of said skins, amonntiiig to at least tM> i)er cent, were
in liis, the said superintendent's, judgment obviously the skins of female
seals.

Fourth. That deponent has Ireciuently recpiested the captains of the
poaciiiug vessels sailing from Victoria and other ports to obtain the
skins of male seals, and stated that he would give twice as much
money, or even more, for such skins than he would pay for the skins
of fenudes. Kach and all )i' the captains so approached laughed at
the idea of catching male seals in the open sea, and said tiiat it was
impossible for them to do it, and that they could not catch male seals
unless they could get upon the islands, which, except once in a long
while, they were unable to do, in conse(iuence of the restrictions imposed
by the United States Government; because, tliey said, the males were
more active, and could outswim any boat which tlieir several vessels had,
and that it was culy the female seals who wore heavy with young which
could be caught. Among the cai>tains of vessels with whom deponent
has talked, and who have stated to him that they were unable to catch
anything but females, are the following: Captain Catlicart, an Ameri-
can, now ab(mt 7.j years of age, who commanded the schooner iSan
Dietfo, imd who subse(iuently connnanded other vessels; Capt. Harry
Harmson, Capt. George VV". Littlejohn, Capt. A. Carlson, Gustav Sund-
vall, and others, whose names he does not now remember. (Ilerman
Liebes.)

I tind in handling the skins taken in Bering Sea that the teats of
those from the cow seals are much larger and much more developed
than from the ones taken in the North Paciitic before they have given
birth to their young; and the fur (Ui the belly of the former is thinner
and i)oorcr than on the latter, as a result, 1 suppose, of the heat and
distention of the udder consequent upon giving milk. (Isaac Liebes.)

In my examination of skins offered for sale by sealing schooners I
found that over W) per cent were skins taken from females. The sides
of the female skins are swollen, and are wider on the belly than those
of the males. The teats are very discernible on the females, and it
<!an be plainly seen wliere the young have been suckling. The head of
the females is also much narrower. (Sidney Liebes.)

I have read the albdavit of John J. riielan, verified the 18th day of
June, IS!):;. 1 was present at the exanunation of seal skins therein
referred to. While Phelan insi)ected all of these seal skins, I assisted
him in the insi)ection of about three-fourths of them. 1 know that of
tiiose insi)ected Jointly none were improperly classed as the skins of
female animals. (Chas. 10. ]Mc('lennen.)

I was visiting in San Francisco in the winter of 1S!)()-01, and I worked
in a fur store during several montlis of my stay tiiere, and I was called
on to liandh; ami inspect thousands of the skins taken by schooners in
Bering Sea, and they were nearly all cow seal skins. (Anton Melovedoff.)

In buying the catch of schooners engaged in the sealing business I
liave observed that fully oO per cent of them were females, and had
either given birth to their young or were heavy in pup when killed,
wliicii was easily observed by the widtii of the skin ;)f the belly and the
small head and development ot the teat. (It. II. Sternfels.)

The first; consignment was i>laced in cold storage at the Central Stores
in New York City. A short time since I consented, at the retjuest of
the United States (iovernn)ent, that this consignment be examined, in
S. Doc. 137, pt. I 12

178

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

order to tletciiniiie how luany female skiiKs it contained. To perform
the examination I detailed John J. J'helan. This man has been in the
emi)l<)y of my father or of myself since the year 18(18. J rejjfard him
as one of the most e()nii)etent, trustworthy men in our service. J have
read an aftidavit verified by him on the 18th of June. 1 agree entirely
with what he says eoncejiiinfi' his experience in the handling- and dress-
ing of skins, and from what J know ot his character and ability I
believe that evervthing stated by him in this aHidavit is correct. (Geo.
II. Treadwell.)

It is true that the Northwest Coast catches have of late years placed
upon the market a certain number of good skins which cimld be pur-
chased at i)rices far below those for which tiie skins of the Alaska
catch wcie sold. liut 1 realize that this can not continue to be the
case, for it is a matter of common knowledge among furriers that
these Northwest Coast catches are composed mainly of the skins of
female animals, and I understand that the killing of the seals is rapidly
impairing the v.ilue of the herd. (ISamuel Cllmann.)

I have for many years personally examined numerous shipments of
Northwest Coast skins purchased at Victoria. I have had such expe-
rience in handling fur-seal skins as enables me, readily in most cases,
but always upon careful examination, to distinguish a female skiu from
a male skin, and I know it to be a fact that a very large proportion of
the skins in such shipn)ents are those taken from female animals. It is
also true that a large number of skins in many of these shipments are
rendered almost valueless through the numerous bullet holes which they
contain. (Samuel Cllmann.)

I have observed that by far the larger ])ortion of skins purchased by
me were taken from female seals. Not less than eight out of every ten
were from cows with pup or in milk. (C. T. Wagner.)

During the i)ast two years 1 have handled large numbers of North-
west Coast skins (i. e., skins of animals taken in the I'acific Ocean or
in Bering Sea). I have assorted all of them, and iu doing so have
spe(!ially noticed the fact that a very large proportion were skins of
female animals. To determine this fact in the case of dressed skins I
see whether there are any teat holes. I never call a skin a female skin
unless 1 can lind two such holes on either side. These holes can be
easily distinguished from bullet or buckshot holes, of which there are
generally a great number in Northwest Coast skins. In the case of a
shot hole it is always evident that the surrounding fur has been abruptly
cut off, wliile around the edge of a teat hole the fur gradually shortens
as it reaches the edge and naturally ceases to grow at the edge. I have
just looked over an original case of 00 dressed and dyed Northwest
Coast fur seal skins, which have been lately received from London, and
were still under seal ])laced on them in London. I found that of these
90 skins !) only were those of male animals. (Wm. Wiepert.)

Deponent further says that the skins of the Northwest catch are
almost entirely the skins of females; tluat the skins of males and the
skins of females may be as readily distinguished from each other as
the skins of the dilf'erent sexes of any other ar. inals when seen before
being dyed and dressed, and that the reason why the skins of this
catch are almost exclusively females is that the male seal is much more
active and much more able to escape from the boats engaged in this
manner of hunting than the female scmI, and that a large number of
the female seals included in the Northwest catch are of animals heavy

SKAL LIFE ON THp: PlillJILOF ISLANDS.

179

pel' form
'11 ill the
aid him
I have
entirely
id dress-
ability I
t. (Geo.

IS phiced
be i)ur-
e Alaska
o be the
iers that
skins of
s rapidly

mients of
ich expe-
3st cases,
ikiu from
)ortion of
ills. It is
neiits are
hicli they

;hased by
every ten

of North-
Ocean or
so have
skins of
d skins I
nale skin
s can be
there are
use of a
abruptly
shortens
I have
)ithwest
don. and
of these

atch are
s and the

other as
?n before
s of this
vn'h more
d in this
mnber of
als heavy

with yonn}>'. A larj^e number of females are also cau{>ht ou their way
from and to the Pribilof Islands and their feedinj? grounds before and
after the delivery of their young on those islands. (C A.. VV' illiains.)

A statement is attached thereto,* prepared by deponent, giving his
estimate of the number of female seals killed by [lelagic hunting in the
\nifit twenty-one years. (C A. Williams.)

That for the last tifteen years he has had consigned to him by fur
sealers from .S,0(K) to Kt.OOO seal skins annually, for tlie purpose of
<lressing and <lyeing tiie same; that about ">0 per cent, of the skins so
received by him eame from London in casks marked as they are cata-
logued by C. -M. Lampson <S: Co., and are the skins belonging to what
is known as the Northwest catch ; and deponent is informed and believes
that the Noi til west catch, as the term is used in the trade, means the
skins of seals caught in the open sea and not upon the islands. Another
reason for tiiis belief is the fact that all of the skins ot the Northwest
catch contain marks showing that the animal has been killed by bullets
or buckshot, the skins being ])ierced by the shot, whereas tlie skins
killed en the American and liussian islands are killed on land by clubs
and are not jiierced.

That of the skins of the Northwest cat(!h coming into his hands for
treatment jirobably all are the skins of tiie female seal, and that the
same can be distinguished from the skins of the male seal by reason of
the breasts and of the thinness of the fur around the same and upon
the belly, most of the females being killed while they are bearing their
young, and the fur therefore being stretched and thinner over that part
of the body; and also for the furt'.ier reason that the head of the female
seal is much narrower than thatof the male seal, and that this jioint of
ditleience is obvious in the skins of the two classes; that of the total
number of skins received by him about -J") per cent are the skins of the
Alaska and Copper catches; that all the skins of the Alaska catch are
male seals, and an overwhelming proportion of the Copper catch are
likewise male skins; that the remainder of the skins sent to deponent
for dressing and dyeing, as albresaid, are received by him through the
house of Herman Liebes v\: Co., of San Francisco, and others, the
majority, however, from Herman Liel)es ^S: Co. The skins received
from the latter sources are from each of the three catches known to the
trade as the Cojiper. Alaska, and Northwest catches, although the major
part thereof belong to what is known as the Northwest <'at(h, and are,
as in the c(se of the skins received fioni London of that t-atch, all skins
of the female seal. (dos. 1). Williams.)

In examining and ]>urcli:isiiig seal skins from schooners in their raw^
state I have ol)served that '.'(» jter cent of their catch are females. I
know that to be a fact, because the heads of the females are smaller,
the bellies large., and the teats can be plainly seen. The teats show
more plainly when the skin is dressed and dyed. In examining the
skins taken by sealing schooners 1 have found most of them ]ierforated
with shot, making them much less valuable thereby; t)»rmerly more of
then used to be killed with a ritle. which did not injure the skin as
imich. (JNlaurice Windmiller.)

The destruction of the seals in the North Tacilic Ocean, as well as in
the IJering !Sea, is largely conilned to iemales. This fact can not be
dis|iuted successlully. 1 made on examination of the reports of the

Not t'lirniNbed.

'I "•

III

180

SKAL LIFH ON THE PKIIJILOF ISLANDS.

j>entl(Miieii wlio liiiiulled »he North I'acitic- collection, iij) to and incliul-
iug the year ISSjj, and all a^i'ieed that the skins wen* nearly all from
females. It may not be out of place to explain that tlie snuillei' value
of tlie female seal, especially after tlie birth of her i)up, is in a measure
due to the wearing of the fur around the teats. 'Ihe amount of mer-
chantable fur bein^' reduced to that extent, makes it necessary for the
handlers of skins to observe carefully whether pelts are male or female,
as well as tlieir <>eneral (U)ndition. They make a complete classilication,
and bein^' experts in their business are not likely to make mistakes.
(Theo. T. Williams.)

I : ]■■

PELAUIC SEALING.

Deposition of Maurice Windmiller, fiwrier, San Francisco.

State of California,

Citif and County of San Francisco, us:

Maurice Windmiller, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: My
age is 40; I resale in San Francisco; my occu])ation is that of a furrier.
I liave been engaj>ed in the fur business all my life, and uiy father was
a furrier before me. I am an expert in dressed and undressed, raw, and
made-up furs, and also a dealer and manufacturer in the same. 1 have
bought and examined large numbers of fur-seal skins during the last
twelve years caught by sealing schooners both on the American and
Russian side of the North Pacific and Bering Sea, and I can easily dis-
tinguish one from the other.

The Russian seal is a smaller seal, and the fur is not as close as the
fur of the Alaska seal, nor as good quality. They are an entirely dif-
ferent henl from those on the American side, and their skins have pecu-
liar characteristics by which it is not ditticult to sei)arate them. In
examining and ])urciiasing seal sicins from the schooners in their raw
state I have observed that i)0 per cent of their catcli are females. I
know that to be a fact because the heads of the females are snmller,
the bellies larger, and the teats can be plainly seen. The teats show
more ])lainly wlien the skin is dressed and dyed. In examining the
seals taken by sealing s(;h()oners I have found most of t!;om i)erforated
with shot, making them much less valuable thereby. Formerly more
of them used to be killed with a rifle, which did not injure the skins
as nuich.

Maurice Windmiller.

general seal-skin industry.
Deposition of Josciih I). Williams, furrier, Neir York.

State of New York,

City and Count}/ of Neir YorJc, ss:

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRII'.ILOF ISLANDS.

181

. iiirlnd-
all tVoin
er value
rneiisiire
of mer-
{ for the
i- feinale,
licatiou,
listakes.

lays: My
a furrier,
tber was
raw, and
, 1 have
: the last
iean and
lasily dis-

se as the
;irely dif-
ive pecu-
heni. In

leir raw
ales. I
smaller,
ts show
ning the
rforated
ly more
le skins

ILLER.

years of
n, in the
of dress-
vast, and
las been
he has

dressed
same

and dyed seal skins, and that \\h

father was eiifjaged in the
business before him; that for the last lifteen years he has had

consigned toliim by fur dealers from 8,()()() to 10,000 seal skins annually

til

that about 50

for the purpose of dressing and dy<

cent of tlie skins so received by him came from Lomlon in casks marked
as they are catalogued by C M. Lamps()n «S: Co., and are the skins
belonging to what is known as the Northwest catch; ami deponent is
informed and believes that the Northwest '-atch, as the term is used in
the trade, means tlie skins of seals caughr in the open sea, and not
up<m the islands. Another reason for tliis belief is tlie fact that all of
the skins of the Northwest catch contain marks showing that the ani-
mal had been killed by bullets or buckshot, the skins being pierced by
the shot, whereas the skins killed on the American and Itussian islands
are killed on land by clubs and are not pierced.

That of the skins of the Northwest catch coming into his hands for
treatment probably all are the skins of the female seal, and that the
same can be distinguished from the skins of the male seal by reason of
the breasts and of the thinness of the fur around the same and upon
the belly, most of the female seals being killed while they are bearing
their young, and the fur therefore being stretched and thinner over that
part of the body: and also for the further reason that the head of the
female seal is jnuch narrower than that of the male sea', and that this
jioiiit of difference is obvious in the skins of the tw() classes. Thnt of
the total number of the skins received by him about 2."» per cent are the
skins of the Alaska and Copi)er catch. That all the skins oi" the Alaska
catch are male seals, and an overwhelming jiroportion <>r the Copper
catch are likewise male skins. That the remainder of the skins sent
to deponent for dressing and dyeing as aforesaid are leceived by him
through the house of Herman Liebes tS!: Co., of San Francisco, and
others, the majority, however, from Herman Liebes cV: Co. The skins
received fnmi the latter sources are from each of the three catches known
to the trade as theCojiper, Alaska, and Northwest catch, although the
major i)art thereof belong to what is known as the Northwest catch, and
are, as in the case of the skins received from London of that catch, all
skins of the female seal.

Joseph I). Williams.

DESTRUCTION OF FEMALE SEALS.

Testimony of British /nrrier,^.

I can also tell by examining a skin whether it has been taken from a
female or a male. 1 have examined and sorted a great many thousand
skins taken from sealing schooners, and have observed that they are
nearly all females, a few being old bulls and yearlings. A female seal
has a smaller head and a larger belly when with young than a male seal,
and the fur ou the belly when with young is much thinner, and the fur
on the belly part where the teats are, in consequence ot being worn, is
not worth nuich, and has to be cut oil" after being dyed. (George
Bantle.)

The skins of the nuile and female animal aro readily distinguishable
from each other in the adult stage by reason of the difference in the
shape of the heads. That the Copper and Alaska skins are almost
exclusively the skins of the male aniunil, and the skins of the North-

182

SEAL LIFK ON THK PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

west catch are at least 80 per cent of the skins of tlie female animal.
That |>rior to and in ])vei>aration for niakinfj this deposition deixnient
says he carefully looked through two larj^e lots of skins now in his
warehouse for the especial purpose ^f estimating the percentage of
female skins found aujong the Nortnwest catdi, ami he believes the
above estimate to be accurate. That the skins in the Northwest catch
are also pierced with shot and spesir marks, in consecpience of having
been kiiled in the (tpen water instead of upon land by club. (U. S.
Bevington.)

And in tlie same way deponent thinks, from his own personal experi-
ence in handling skins, that he would have no difficulty whatever in
separating the skins of the Xorthwest catch from the skins of the
Alaska catch by reason of the fact that they are the skins almost
exclusively of females, and also that the fur upon the bearing female
seals is much thinner than up(m the skin of the ninle seals; the skin
of the animal while i»regnant being extended and the fur extended
over a large area. (Alfred Fraser.)

That the said firm can distinguish very readily the source of pro-
duction of the skins when tiie latter are in their undressed state; that
for several years besides the skins of the regular companies, such as
the Alaska Company (American concessionaire) and the Copper Com-
pany. (Russian concessiiinaire), the said firm has bought quantities of
skins called Xorthwest Coast, Victoria, etc. That these skins are those
of animals raught in the oi)en sea by persons who apparently derive
therefrom large profits, and nearly tliree-quarters of them are tiiose
of females and pups, these probably being less ditticult to take tlian
males; that these animals are taken by being shot. Tliat the seals
taken by the Alaska and Copper cinnpanies are nndes: the destruction
of which is much less i)reindicial to the i)rcservation of the race, and
which furnish the best skins, tliese being much finer iind more furnished
with down; that they are killed on the islands with clubs. That every
animal killed by ball or shot bears the traces of sacli slaugliter, which
marks greatly depreciate the value of the skin. (Eniin Hertz.)

An essential jmint of difference between the skins of the Xorthwest
catch and the skins of the Alaska and Co[)per Island catches consists
in the f;ict that most of the Xoi'thwest skins are the skins of the female
seal, while the Copper and Alaska skins are of the male seal. Deponent
has ina<le no computation or exaiiiiniition which would enable him to
say specifically what proportion of the Xorthwest catch are the skins
of the feniiile seal, but it is the fact that tlie great majin-ity, deponent
would say 7") to 80 per cent, of the skins of this catch are the skins of
the female animal. The skins of the fennile seal, for instance, show the
marks of the breast, and the fur on the belly is thinner, and the whole
of the fur is also tiner, lower in pile; that is, the libers comimsing the
fur are shorter than in the case of the male seal. Another means of dis-
tinguishing the female skins from the skins of the male lies in the fact
that the skins of the female are narrower at the head and tail and i)ro-
portionately wider in the belly than the skins of the male seal. Another
means of distinguishing the seals of the Northwest catch from those of
the Coi)per Island and Alaska catches consists in the fact that nearly
all the skins of this catch have holes in them, which dejjonent under-
stands is caused by the fact that the seals from which they are taken
have been shot or si)eared in the open sea, and not — as is the case with
the seals from which the skins of Copper Island and Alaska catches
are taken and killed — with clubs upon land. (Walter E. Martin.)

SKAh LIFE ON THE PRIRILOF ISLANDS.

183

> iiniinal.
leponent
w in his
iitage of
evts the
iat catch
f having
. (U. S.

,1 expcri-
itovcr in
s of the
•1 almost
Lj female
the skin
extended

e of pro-
ite; that
, sucli as
|)er Coui-
ntities of
iire those
ly derive
ire those
ike than
the seals
traction
ace, and
iirnished
nit every
n; which

orthwest

consists

e female

)oponeut

him to

lie skins

cponent

slcins of

ihow the

le whole

)sing the

IS of dis-

the fact

and 1)10-

Vuother

those of

it nearly

it under-

re taken

ase with

catches
in.)

Both the Coi)per Ishmd skins and the Alaska skins are almost exclu-
sively tlie skins of the nnile seals, ami the dilference between tiu' skin
of a male seal vnd a temale seal of adult aj^e cm be as readily seen as
between the st ms of diH'erent ..oxes ot other animiils. That tlu^ North-
west skins are, in turn di:'.tin;;uishable from the (Joppcr Islan<l and
Alaska skins, lirst by leason (»t the fact tinit a very lar^e proportioii
of the ;idult skins are <>bvii)nsly tiie skins of female animals; second,
because they are all pierced with a spear or hiir|M)on or shot, in (tonse-
quence of bein;>' killed in open sea, and n«)t, as in the case of < 'opjier
Island and Alaska skins, bein<;' killed upon land by clubs; third,
because the Noithwest skins are cured upon vessels i>y the crews of
which they are killed, n|»on which there are not the same facilities for
Hayinjj- or saltinj;' the skins as there are upon land, where the Copper
and Alaska skins are flayed and salted. The .Japanese skins, which, I
think, are now include<l in the Noithwest catch, are distinguishable
from the other skins of the Northwest catch by beingyellower in color,
having a much shorter pile, because they are salted with tine salt, and
have plenty of blubber on tlie pelt. That the skins punjhased by
deponent's firm are handed over by it to what are called dressers and
dyers, for the purpose of being dressed and dyed. (Henry I'oland.)

That the differences in the skins of the adult male and the adult
female seals are sw* marked as the ditfereiice l)etweeii the skins of the
two sexes of the other animals, and that in the Northwest catch from
85 to IK) per cent of the skins are ol the fennile animal. Deponent
does not mean to state that these ligures are mathematically accurate,
but they are, in his Judgment, api>roximateIy exact, ((leo. lUce.)

1 should estimate the proportion of female skins included witliin the
Northwest catch at at least 7") per cent, and 1 shouhl not be surprised
at, nor be inclined to contradicit, an estimate of ujjward of '.M> ])er cent.
My sorter, who actually handles the skins, estimates the number of
female skins in the Northwest catch at 1K> percent. One means of dis-
tinguishing the skins of the Noithwest catch from those of the other
catches is the fact that they are pier^-ed with shot or sjjcar holes, having
been killed in the open sea, and not. as in the case of the ('opjier and
Alaska catches, killed ui)on land with clubs. (William C B. Stamp.)

The nund)er of Jai)anese skins averages, deponent shouhl say, about
6,(100 a year, although there is a good deal of Huctuation in tlie <puintity
from year to year, and deponent says that, like the other skins included
in the Northwest catch, they are ]>rincii»ally the skins of female seals,
not easily distinguishable from the skins taken tbuii the herds fre(pient-
ing the eastern part of the I'aci tic Ocean and Bering Sea, except by
reason of their being princi|)ally speared instead of shot. The most
essential difference between the Northwest skins and the Alaska and
Copper catches is that the Northwest skins, so far as they arc skins of
adult seals, are almost exclusively the skins of female seals, and are
nearly always [tierced with shot, bullet, or si)ear holes. The skins of
the adult fenuile seals maybe as readily distinguishable from the skins
of the adult nude as the skins of the different sexes of other animals;
that practically the whole of the adult Northwest catch seals were the
skins ot fenuile seals, but the skins of the younger animals included
within this Northwest catch, of which we have at times considerable
numbers, are nuich more difficult to separate into male and fenudo skins,
and I am not prepared to say that 1 ccmld distinguish the male from
the female skins of young animjils. A certain percentage of young

' ' m

184

SEAL l,IFE ON TIIF- I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

aiiiiiiiils is iifniiid anioii^' the ooiisigimieiirs received by us at the be<;iii-
liiiif; of eaeh season, wliieh, we niHlerstaml, and are iiitbniied, are the
skins of seals eanjiht in the Pacilic Oeean oil" the west enast of America,
but a much smaller pereentafie of such small skius is found amonj;' the
consijiiinient hiter in tlie season, which we are informed are of seals
eanglit in the Ijering tSea. (Hmil Tei(;lnnanu.)

From C. M. Lampson cO Co. to V. A. WilUnms, August :J2, />x'^

London, 64 Queen Stijekt, E. C,

Deau Sir: We beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 10th
instant, inclosing draft of a paper to be subndtted to Congress on mer-
chant marine and fisheries.

We have read the i)aper with a great deal of interest and consider
that it ]daces the matter in a thorougldy impartial way bef(»re its readers.
It has been so carefully jyrepared and goes into all details so fully that
we can add but little to it. There are, however, one or two points to
which we beg to <lraw your attention, and which you will (ind marked
in red ink on the paper. ♦

When speaking of the sui)ply of fur skins we would suggest mention-
ing the following localities:

C((}ie of Qoitil Hope. — From some islands v)tt this cape, under the pro-
tection of the Cape Governnu'ut, a yearly supi)ly of from r»,(KM) to 8,000
skins is derived. All these skins come to the Loiulon market, part of
them being sold at jmblic auction, the remainder being dressed and
dyed for account of the owners.

Japan. — The supply from this source has varied very much of late
years, amounting sometimes to ir>,()(l() skins a year, at others to only
5,000. Last year, we understand, the Japanese CJovernment })assed
stringent laws prohibiting the killing and importa'iDU of seals, with the
view of protecting seal lile and enc<iuraging rookeries, and the conse-
quence has been that this year very few skins have come forward.

Vauvourer I.slantl. — I'or many years past, indeed long before the for-
mation of the Alaska Company, regular supplies of fur seals in the
salted and parchment state have come to the London market, killed
mostly ott" Cape Flattery. The (piantity, we should say, has averaged
at least 10,000 per annum. This catch takes i>lace in the months of
March and A])ril, and we believe that the aninmis from which these
skins are derived are the females of the Alaska seals. Just the same as
those caught in the Bering Sea.

Had this (pnmtity been materially increased, we feel sure that the
breeding on the I'ribilof Islands would have suflered before now; but
fortunately the catch must necessarily be a limited one, owing- to the
stormy time of the year at which it is made and the dangerous coast,
where the seals only for a short time are f uiid. It must, however, be
evident that if these animals are tbllowed into the Bering Sea and hunted
down in a calm sea in the (piietest months of the year, a practically
unlimited quantity of fenmles might be taken, and, as y(m say, it would
be only a few years till the Alaska seal was a thing of the past.

0. M. Lampson & Co.

C. A. Williams, Esq., New London.

%EkL

LIFI

; ON THE

I'KIBILOF

ISLANDS.

185

TEST1M(>N\

KELATIXG

TO THE OENERAL SEAL-SKIN IN1)U!«
(iUEAT nUlTAlN.

«TUY IN

Deposition

of II. S.

lievinfftoit, head
/iirri,'r.s,

of til c Jinn
London.

of Ilevinffton

tl:

Morris,

II. S. Hevinytoii, J\l. A., Immiij'' duly sworn, doth depose, and say:
Thai: he is 40 years of aj^e and a subject of Her Ilritannie Majesty, and
is the head of the firm of IJevinyton tS: Moiri v doinj;' business as fur
merchants and manutjuiturers at 28 (!annon stieet, in tlie city of Lon-
don; tiiat his said firm was founded in tlie .i «'ar 172(), an<l has been
continue<l in the same family diiriny the wliol ; of tlu'se years down to
the present tinu*, and lias been enjiayed duriny the wlioU' of the period
since 17i'<J in the same business, <lealin<;' in furs aiul leather; that
deponent has been in tlu^ business ever since the yeai' IST.'i. l)urin<;;
tlie wh(»Ie of the period since tliat date his said firm has been in the
habit of buying fur-seal skins, and he knows from his general knowl-
edge of the business that prior to that time they were in the habit of
buying seal skins ever since they became an article of commerce; that
deponent has personally handled many thousands of skins of the fur
seal, and by reason of that i'-.wX and of his experience in his business,
has a general knowledge of the history of the fur-seal skin business
and a general and ])recise knowledge of the several kinds of skins
which now and for many years last past have come upon the London
market; that since dejjonent has been in business skins coming ujxui
the London market have been princii)ally divided into three classes,
known as the Alaska catch, the Copper catch, and the Northwest catch.
8mall supplies have also been receive<l fiom the Southern Sea, and
Lobos Islands, Kalkland islands, and Cape Horn, but the skins arriving
from these last-mentioned localities make U) figure in the market; that
what is known as the Alaska ('atch <'onsists of skins of seals which are
killed upon the I'ribilof Islainls, in the Bering Sea, and the Copper
catch of skins which are killetl upon the Cojiper and Hering islands,
in Russian waters.

That the Northwest skins consist of skins taken from animals which
are caught in the open Pacific Ocean off tin; coast of IJiitish Cohunbia
or in the liering Sea; that tlie differences between the three several
sorts of skins last mentioned are so marked as to enaltle any i)ersou
skilled in the business or accustomed to handle the same to readily
distinguish the skins of one catch from those of another, especially in
bulk, and it is the fact that when they reach the market the skins of
eadi class come separately and are not found mingled with those
belonging to the other classes. Tlu^ skins of the Co|)per Island catch
are distinguished from the skins of the Alaska and Northwest catch,
which two last-nuMitioncd classes of skins api)ear to be nearly allied to
each other, and are of the same general character, by reason of the
fact that in their raw state the Copper skins arc lighter in color than
either of the other two, and in the dricnl state th*^re is a inarke<l ditler-
ence in the appearance of the fur of the Copi»er and the other two
classes of skins. This diH'erence is difhcult to descril)e to a jterson
unaccustomed to handle skins, but it is nevertheless clear and distinct
to an expert, and may be generally described by saying that the Co|)per
skins are <)f a <!lose, short, and shiny fur, jiarticularly down by the flank,
to a greater extent than the Alaska and Northwest skins. The skins
of the male and female aninnil are readily distinguished from each other
in the adult stage by reason of the <l(fference in the shape of the heads;

III'

\mi

186

8KAL LIFE ON THE PUIIULOF ISLANDS.

that tlu! ('opper n\u\ Alaska skins iire almost exclusively the skins of
the male animal, antl the skins of the Northwest eatch are at least 80
per cent ot the skins of the fenuile animal; thai [trior to and in prepa
ration for making this deposition, deponent says, he carefully looked
throuj-h two iarjie lots of skins now in his wareliouse for the special
])urpos(^ of estimating the ])erceiitage of female skins found among the
Northwest catch, and he believes the above estimate to be accurate.

That the skins in the Northwest catch are also pier(!ed with siiotand
spear niaiks, in (MUiseijuence of having been killed in the open water
instead of upon land by clu s; that the business of dealitig in fur seal
skins in the city of Loudon iias become an established and important
industry, I )e|)onent is informed that practically all the seal skins in
the world are sold in L<;ndon, and the number runs ui* in the year to
between 100,0(10 and L'00,000, averaging considerably over ir.0,000 a
year. These skins are sold for the most jnirt either by the lirm (»f (J. M.
Lampson «S: Co., through their brokers, (.ioad, lligg «S: Co., or by the
firm (»f Culverwell, Brooks «S: Co. At the auction sales, which are
advertised two or three times in the year by these lirms, skins are
bought by <lealers from all over the world, who are present either in
pers(ui or by jtroxy. The next stage in theiuilustry is the dressing and
dyeing of the furs, ami practically the whole of these fur-seal skins sold
in London are dressed and dyed in that city. The principal firms
engaged in that business aie C. V\\ ^Lartin iV: Sons and (reorge Hice.
Deponent's own tirm dress a small number oi skins, and have dressed
in one year a^* many as 2.S,0(K>, and lormerly tlyed large numbers of
skins, but do not now <lyeskinvS, as the secret of the present fashionable
color is n«)w in the hands of other tirms. Alter having been dressed
and dyed, the skins of the fur seal are then passed into the hands of
fur merchants, by whom, in turn, they are passed to furriers and dra-
pers and retail dealers generally. Deponent estinuites the total num-
ber of persons engaged in one way or another, directly or indirectly, in
the fur seal industry in the city of London to be at least li,(iOO or 3,000,
many of whom are skilled lalnu-ers, all receiving high wages.

That a large amount of capital is also invested in the business in the
city of Londcm, and the juecise value of the industry can be estimated
by reckoning the amount expended in the various ])rocesses which
dei)onent has enumerated upon each skin. For instance, after the skins
arrive at the Fjcuidon market they are vsold at the sales at prices which
in the year 18?)0 average<l, say. <S0 shillings apiece. The commissions on
the selling of the goods, including warehousing, insurance, and so forth,
deponent believes, amount to (» per cent of the price obtained. That
the amount paid for dressing, dyeing, ami machining eacli skin aver-
ages, say, 10 shillings. These processes take together about four or live
months. The next expeiuliture ujton the skin is, say, an average of "»
shillings at least for each skin for cutting up, and that thereafter there
will be an average of at least from 3 to 4 shillings per skin expended in
quilting, lining, and making up the jackets or other garments, showing
a total expenditure upon eacdi skin for labor alone, in the city of Lon-
don, of ifo shillings in addition to the percentage paid for brokerage,
before the processes of manufacture began, and the most of this money
is actually ])aid out in wages.

Deponent says that in the above estimates he has given the bottom
figures, and that the amount actually exi)ended upon the skl:i8 in the
city of London undoubtedly averages a larger sum. This would make
on an average of 200,000 skins a year, which is not excessive, a total
expenditure annually in the city of London of £250,000, minus the

8r,AL I.Il'i; ON THE I'KIHILOF I81.AMJS.

187

amounts paid for I'littiii}^' and making up in resp«'ct to tlie skins sent to
tlie Initod IStatt'S.

JJeiMMient fiutluT says tlnit the jut'servation of the stMl licrds and
tlie continued supply of fur-seal skins, wliieli furtlieiniore, it is impor-
tant should be constant and regular in supply, is absolutely necessiiry
to the mainteiiniH^e of this industry. Deponent says that the reason
for this <>)>inion is shown in the history of last season's business. For
instance, at the October ssile the prices of skins were very hi^'ii. as a
sliort supply was expected. Tiu' skins purchased at that sale were
then put into the hands of the dressers and dyers, where they wouhl
be retained, as above stated, in process of treatment four or five months.
Durinj;' this interval it apiieaied that instead of there beinj,' a short
supply the poaehinj; vessels had caujiht a liii}>e nund)er of skins, ."il^OUO
or ()(>,()( to, which, beinjj unexpectedly plumped on the nuirket, brcuight
the price (h)wn so that tliere was a loss of perhaps 2."i shilling's per skin
on the skins boujiht at the October sales; and deponent further says
that it is of course obvious that the business cati not be maintained
unless the herds are preserved from the destrimtioii which hits over-
taken the South Sea herds, which formerly existed in such larye nun»-
bers, and so intportant has the seal-skin bii-^iness become that if the
herds were exterminated depone:it says it would hardly be worth while
to remain in the fur business.

Deponent says while he <lo«'s not wish to express any opinion upon
the nuitters which are in controversy, th. t nevo'theless, h)okin«i at the
question of ])reserviii<f the seals from a iuitural-history piiint of view
alon^', and haviuj^ no rejjard whatever to the lights of any individuals
or uiitioMs, but looking at the matter simpl\ frmn the j»oint (d" view of
how best to preserve the seals, he Ims no hesitati(tn in sayiny that the beat
way to accomplish that object vv(mld be to prohibit absolutely the kill-
ing of all seals except upon the islands, and furthermore to linut the
killing' of seals on the islands to the male species at pariicular titues,
and to limit the numbers of the males to be so killed. If, howevtn', the
rights of individuals are to be (-onsidered, and sealing in the ojten sea
is to be allowed, then deponent thinks that the nundter of vessels to
be sent out by each country ougiit to be limited, and tin^ nund)er of
seals which may be (taught by each vessel should be si)ecitied.

Deponent says that one reason why he thinks the killing of seals in
the o|)en sea slu)uld be prohibited, and all killing liiiuted to tlie islands,
is because deponent is of the opinion that when seals are killed in the
open sea a large nund)er must be killed which are not recovered, and
consecjuently that the herds niust sutler nuich greater loss than is
measured by the skins of the seals caught or connng to market.

Deponent further says that one reason for this oi)inion is tliathehas
had some small experience in shooting hair seals in the Scilly Islands,
and has himself personally killed hair seals at a distance of 40 or 50
yards whicdi sank before he could reach tliem. Hair seals are of the
same general fannly as fur seals, and he has no doubt that the same
thing occurs and must occur when the fur seals are killed on the open

sea.

Herbert Shelley Bevinciton, JM. A,

18<s

SEAL lAVK ON TllK PHIIULOF ISLANDS.

DepoHltion of Alfred Francr, mciithcr of firm of C. M. Lumpnou tl" Co.,

fiirrirrn, London.

State of New York,

Citjl and County of Xeir York, .ss:

Alfred I'V^scr, being duly sworn, ssiys:

(1) That lie is si subject ol" Her Britannic! ^lajesty and is r»2 years of
age and resides in the trity of Brooklyn, in the State of New York.
That lie is a nieiiiber of the fiiin of (). M. Laiiipson »I^ Co., of London,
and has been a member of said linn for about thirteen years; prior to
that time he was in the employ of said linn and took an active part in
the management of the business of said firm in London. That the busi-
ness of C ^l. Lampson & (Jo., is that of merchants, engaged princi-
pally in the btisiness of selling fur skins on c(tmniission. That for
about twenty-four years the tirm of C. M. Lampson & (.'o. have sold
the great majority of the whole number of seal skins sold in all the
markets of the world. That while he was engaged in the management
of the business of said linn in Loiulon he had personal knowledge of
the character of the various seal skins sold by tiie said tiiin, fiom his
personal iiispeittion of tiie same in their warehouse and from the phys-
ical handling of the same by him. That many hundred thousands of
the skins sold by C. M. Lampson tS: Co. have i)liysically passed through
his hands, and that since his residence in this country he has, as a
membei- of said firm, had a general and detailed knowledge of the char-
acter and extent of the business of said lirni, altliough since his resi-
dence in the city of New York he has not iihysically handled the skins
disposed of by his tirm.

That during the last year or two a large number of skins have been
sold in London by the tirm of Culverwell, Brooks v^ Co., and that said
tirm, as deponent is infiu'ined and believes, have securi'd the (uinsign-
meiit of skins to them during the period aforesaid by advancing to the
owners of vessels engaged in what is n»>w known as pelagic sealing
sums of money, wliicli is stated to be ijfl't i)er skin, as against ship-
ments from Victoria of such skins.

(2) That the seal skins which have been sold in London from time to
time since deponent lirst began business have been obtained from
sources and were known in the market as —

{a) The South Sea skins, being the skins of seals principally caught
on the South Shetland Islands, South Ceorge Islands, and Sandwich
Land. That many years ago large numbers of seals were caught upon
these islands, but in conseciuence of the fa«'t that no restrictioiis were
imposed on the killing of said seals, they were i)ractically exterminated,
and no seal skins ajipeared in the market from those localities for many
years. That about twenty years ago these islands were again visited,
and for five seasons a considerable calcli was made, amounting, during
the whole live seasons, to about 3(),0(K) or 40,000 skins. Among the
skins foiMul in this catch were those of the oldest males and the small-
est pups, thus showing, in the Judgment of deponi-nt, that every seal
of every kind was killed that <'onld be reached. That in coiise(]ueiiee
thereof the rookeries on tliCvSe islands were then completely exhausted.
Once or twice thereafter they were visited without result, no seals
being found, and about five years ago they were again revisited and
only .'{(» skins were obtained. Deponent is informed that all the South
Sea skins were obtained by killing seals upon the islaiuls above men-
tioned, and that it is obviously everywhere nuu'h easier to kill seals ui)on
the land than in the water; and, in the Judgment of the deponent, the
seals of the above-mentioned islands were thus entirely exterminated

SKAL LIKK OX TIIK I'lillill.OF INLANDS.

189

the
iliiig
<hi[»-

to
lom

njilit

wicU

upon

were

tt'd,

lany

ted,

ring

the

ijiU-

seal

eiice

tod.

k-als

and

Mith

iieu-

1)011

the
Kited

because of the entire abseiiee of any protet-tioii or of any restriction of
any kind whatever ui»on the nniiibi'r, aj;'e, or sex of seals killed, and
not merely, as deponent understands has been claimed by some author-
ities, because tliey were killed on land instead of in o])cn sea, which,
moreover, in that locality, deponent is informed, is piactically impos-
sible, by reason of the roughness of the sea and weather.

(/>) A considerable number of seal skins were formerly obtained upon
the Falkland Islands; how many deponent is not able to state.

{(') That a certain number of seals were also caujilit at Cape Horn,
and that more (u- less are still taken in that vicinity, thoujuh the whole
number has been very greatly reduced.

(</) That at the present time and for many years last past the skins
coming to the market and which are known to (tommeice have come
from the following sources: l>y far the most important are the Northern
I'acitic skins, which an^ known to the trade under the following titles:

The Alaska catch, wiiich are the skins of seals caught on the I'ribilof
Islands, situated in IJering Sea. For many years past the whole of the
skins caught upon these islands have been sold by (h'ponent's lirm, and
a statenn'iit of the nund)er of skins so sold in each year is appended
hereto and marked Exhibit A, showing the aggregiite of such skins
sold from the yeai' 1870 to the year ISMl, inclusive, as 1,877,1>77.

The Coppercatiih, being the skins <d' seals caught upon what ar«^ known
as the Commander Islands, being the islands known as (.'opper and
Bering islands. All the skins so caught have been sold by deixment's
tirm in the city of London, and the total nund)er of such Copper catch
from the year 1S7-' to ISOl! a|)peais upon the statement whii'li is hereto
annexed and imirked ICxhibit 15, showing the total so sold during such
years of 7G8,0!»»; skins. :::X:^

The Northwest cat«'h, being the skins ot seals caught in the <)i)en sea
either of the l*acili(r Ocean or the llering Sea. These skins were
originally caught exclusively by the Indians and by residents td" the
colony of Victoria and along the coast of the IJritish possessions. A
statcinentof the total nund)er of the catch from tln^vear 1S(»8 to IS81,
inclusive, is appended hereto and marked lOxhibit 0, showing a total of
l.">;j,;)lS. That statement is divided into three heads: First, the salted
Northwest coast skins; second, the dried Northwest coast skins, both
of which were maiidy sold tiirough <leponenfs llrm in London; and
third, salted Northwest coast skins, dressed and dyed in London, but
not sold there. It will be noticed that in the years 1871 and JS7- an
unusjially large itroportion of dried skins ai)i>eai'ed to have been
marketed. Tiiose skins were purchase<l in this year from the Ameiican-
Jvussian Company and sold when the Americans took possession. l\»r
the years 1S71 and 187L*, therefoie, the surplus skins over the aveiage
for the other years siiould be rejected in a ('(>m|»nlaf ion of the general
avcragi^ of seals killed during tiie years from IStlS to ISSI, inclusive.

I'rom the year lSSr> to the year 18!tl the inunbcf of skins included in
the Xortliwest catcli i'normonsly increased, and a statement of such
skiiKj is hereto annexed ami marked Fxliibit I >, showing a total of
;i')l.!>.;L', and is <livided. like the statement marked I'iXhibit (!, into tiii'ce
heads: The salted Ncuthwest coast skins, the dried Northwest coast
skii; . and the sailed skins dressed and dyed in London but not sold
there. The majority of the lirst two classes weie, as in tlie previous
case, sold by depouiMit's lirm. The great majority of these skins appear-
ing in tlu' last nu'iitioned statement are the skins caught by vessels sent
oat from the Canadian proviin-es; man\ also by vessels sent out from
San I'lancisco, Port Townseml, and Seattle, and a few from vessels
sent out from Yokohama; the majority, however, are sui>posed to have

I .

I >

190

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

been caught by vessels sent out from liritisli harbors. A hujje number
of the skins included in Exhibit D have been consigned to C. M. Lamp-
sou »S: Co. by the lirm of Herman Liebes & • 'o., of San Francisco. In
estimating the total number of the Northwest catch it should also be
nu'utioncd tliat something like ;{(),()00 skins beh)nging to that catch have
been dressed and dyed in tiie United States, which have not gone to
London at all.

{€} Hesides the Alaska, Cojipcr, aid Nortliwest skins tliere iire also
a certain nn<iiber of skins airiving in London kuow]i as the Lobos
Island >kins, although tlie same are not liandled l»y the tirm «»f C. M.
Lainpson tS: Co., but the total number of which, from ilie year 187U to the
year 18*.M, inclusive, is, as appears from the caialogucs ot sales, 247,777.
The Lobos Island skins are tiiose of seals killed on the Lobos Island,
belonging to the Republic of Uruguay; and deponent is informed and
believes that there is no open sea sealing in the vicinity of such island,
and that the aninuds are protected on tiie island as they are on the
Russian and Pribilof islands, by prohibition from the killing of females
and limiting the number of males killed in each year. A statement of
the seals killed on Lobos Island is hereto annexed and marked Exhibit
E, from which it appears that there is a regular annual supply obtained
from that source, which sliows no diminution.

{/) There are also a certain nund)erot skins sold in London obtained
from rookeries at or near the Cai)e of Good Hope, the exact number of
which deponent is not able to state, but which, he is informed, shows
a steady yield.

The statements marked A, B, C, I), and E, hereunto appended, have
been carefully prepared by me persomiUy, and the figures therein
stated have been compiled by me from the several sale catalogues of
C. M. Lam])son »S: (Jo., and others from my private books which I kept
during all the years covered by the statements, and 1 am sure that
these statements are substantially accurate and truly state the respec-
tive numbers of the skins caught and sold which they purport to state.

(.3) The great majority of the skins sold from tiie Northwest catch
are the skins of female seals. Deponent is not able to state exactly
what proportion of such skins are the skins of females, but estimates
it to be at least 85 i)er cent, and the skins of females are readily dis-
tinguishable from those of the males by reas(m of the fact that on the
breast and on the belly of the bearing female there is comparatively
little fur, whereas <m the skins of the male seals the fur is evenly dis-
tributed: and also by reason of the I'act that the female seal has a nar-
row head and the male seal a broad lead and neck; and the skins of
this catch are also distinguishable fr )m the Alaska and Copper catch
by reason of the fact that seals are killed by bullets or buckshot or
si)eared, and not, as on the I'ribilof and Commander islands, by clubs.
Marks of such bullets or buckshot or spears are clearly discerimble in
the skins, and there is a marked dilferenee in the coranunH'ial value of
the female skins and of the male skins. This fact, that the Northwest
skins are so largely the skins of females, is further evidenced by the
fact that in many of the early sales of such skins they are dassilled in
deponent's books as the skins of females.

(4) Dei)onent further snys, that in his Judgment the absolute prohibi-
tion of pelagic sealing, i.e., the killing of seals in thoopei: sea, whether
in the Noilh Tacilic or the Bering Sea, is necessary to the preservation
of the se tl herds now surviving, by reason of the fact that niost of the
females so killed are heavy with young, and that necessarily the increase
of the species is diminished by their killing. And further, from the fact
that a large number of females are killed in the Bering Sea while on

biive

SEAL LUF. ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

191

the searrli for food after tlie birtli of tlieir youiiji'. and tliat in (ionse-
queiice thereof the pups <lie for want of nourishment. l)ei)onent has
110 i)ersonal liuowledye of the ti-ntli of tliis statement, but lie has infor-
mation in respeet of the sanu' from persons wlio have been on tlie I'ri-
bih)f Islands, and he believes the same to be ti ne. Deponent farther
says that this (»pinion is bascci n])on the assnin])tion iliat tlic present
restriction imposed by Kussia and th" United States on the killing of
seals on theii- 'espective islands are to be maiiitaine<l, otlier\vis<' it
would be necessary to imj)ose su<*h restrictions as well as to prohibit
pelagic sealing in order to preserve tlie herds.

(5) Deponent is further of the opinion, from his long observation ami
handling of the skins of the several catches, that the skins of the
Alaska and Coi)]ter <!atches are readily distinguishable from each other,
aud that the herds fn»m which such skins are obtained do not in fact;
intermingle with each othei-, because the skins classitled under the
head of Copper catch are not found among the ('(Uisignments of skins
received *rom the Alaska catch, and vi(!e versa.

(0) Deponent further says that the distinction between the skins of
the several catches is so nmrked, that in his JudgnuMit he would, for
instance, have had no dithculiy had there been included among 1(H»,0()0
skins in Alaska catch 1,0(K( skins of the ()()pper catch, in distinguishing
the 1,000 C<)i)per skins aud senarating them from the {tl),(MiO Alaska
skins, or that any other person with etjual or less experience in the
handling of skins would be ecpially able to distinguish them. Aud in
the same way deponent thiidis, from his own personal experience in
handling skins, that he would have noditliculty whatever in separating
the skins of the Northwest catch and the Alaska catch, by reason of the
fact that they are the skins almost exclusively of females, and also that
the fur upon the bearing female seals is much thinner than i>pon the
skin of the male seals, the skin of the animal while pregnani, being
disteiuled and the fur extended over a large area.

(7) Deponent says that the number of persons who are employed in
the handling, dressing, dyeing, <'utting, and manufacturing of seal
skins in the city of London is about 2,000. many of whom are skilled
lab(U'ers earning as high as £li or £4 a week. Deitonent estimates the
anumnt i)aid in the city of London for wages in the preparation of i"ur-
seal skins for a manufactui-er's use, and excluding the wages of manu-
facturers' employees, ])rior to the beginning of the i)elagic sealing in
188."), at about .C1(K),0(K) ])er annum: and depcuient lurtlier says that in
his judgment if this pelagic sealing be not i>rohibited. it is but a (piestion
of a few years, probably not nioi<' than tliree, when the industry will
cease by reason of the extermination ol" the seals in the same way in
which they l.<ive been exterminated on the South Sea Islands, by reason
of no restrictions being inii)osed n\H)U tlieir killing.

Alfked Fraseu.

I'.xuiiiii' A.
■S«/<ci/ AInshtt fiw «(■<(/ fihhin sold in London.

Vpiir. Sliins. Vc;ir.

SUiiis.

Viiir. SltiiiM. Vciir. Skiti-i. Vcnr. Skins.

1870 n, !)0.j

i«7i mo, 8!tn

187.' im, 'J8;t

1H7:1 1()1, •J48

1874 00,150

187.-. |I9,«:U

1871! 00. 207

1877 "n. 410

1878 OH.im

I87!t 100, oao

1(*80 100,101

1881 on. irji

188-.' 100, 1(10

I88:t I 75,914

1884 1 00,887

a Food likiim.

18S.-. 1)9,710

I8>'0 00,010

1^87 00,040

1888 100,000

1880 100, 000

,800 S 20,004

"*™ I o4, 1.-.8

1801 l,'),47a

Totnl.. 1,877,977

'■

ftM- '^Bl<'

• 1

■4 '

|Ki|!h,^^HI

f '■ ■;

}jpH||lr/f

^^Kffe'L' i ;

S i

I 'IP ,*f

'..:

j ;

192

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

EXHllilT M.
Salted Copper Inland fnr-neal akiim sold in London.

Year.

Skins.
7,182

Year.

Skins.

25, 380

Year.

1882....

Skins. !

Year.

Skins. 1

Year.
1892

Skins.

1872

1877....

39,

111

1H87

54.584

30, 6:8

1873

21,614

1878

10,

000

1883....

30,

.5011

1S88

46,333 ■

1874

30. 340

187!l

28,

211

1884 ....

20. 675

1880

47,416

Total..

768, one

1875

34, 479

1H8II

38,

885

1885....

1 48,

029

IHOO

95, 480

1876

33, 208

; 1881 ....

45,

209

1886 ....

j41.

752

1801

17,025

E.MilltIT C.

Salted Xorthivest coast fur-seal skins sold in London prior to pelaijic sealinij in llerinj Sea.

Year.

Skins. Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

1881 ....

1882 ....
1883....

Skins.

. 9, 997
. 11,717
. 2,319

Year.

1884....
Totml.

Skins.

1872

1873

1,029 1875

1876.. ..

1,640
2, 042

1878

1879

1880

264

12.212

8,939

9,242

1874

4,949 1877

64. 366

Salted Northwest coast fur-seiil skins dressed and dyed in London {but not sold there)
taken prior to pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Y'ear.

Skins. Year.

578 1878

1,062 1879

772 1880

Skins.

2,434

2, 397
4, 562

Y'ear.

1881

18.82

1883

Skins. Year.

5,890 1 1884 1

11,727 1
2.319 Total..

Skins.

1872

1873

1874

699 1 1875

40 ; 1876

122 1877

9,242

46, 215

Dry Sout

ku'cst coast fur-se

al skins sold in London prior to pel

igic sealing in Ber

ing Sea.

Y'ear.

Skins. Year.

■
"-kins. 1 Year.

14,,-)84 ' 1876

801 I,s;7

2,772 1878

1,351 1879

Skins.

993
1 173

Y'ear.

Skins. Y'ear.

Skins.

1868

1809

1870

1871

2, 141
1,671

6M4
12, 405

1872

1873

1S74

1875

1880

18S1

1884

680

321 Total..

390 1

785

912
918

1882 ....
1883

42, 767

Of tlif skins siild in 1S71 iind 1872 a very laiiio proportion were tlie ncciiiinilalion of the Uiissian-
American t'on pany, and sold by ilieiu after tlie purchase of xVIask.i l)y tlii^ L'liiled Slates.

I!i;C.Vl'ITlT,ATION.

Years. ' Skins.

Salted skins sold in London 1872-1884

Salted sUins (In ssid and dyed in I.ondoii IS72-1HSI

Dry skin.s sold in London.". 1808-1884

64.306

40,215

Grand total 1.53,348

KXIIIBIT D.

Dry Northwest coast fur-seal >ikins sold in London aflcr ronrncncemenl of pelaijic sealiny

in I'tvi ing Sen.

Year.

188,')

Skins.

1,5'Jll

U7II '
2,843 1

Year.

1888

ISMI

Skins. I Year.

l,2"i2 1891

Skins.

1,083

1880

228

699 i' Total

18b7

1800

8,604

Skins.

30, «;8
768, 096

9,242

64.366

Skins.

9,242

42. 767

Skins.

Ii4. 306
J(i, lil5

],">3,348

si'iiHiig

I^Uins.

1,083
8, 001

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

193

Salted Northwest coa»t fur-Heal skins dressed and di/ed in London (but not sold there)
taken after the commencement of pelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Teiir. \ Skins.

Tear. i Skins.

1885 16,667

1886 '• 15.087

1889

Total

2,017

1887 3,589

39.290

1888 ; 1,930

In addition to above, it is estimated that from 25.000 to 30,000 skins have been dressed and dyed in
the United States.— E. T. R.,,ir., notary public.

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London after commencement of pela;tic sealing

in Bering Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1885

2,078

17,909

36,907

36,818

39,503

1890..
1891..
1892..

38, 316

1886

54,180

1887

28, 298

1888

1889

Total

254,068

RECAPITILATION.

Years.

Dry skins sold in London 1885-1891

Satted Hkins drettsed aud dyed in London, but not sold there 1885-1889

Salted Hkins dressed sind dyed iu I'nited States, estimated 1885-1889

Salted skins sold in London ' 1885-1892

Skins.

8,604

39,290

30,000

254,068

Grand total 331,962

Exiui'iT E.
Salted Lobos Island fur-seal skins sold in London.

Year.

Skins.

6, 956
8.509
8,179
11,353
13,006
12,301
12,295
14, 865

Year.

1881

1882

Skins.

13, 589
13, 200
12, 861
16, 258
10, 953
13,067
11, 068
20, 747

; Year.

Skins.

1873

1889

8,755
18, 541
15, 834

4,800

1874

1890

1875

1883

1884

18.X5

1886

1887

1888

1891

1876

1892(1

1877

1878

Total

247, 777

1879

1880

a To date.

Additional deposition of Alfred Franer, member of the firm of G. M.
LampHon & Co., furriern, London.

State op New York,

Citii and County of New Yorh; ss:
Alfred Fraser, being duly sworn, says: I am a member of the firm of
C. M. Lampsou & Co., of London, aud the person described in and who
verified an affidavit on the 1st day of April, 1892, relating to the fur-
seal industry. The tables hereto annexed, marked A, B, (J, D, E, aud
F, have been prei)ared by me from the printed catalogues of public auo-

8. Doc. 137, pt, 1 13

A if

194

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

tion sales in London of fur seal skins, and also from my private memo-
randa, and from knowledge and information of the lur -seal industry, I
believe them to be correct in every iiarticular. Said tables state all of
the salted fur-seal skins of the Alaska, Copper, Northwest coast, and
Lobos catches, which, according to the said catalogues and memoranda,
were sold at public auction in London between the years 1808 and 1891,
together witli the average price per skin obtained during each of said
years for the aforesaid skins.

Alfred Fbaseb.

Exhibit A.
Salted Alaska fur-seal skins sold in London from 1870 to 1891.

Year. Skins. Vrnr. Skins. Veiir. Skins. Vciir. Skins. Yciir. Skins

C 20, 994

1870 9,965 i 187.5 !M), OIU IH8U 100. Ifil 1885 '. !t9,719 ,„„(>

1871 : 100,896 1876 90, :;67 1881 99.9:;i 1886 ■ 99,»lll '"' "

1872 i 9B.28:t 18T7 7."i.4I0 1882 10(). lOit 1KS7 1 90,940 1891

1873 101,248, 1878 99,911 188:i 75,914 1H88 ! 100.000

1874 90,1501 1879 100. 036 il 1884 99, K87 1889 Km, 000 Total. . 1. 877, 977

158
i;t,473

ExiiiiiiT H.

Salted Copper Island fur-seal skins sold in London in the years 1870 to 1893.

Year.

1870.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.

Skins.

12,0.10
9, 522
7,182 ',
21,614
30,349 j;

Year.

Skins.

1875 34,479

1876 33, 208

1877 25. 380

1878 19, 000

1879 ; 28,211

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

1880 38,885 111885 \ 48,029

1881 »5,209 il 1886 41,75J

1882 ' 39, 111 ,; 1887 , 54,584

1883 ' 36, 500 ! 1888 I 46,333

1884 j 26,675 1880 1 47,416

Year.

1890 .

1891 .
1892.

Skin.s.

95,486
17 025
30, 678

Total.. 789,648

Exhibit C.
Salted Xorthxvest coast fur-seal skins sold in London prior to ^yelagic sealing in Bering Sea.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

1878

1879

1880

Skins.

264

12, 212

8,939

Year.

]

1881

1882

,1883

Skins.

9,997

11,717

2,319

Year.

1884

Total..

Skins.

1872

1873

1,029

1875....

i 1876 ....

1877

1,646
. 2, 042

9,242

1874

4,949

64,366

Exhibit D.

Salted Northwest coast fur-seal skins sold in London after commencement of pelagic sealing

in Bering Sea.

skins.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

ExiiiuiT E.
Salted LoboB Island fur-seal skins sold in London.

Year.

I SkiuB.

Year.

Skins.

Year.

195

Skins.

Skiua.

i 20, 994

I 4,158

i;t,473

187.1 i 6,.'i9fl

1874 i 8,509

1875 8,179

1878 11,353

1877 1 13,0H6

1878 1 12,301

1879 1 12,295

1880 : 14,865

1881 i 13,569 : 1H8B

1882 13 200 J 1H90

1883 12,801

1884 1 16,258

1885 : 10,953

1886 1 13,667

1887 11.068

1888 20,747

.1 8,755
.1 18,541

1801 , 15,834

1802 a .

Total.

4,800

247, 777

a To date.
Exhibit F.

Salted Alaska fur-seal skins sold in London in the years 1SG8-1S71 taken prior to the

leasing of the Prihilof Islands.

Year.

1868
1869
1870

Skins. ;

28, 220
121.820
110.511

Year.

1871.

Total .

Skins.

20,111

280, 662

The following table, prepared by Hutchinson, Kohl, Philipeus & Co.,
of San Francisco, lessees of the right to take fur seals upon the Com-
mander and Eobben islands, shows the number of seal skins secured
annually from these respective islands from 1871 to 1891:

Skin».

95,480
17 025
30, 678

789,648

ing Sea.

Skins.

9,242
64, 366

I sealing

Skins.

38, 315
54, 180
28,298

254, 068

Year.

Com-
mander
Islands.

Robben
Island.

1871.,
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.
1881.
1882

3,014
29,350
27, 710
28,886
33, 152
25, 432
18,584
28, 198
38, 749
45, 174
.S9, 314
40, 514

2, 094
2,414
3,127
1, 528
2.949
3,1412
4,0U2
3,330
4,207
4,106

Total.

3.014
29, 356
30, 404
31,300
36, 279
26,960
21,533
31,340
42, 760
48,504
43, 521
44, 620

Year.

1883.
! 1884.
I 1885.
I 1886.
i 1887.
I 1888.
I 1889.

1890.

1891.

Total .

Com-
iiiauder
I.slauds.

26,650
49, 444
41, 737
54, 591
46,347
47, 362
52, 859
53, 780
5,800

Roblien
Island.

2,049
3,819
1,838

Total.

28,699
53, 263
43,575
54, 591
46, 347
47, 362
52,859
53, 780
5,800

776, 467

Tabie of annual seal-skin supply compiled from table of London trade sales as given i

Umil Teiohmann.

Year.

1870..
1871..
1872..
1873..
1874..
1875..
1876..
1877..
1878.,
1879.,
1880.
1881.
1882.
1883.
1884.
1885.
1886.
1887.
1888.
1889.

LoboB
Island.

Cape
Horn.

6,956
8,507
8,170
11. 353
13,066
12, 301
12, 295
14,386
13,560
13, 200
12,861
16, 268
10,953
13, 667
11,068
20,747
8,765

6,306

7,631

18, 227

12, 180

17, 562

13,164

11,711

4,655

6,743

3,404

909

2,702

4,403

3,021

Northwest
catch.

084

12,495

16, 303

981

7,843

3,575

4,097

1,945

3,607

15, 527

13,501

16,573

23,207

).544

20, 142

20,205

33,075

43, 339

40,000

41, 808

Alaska ; Copper
catch. , catch.

9,965
100,896
90,283
101, 248
90, 150
99,634
90,267

7,182
21,614
30, 349
34,497
33,298

75,410 I 25,380

99,911

100, 036

100, 101

9,994

100,100

75,914

99,887

99,719

09,910

99,940

100,000

100, 000

19,000
28,211
38,885
45, 209
89, HI
30,600
20,657
48,929
41 752
54,584
46, 333
47, 416

Total.

10,049
113, 391
119, 768
130, 749
136,851
145,867
145,321
123, 432
143,046
168,240
184,945
188,436
187, 329
139,474
160,705
183,270
100,213
211,003
211.483
201, 000

l{j

¥i

196

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Table of percentuyea of annual Hval-akin mipply compiled from table of London trade 8ale$

as given byjunil Teivhmann,

Year.

1870.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.
1881.
1882.
188U.
1884.
1885.
1886.
1887.
1888.
1889.

Lolios
Island.

0. ()r):i:i
.ur)t)(i

. (I7fi2
. 1(154
. (I8:il
. 07:!0

. II8U4

. o7i;u
. 07u;i
. ii9'j;i

. (1950
. 5510
.0718
.OSlil
. OUKl
. 04;t5

Ciiiie
Hum.

i. 0440
.0618
. 0575
. 0722
. 0946
. 0(i97
. 11024

. o:i»4
. o:>;t2

. 0196
. 0047

.oi;)3

. 0207
. 0156

Northwest 1
oatob. I

0.0620 '
.110
. 136
. 1.162
. 0072
. 0246
. 0282
.0158
.00251
.0927
. 0730
. 0825
. 1233
. 0685
.1187
.113
. 1795
. 2047
.1894
.2075

AliiHka
catch.

0. 0380
.890
.8047
. 7743
. 6830
.6204
.6113
.608
.5944
.813
.54)7
. 5307
. 5343
.5442
. 5821
. .•>447 '
. 5307
. ■*721
.4728
.4975

Copper
catch.

0.051
.059
. 1053
. 2364
.2143
. 2578
. 1363
.1677
. 2103
. 2451
. 2097
.2616
. 1631
. 2084
.2143
.2578
.2190
. 235,1

Total.

1.0000
1.0000
1.0000
1.0000
1.0000
1.0000
l.OOOO
1.0000
l.UOOO
1.0000
l.OOOO
1.0000
1.0000
1.0000
1. 0000
l.OOOO
1.0000
1.0000

1.0000
1.0000

CRUISE OF THE LOUIS OLSEN IN THE BERING SEA.

HY A. ». ALKXANDKR.

On the 25tli of May, at Seattle, I met Capt. E. P. Miner, master of
the American sealing schooner Harry Dennis, who, on the same day,
had arrived tVoni Japan, his vessel having been wrecked on that coast.
At the time of meeting him he was endeavoring to charter another
vessel, and hoped to be in the Bering Sea by the 1st of August. Inform-
ing him that the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries
was anxious that I should make a cruise with him shouhl he succeed
in getting a suitable vessel, he freely consented, and informed L'^.s that
if he found out in time he would let me know by mail.

On the morning of the 28th I sailed in the City of Topelcn for Sitka,
and from there took passage in the Crescent City for Unalaska. Soon
after arriving there 1 joined the AlhatroHs, and remained by her until
the evening of the 29th of July, when I joined the sealing schooner
Louis Olsen, of Astoria, Oreg., Captain Guillams, master, who did not
for a moment hesitate about giving me a jiassage. My reason for
joining the Olsen was on account of not having heard from Captain
Miner as to whether he had succeeded in obtaining a vessel; I was
also informed by several sealing captains that he did not get a vessel,
and in consequence Avould not be in the sea. The time having arrived
when pelagic sealing was about to commence, I was glad to accept, as
I thought, the only opportunity which would be offered for the season.

The next day, in latitude 54° 38' north, longitude l(il° 04' west, we
saw our first seals, 20 in number, 12 of wliich were "sleepers." Seals
when sleeping are by sealers always called by the above name. In the
afternoon we saw 6 seals about half a mile from the vessel playing in
a bunch of seaweed. The sea at the time was perfectly smooth with a
light air stirring. Two hunters and my.^elf started out in a boat to
watch them and see how near we could approach without disturbing
them. We soon learned that they were unusually tame, as we approached
near enough to touch one with a spear pole which was in the boat. They
showed little signs of fear, notwithstanding that we were within 30 feet
of them for fully five minutes. Diving under the seaweed and sud-

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

197

denly thrustiug their heads up through it seemed to afford them great
pleasure. Rolling over and over in the seaweed, tlieir trippers becom
ing tangled in it, was also a pleasant enjoyment. They paid but little
attention to us and seemed almost indifferent as to how near we
approached so long as we did so quietly. This caused the hunters to
exchiim several times, "If we only had a gnii we could kill them all."
Under the circumstances it was but natural that a gun should be the
uppermost thought in their minds.

Early in the spring, both on the Northwest coast and off" the coast
of .Japan, seals are sometimes found which evince little signs of fear,
but after one day's shooting on the ground they be(!ome very wild and
mistrustful, and, like a crow and some land animals, seem to scent a gun
in the air. On this particular occasion a kodak camera would have
given good results — it was one opportunity of a thousand.

The following day, .'Ust, seals were plentiful. The wind being light
during the previous night, oiu" position had changed but little.

On August 1, at a very early hour, the spears were brought forth and
the seal on them broken. While this was going on many remarks were
made in regard to the first day's trial. Some of the hunters were already
discouraged and were confident that they were only wasting time by
attempting to use spears; the thought of being obliged to adopt the
primitive weapon of the Siwash Avas indeed humiliating to them. A
few on board felt more hopeful and were willing to give the spear a fair
trial. Ever since leaving Unalaska the hunters had been practicing at
throwing the spear pole. Every piece of ffoating seaweed or other
object which came within range had been a target. On several occa-
sions the boats had been lowered and a supply of chips and small
pieces of wood taken along. These were thrown ahead of the boat as
targets to throw at. It was soon found that an object that could be
easily hit at a distance of 25 or 30 feet from the vessel was not so easily
reached from a boat, as the smallest wave would cause her to move just
enough to cause the pole to go wide of its mark. A day's practice
throwing from the boats had the effect of teaching the hunters the
various ways of holding the spear to make more sure of its hitting the
mark under the many cotiditions of sea and wind. All this time spear
throwing had been carried on with lifeless objects for a mark. The
opportunity was about to present itself to exhibit skill in throwing at
something that if missed the first time would not be likely to remain
statioTiary long encmgh to give the marksman another trial. A cool
head and steady nerves would be the special re(iuirements to insure a
successful day's hunt should seals be plentiful.

The 1st day of August did not prove a success, so far as sealing was
concerned, the weatlier being too foggy to send out the boats. Scat-
tering seals were observed all day, but they were all "travelers;" that
is, they were all moving in various dire(!tions. Our noon position was
latitude 5(i° 11' north, longitude 172° 01' west. The next day seals
were less numerous. None were observed in the forenoon ; in the after-
noon 12 were seen ; all but one were traveling to the westward. This
individual was asleep; a boat was quickly lowered and the hunter on
watch was rowed toward it. Before the boat had covered half the dis-
tance the seal showed signs of waking, and shortly after, becoming
aware of approaching danger, it disappeared. Our noon position on
this day was latitude 57° 21' north, longitude 1 73° 46' west. Seals here
were not so plentiful as they were farther south. In the afternoon we
hove to and caught two cod in 65 fathoms of water. No more seal life
was observed until the afternoon of the following day, when two sleep-

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SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

. r

iiig seals were sightetl. latitude o7° ')()' north, longitude 173° 48' west.
Five boats were sent out. They returned at 5 ]). nu, having taken
no seals, although 8 had been seen, but they were all " travelers."
Heavy fog and strong indications of tlie wind breezing up fresh caused
the boats to return earlier than they otherwise would. In the evening,
the vessel being hove to, several seals t'anie close alongside. They
seemed to be very curious to know what we were. All the spears on
boanl were repeatedly thrown at them, but they ha<l the good sense to
keep Just out of range. Whistling had the elVeet of enticing them close
aboard, but the sight of a sjiear or two being aimed at them would cause
them, without any apparent ellbrt, to increase their distance by 20 or
more feet.

The first seal ca])turi d by the OInch was on August -I, in latitude r>7°
50' noith, longitude 173° 48' west, the same position recorded on the
previous day. At 8.4.> a. m. sail was made, and at 10.4r> tlie boats were
lowered, two "sleepers" having been seen. The weather being foggy
the boats were so(Ui lost to sight. The vessel was hove to, it being
much easier for the boats to keej) the bearing of the vessel than for
the vessel to keep track of the boat.*-.

As soon as the boats had lett a hand line was put over in 70 fathoms
of water. An lumr's fishing resulted in 18 cod. Their average weight,
as near as could be Judged, was 12 pounds; the largest weighed not far
from 30 pounds. All but two of the cod were in a healthy condition.
These two had soies on their backs about the size of a half dollar, whic|i
bad eaten nearly to the backbone. This instance is mentioned here on
account of the i)art of the tish wheie the sores weie. In both cases
they were situated near the neck, directly over the vertebra; they were
as round and smooth as if cut with a knife.

Notwithstanding that the fog did not lift during the day, the boats
remained out until p. m. The result of the day's liunt was 12 seals —
4 males and 8 females. One of the seals had previously been speared
in one of its liii)pers, as it was nearly severed from its body, showing
that the seal must have had a hard stiuggle to free itself. The largest
number of seals caught for this first day's successfid hunt was taken
by two boats, they bringing in five each; two other boats captured one
each, and the renmiuing two boats brought in nothing. The hunters
in these boats, on learning that 12 seals had been captureil, indulged in
strong language at their nonsuccess.

About ."iO seals had been observed from the boats, the most of which
were awake. Only an occasional individual had been seen dtiring the
day from the vessel, the fog being too dense to see more than an eighth
of a mile.

In no single instance was the (irst seal si)eared at captured ; it was
only after repeated attemi)ts by each hunter that one was hit. The
excitement caused by the desire on the part of each to be the first
to capture a seal, combined with the inexperience of throwing the
primitive weai)on, was no doubt the chief cause of the poor results.
The eight females captured were ail nursing seals; but little food was
found in their stomachs, and that was too much digested to tell what
it consisted of; it was, however, placed in alcohol.

In the evening, after the seals had been skinned and everything made
snug for the night, each hunter told his experience during the day,
which, as may be supposed, was more entertaining than instructive.

On the nth the wind and weather were not suitable for sealing; a
very fresh southeast wind prevailed, and in order to keep our present
position the vessel was hove to under easy sail. A large number of

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

1!)9

seals was uotieed; they were fmiueiitly seen playing about, sometimes
on tbe crest of a wave, and then in the hollow of a sea. They seem-
ingly had no tixed course, but wouhl swim in one direction a half a
mile or so, return and go in an opposite way. It is more than likely,
luid the wind been blowing a strong gale, they would all have been
bound in one direction. The wind continued fresh, with a rough, choppy
sea, until the following noon, when the fog which had come in during
the night lifted and the wind suddenly subsided into a calm. The boats
were put in readiness and sent out for an afternoon's hunt. Consider-
ing the state of the sea and the time of starting, a fair afternoon's work
was done, 19 seals being landed on deck by H.30 j). m. Fifteen of the
number were cows and 4 males. Only <> had food in their stoukachs.
Every hunter reported seals numerous, about half of the nund)cr being
asleep. They slept in uunchesof (» jmd 8, and when aroused from their
slumber were very tame, but owing to the inexperience of the hunters
with spears in a comparatively rough sea, the successful throws were few
and far between. Had the hunters been provided with shotguns instead
of spears, it is pretty safe to say that a hundred or more seals would have
been nearer the day's catch. To be compelled to see seals escape that
could easily have been killed witii a sh(»tgun brought forth fiom both
hunters and boat crews loud and imprecatory language upon the heads
of all those who were instrumental in prohibiting the use of firearms in
the Bering Sea. These men had not been used to seeing their prey get
away so easily, an<l to them the sight was more than exasperating.
During the absence of the boats a large number of traveling seals had
been seen from the vessel and also an oc<;asional "sleeper." One of the
latter was observed close aboard a little on our lee. It evidently was
sleeping soundly, for neither the slatting of the sails nor the blowing
of tlie fog horn had the ettect of awaking it, and it was oidy when the
scent of the vessel reached its nostrils that it showed signs of life.
After being fully aroused it di<l not exhibit any great signs of ahirm,
but played about not far off for some time. It seldom hapi)ens that a
seal will show such indifference to its surroundings as this one. The
captain and mate said they had never in all their experieiuie seen a seal
so tame. The general o])iiiion on board was that it was due to there
being no tirearms used or hunting allowed in the Bering Sea for the
past few years that caused the seals thus far observed to show so little
fear of man.

The highest catch for any one single day was taken on the 7th. The
day commenced with a gentle breeze from the south, a»<'i a smooth sea.
A light fog hung low over the water which prevente^i the boats from
being seen nun'e than 20 yards. At 8 a. m. the last boat shoved off, and
they were not seen again until evening. No(m position : Latitude, 58°
30' north; longitude, 173° HO' west. In the forenoon hand-line fishing
was carried on. The depth of water here was 00 fathoms. Six good-
sized cod were caught in quick succession; 2 males and 4 females.
Their stomachs were well filled with food. In the stomach of a large
female was found an octopus; it had been rei^ently swallowed, as its skin
showed no discoloration. Cod were abundant; we could have filled the
decks in a day's fishing with a single line. The abundance of cod may
have been the cause of seals being plentiful in this region. In the
evening the boats all returned nearly at the same time, bringing in 34
seals, 30 of which were females. Twenty-four of the number had food
in their stomachs. The material, however, was finely masticated, and
hard to identify, but a portion of it looked very much like the flesh of
cod. If a portion of the food was cod, the question arises, did the seals

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200

SEAL LIFE ON THK PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

dive to the bottom in (M) tUtlioins of water and brinff their prey to the
surface? As a rule cod are found very close to the bottom, especially in
deep water; in shallow places they are sometimes found nearer the sur-
face. It is not probable that seals in this region found an abundance
of cod or even siuittering ones near the surface. Just how deep a seal
4'an tlive and secure food is a mooted question. Mr. Henry Elliott gives
them credit of being able to dive to profound depths. The writer has
conversed with a good nniny sealers on the subject, but has never been
able to gather any reliable information. Sealers as a rule are not a very
observing class of men, for the reason tlnit their interest is all centered
in the commercial side of the <|uestion, and think little of the habits or
other peculiarities of seal life. The most satisfactory evidence the writer
ever had that seals are deep divers was two years ago on the Kairweather
(iroimd, a large bank ott" the coast of Alaska, while on a cruise in the
revenue-cutter Coririn. We were about to return to the ship at the end
of a successful afternoon's hunt, when a large bull suddenly came up
close to our canoe, not over 'M feet away, with a very large I'cd rockfish
in its mouth, which it immediately i)roceeded to devour. The fish was
alive and couhl be plainly seen struggling in the seal's mouth. Our
position at the time was some 75 or 80 miles ott'shore from Yakutat
Bay. We had no means of ascertaining the depth of the water, but it
could not have been much less than KM* fathoms. Ited rockflsh is also
a species that generally swims close to the bottom, although like cod it
is possible thsit they sometimes feed near the surface. The writer does
not maintain that seals can go to the bottom in 1(K) fathoms of water,
but thinks they can dive much deeper than is generally supposed.

All the hunters on this day reported seals plentiful, but could tind
very few asleep. Had the sun been shining it is safe to say that the
majority of those with food in their stomachs would have slept during
a greater part of the day, for, as a rule, seals with full stomachs sleep
when the sun is out, the air warm, and the sea smooth or comparatively
so. Their time of sleeping, however, is not always when conditions are
favorable, for after a gale of long duration they are frequently seen
asleep when the air is cold and the sea uncommonly high. At such
times seals are completely exhausted. It is not an infrequent sight
during the winter and spring months, at the end of a long and heavy
gale, to see seals sleeping soundly in a snowstorm, with that por-
tion of the body out of the water covered with snow. In consequence
of the seals on this day being restless, a great many of the M taken
were what is known to sealers as "tinners," that is. seals about half
asleep, rolling about and scratching themselves. Sometimes "tinners"
are hard to ap])ruach, and at other times very easy. A restless one will
try very hard to take a nap, but Just as he gets comfortably tixed some-
thing disturbs him; holditig its head up he will take a look all around,
as if danger was scented in the air. These are hard to capture with
spears.

Indians seldom pay any attention to moving seals when hunting with
spears; they think it a waste of time. White hunters, when they can
find no sleeping seals, frequently give chase to "tinners" and "travel-
ers," and in many cases are rewarded for their trouble. The hunters
on the Olsen soon tbund that few seals would be taken on certain days
if they only selected sleeping ones. Many haphazard throws were
made at swinnning and tinning seals, the majority of which were fail-
ures, but enough good shots were nmde to make the experiment a pay-
ing one.

For several days seals had been observed chasing some kind of fish,

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

201

and (lurinjj tliis last day's hunt they were quite plentiful. Oidy a single
individual would be seen ; it would dart tlrst in one diiectiun and then
in another, audoerasionally wouhl make a desperate lea|t out of water.
I'resently a seal would be noticed not far off swimmiuff as rapidly and
in as manydltlerent <lirections as the tlsh. On the day in tptestion, two
seals were speared, Just as they eanie to the surface, eiich with one of
these fish in its mouth. The seals did not relin(iuish their hold when
speared, but kept a firm };rip until knocked on the head. The speci-
mens proved to be Alaskan pollock. In both cases the specimens of
flah 8e<;ured were brought up by large males; one was somewhere
between H and 10 years of age.

The two following days, Sth and 9th, the weatlu-r was too boisterous
for sealing; wind southeast and every indication of a gale. We lay to
under the foresail in order to keep as near our |)resent position as pos-
sible. A heavy sea set in iVom the westwanl, but the wind did not
increase above a strong breeze. Scattering seals were ab(mt each day,
all traveling to the westward. From observation we learned that dur-
ing stormy weather seals traveled in an oi)posite direction to the wind.
In a gale it will be found that seals are far more numerous on the lee
side of the I'ribilof Islands than to the wiiulward of them. When the
wind is heavy and the sea rough seals as a rule travel from the seal
islands directly to leeward or nearly so. Just how much the wind
changes the course of the main bo<ly of seals would be hard to say,
but so far as our investigations extended, in connecMon with the travel-
ing herd which came under our notice, we are inclined to think that
seals within 100 miles of the seal islands, bound to the feeding grounds,
will in most cases seek the grounds to the leeward of the group. Seals
in a gale take every advantage of wind and 'ea. It is necessary that
they should, for there is evidently a limit to cheir endurance.

On the morning of the 10th light winds prevaile«l, but a choppy sea,
combined with a long rolling swell from the west southwest, rendered
it I titit for sealing, although scattering seals had been noticed. Two
days of idleness had made everybody on board anxious to get out in
the boats. In the afternoon the wind fell to a calm, and the boats were
put over in latitude .IS^ '2T north, longitu<le 172'^ 46' west, and remained
out until evening, bringing in only three seals. Very few were seen
from tiie boats, although they covered consideral)le groun«l during the
day. Seals were equally scarce in the vicinity of the vessel; only six
were observed . One of these, more bold than the rest, kei)t circling
around the vessel, coming nearer each time. Finding that it was inclined
to be inquisitive, it was encouraged to make further investigations as
to what we were by continual whistling by those on board. It was
finally enticed alongside and captured, the spear passing through one
of its hind flippers. A series of photographs showing all the different
positions the seal was in during its struggle for liberty would have been
valuable. It fought bravely for life while in the water, but on being
hauled on board its power was greatly lessened. It did not, however,
give up without a desperate struggle to regain its liberty. At one
period of the fight it drove everybody from the main deck, and it was
only when a noose was thrown over its neck and its head hauled down
to a ring bolt that terms of peace could be made, which was by knock-
ing in on the head. The catch of seals for the day was 4 — 3 females and
1 male; the total catch lo date 6J> — 13 males and 56 females.

The next day (11th) the boats made an early start. Everything
looked favorable for , good day's hunt, the wind being light and the
sea smooth, two thiug.^ which are almost indispensable in seal hunting.

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202

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

No seals had been noticed during the morning, but it does not neces-
sarily follow that because none are observed from the vessel they are
not about, for fre<iuently it haitpeus that good catches are made when
not a seal has been seen from the vessel. This was not one of those
exceptional days; l.'J was the catch — 3 males and U) cows. Seals had
been comparatively plentiful, but were not inclined to sle<^i> and were
too wild to approach. A piece of an Alaskan pollock was brought in
by one of the hunters, it having been taken from a seaPs mouth in the
same manner as the two others i)reviously described. The shape of an
Alaskan pollock would indicate it to be a tish that could easily escape
from a seal. It may be, however, that seals do not select a single tish,
but give chase to a body of them :ifter the manner of whales, sword-
fish, and sharks, and out of many suc<!ced in capturing one or more.
The reason for seals seen on this day being so wild coiild be accounted
for only in one way, they having had little to eat. The stomachs of
those taken fully corroborated this theory. A series ot trials were
made for bottom lish, but with negative results; we seemed to be
drifting over barren ground. The noon position on this day was o7°
42' 38" north latitude; ITli^ o2' west longitude.

Our i>leasant weather was about to be broken lor a considerable
length of time, tor on the 12th the day began with a gale from the
southeast, accompanied by a heavy sea. Lay hove to under single-
reefed foresail and trysail. In the afternoon spoke with the schooner
Teresa, of San Francisco; also saw tlie schooner Kate, of V^ictoria,
British Columbia, a short distance away. Seals freciuently seen all
through the day. In the early i»art of the night the wind increased to
a heavy gale, and in the latter part the wind decreased in force and
hiuiU'd to the wcst-scmthwest. A heavy sea kept up all day. In the
forenoon a vessel was sighted low on the hori/.on. An occasional seal
observe<l ; phalarojjes numerous.

August If: Weather pleasant, but wind fresh from the westward.
In the evening boarded the schooner Faicii, of Victoria, British Colum-
bia. She reported losing a boat and three men on the llth. (They
were afterwards jticked up.) The Fairn had an Indian crew and had
taken 1*0 skins in the sea. This news gave our hunters considerable
encouragement. Position, latitude ~il° 37' north; lougitu«le 173^14'
west.

August 15: Pleasant weather in the early part of the day, but very
squally in the latter part; sea rough. Latitude 57° IP north; longi-
tude 173° Wr west.

August 16 : Variable weather ; clear in the morning, thick and scjuaily
in the afternoon; sea veryrougli. But few seals seen. Xoon position,
latitude 57° OP north; longitude 172° 30' west.

August 17: At 7 a. m. made sail and ran to the southward; wind
northwest and fresh, gradually decreasing tt> a light breeze in alter-
noon. A heavy fog canje in later in the day. Position, latitude 5(5° 54'
north; longitude 172° 45' west. Continued on our course until 8 a. m.
the next day, at which time saw a seal " tinning " close by. A boat was
quickly manned and started in pursuit, but the seal was on the alert
and soon increased the distance between itself and enemy. Shortly
after this a "sleeper"' was noticed not far off on the weather bow.
Another boat Vt'as hoisted out, which was silently rowed toward the
coveted prize, ^o attempt was made by the hunter to thr »wthe spear
until the boat was within 20 feet of it. It was easily captured. When
opened its stomach was found to be well tilled with food, which no
doubt was the cause of its sleeping so soundly.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

203

Later in the clsiy all the boats weut out, but returned at the end of
three hours with only one seal. The sea was smooth and but little
wind stirrinfj, but the air grew suddenly chilly and the sky vei\v cloudy,
which practically put an end to the chances of seals sleeping for the
day. On this particular occasion the hunters were very much dis-
gusted on account of not having shotguns. They claimed that with
guns the day's catcli at the least calculation would have been between
(50 and 70 seals, instead of the snmll uumber of two. On a day like
this, when seals showed no inclination to sleep, shotguns in the hands
of skillful hunters would have done very destructive work to the seal
herd, for experienced hunters kill nearly if not quite as many traveling
seals during the course of a season as sleeping ones. In the early his-
tory of pelagic sealing hunters sought sleei)ing seals only, but they
have learned the n)(>vemeuts of the seal so thoroughly that traveling
and finning seals are almost as desirable as sleeping ones.

Hand-line fishing was carried on from the vessel in 00 fathoms of
water. In one hour 10 co<l were caught, their average weight being
about pounds. It was estimated that the largest would weigh 30
pounds, the smallest 4 pounds. In their stomachs were found small
starfish, i)rawns, sijuid, medusa', and a quantity of decomposed fish,
all of wliiirh was saved.

Unfortr.nately this was our last day's hunt. From this time on we
had stormy weather and heavy gales. Kighty- lour seals had been taken,
10 males anti (tS l'emale>;. All the females were nursing cows, except
one, which was a yearling. The hist seal caught by the Olscii w.i.s taken
in latitude ~A'P 0")' north, longitude 172'^ 17' west.

Karly in the morning of the lOth the weather was pleasant, with indi-
cations of its l>eing a suitable day for sealing, but shortly after tlie wind
began to fresluMi IVom the southeast, gradually increasing in force and
hauling to the westward. Lay to under a double-reefed foresail; heavy
squalls at times. \oon jjosition, latitude ii'P '.»{)' north, longitude \1'2'^
lli' west.

August L*0: Heavy gale from the northwest; very high sea running.
Itan before tiui wiml for three hours, hoping to run out of the heaviest
part of the gale, but no perceptible ditt'erenci! was felt. Lay hove ta
until 10 p. 111., at which time again kejit off before the wind and rau
until 10 a. m. the next day. Alxmt this time saw several seals, and
soon aftev ran close to a bunch of seals, live in number, all huddled
together. It was evident that they were well tired out, or else they
would not have been asleep in such weather. Position, latitude 54"^
38' north, longitude l(>8o 01' west. In the afternoon sighted several
vessels.

On the 2-Jd bore away for Unimak Pass; wind north-northwest and
blowing a gale, foUow<'d by a heavy sea. On the morning of the 2;?d
sighted the h)wei jiart of Akutan Island, the top of it being enveloped
in a heavy fog. All through the day seals were plentiful, many of which
were asleep. During the past few days enough seals had been seen to
cauije a vessel to lay by and wait until the weather should nu>derate.
The captain thought that ba<l weather had set in for the fall, and
accordingly had made up his mind to go home. A mistake was mad©
in this decision, for after we had left the sea and were on our way home
good catches were being made by all the vessels that remained.

At o'clock in the evening we had left Unimak Pass behind us, and
were standing on an east by south course. The next day, when about
75 nules from the pass, saw a sleeping seal, and 10 miles farther on saw
two more. When about 200 miles offshore salmon were noticed Jjump-

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204

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

ing. They were so near that we could hardly mistake the species.
Whales were also plentiful.

For the first two or three days after leaving the sea the weather was
pleasant, but during the greater part of the voyage home heavy gales
from the westward prevailed, which made the captain all the more con-
fident that no mistake had been made by leaving so early.

On the evp.ning of the fJth of September we arrived at Victoria, hav-
ing been twelve days on the voyage home.

The writer was very kindly treated by the captain, orticers, and crew
of the OImu, every effort being made by them to lend assistance and
eoUect such material as was desired. Had the Olnen been among seals
under favorable circumstances, as many vessels were, the writer could,
■with the assistance of the kindly disposed crew, have gathered consid-
erable material; but we were one of the unfortunate ones. It was
subsequently learned that during the time we were having exceedingly
stormy weather — often hove to in a gale — many vessels of the fleet that
were several degrees farther south were having pleasant weather and
getting good catches every day.

Seals taken in the Bering Sea by the schooner Louis Olsen, 1894.

Position.

t
Number.

Male.

Date.

North lati-
tude.

Wt!8t longi-
tude.

o / //

173 48 00
173 56 00
173 56 00
172 46 00
172 52 00
172 17 00

Female.

Aug. 4

' /'

57 50 00

58 30 00
68 30 00
58 27 00
57 42 38
56 05 00

12 !
19 i
34 j

13 i

2 1.

8
15
30

3
10

Total

84 j

[Statistics compiled by H. H. Mclntyre, 1889.]

Seal skins landed at Victoria from Bering Sea, as sho' i by the Victoria custom-house

records.

Schooner.

1881.
193

1882.

1883.

1884.

980
1,700
1,409

1885.

1 726

1886.

1887.)

1888.

1889.

UsAU Diecro f Aiuericnn)

327

908

1 ID?

A lex. ana Otter ( American)

Mary Ellen (British)

1,773
1, 244
1.953
1,100
1,385

3, 559 2, 130
1,420 l.:u»

700

Vandorbilt (American)

1,600

1,187

Favorite (iiritish)

3, 492

182

2,000

1,70C

(I)

2,200
1,465
328
1,700
1,000
1, 338

1,8«7
60?
900
440?
536

S'zed.

"I'm

1,700

Annie (American)

6S0

Sylvia Handy (American)

614

Helen Blum (American)

Dolphin (liritish, now American, J. O.

Alfred Adams (nrltish,uow the Lily).
Black Diamond ( British)

990
2,377

786

800

I'athflnder (British) '

iiierra(Iiriti8h) •

Active (iJrltisI) '

Annie Beck (British)

1.142

1,600

1,700

194

630

S'zed.
Szed.
S'zed.
1.292

624
1,000
1,625

500
2,607
S'zed,

W. P. Say ward (British)

1,600

Grace (British, now tile J. H. Lewis) ..

Penelope ( British)

1,054
780

1,860

Mountain Chief ( liritish)

Mary Taylor (British)

Kate (British)

"2,'470'

All

Triumph ( liritish) '

Lottie Fa irtield (British)

Ada(Briti8h)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 205

Seal skina landed at Victoria from, Bering Sea, etc. — Coutinuecl.

Schooner.

1881. < 1882. 1H83. 1884. 1885. 1880. 1887. .' 1888. 1889.

-r

■ Juuiiitn (BritiKh) ' ' 1.0;il)

Aniiii' C.Moote (British) 715

Viva (British) :, 06U

Maggie Mc (British) j 1,-I24

' "■ ■ 450

520
500
40U
380

Adele (German) 1,350/

Webster (American)

Ol8eu( American)...

AVttlter A. Rich (AniLrican) | ;

Allie J. Alger (American) i 400/

Newton (American) (Vi'iitiire) '

J.G.Swan (American)

Henry Dennis (American)

Sapphire (Brltisli) !

LiUy (Brltisli) j

/Ariel (British) i ,

Minnie (British) :

Beatrice (British) ! ;

San Jose (American) ' '

Lilly L (American) ' ' ,

Mollie Adams (American)

Bessie Renter (American) [

Challenge (American) I |

i,;io»

2,18(^
1,290-
1,600

284

23»

700

1,«2»

1,316.

521

700

800

1,537

550

Total 193 327 [ 908 ' 4,089 9, 181 27, 240 22, 331 15, 007 | 23, 06ft

Skins seized by tlie United States, I i i

approximate ' a, 000 12,000a 2,500

Graudtotal 193 327 908 j 4,089 ; 9, 181 29,240 134,331 15,097 , 25,586

a Actnal number of sk^ns seized 11,618 or 11,902. See page 337 United States counter case.— J. S. B.

Note.— The interrogation point ( /) following tlgures in 1887 column indicates doubt as to the correct-
ness of the report.

Number of Victona and Northwest Coast fur-seal skins sent to market from ISSl to 1889,

inclusive.

Year.

Bering North

Sea i Pacific Total,
skins. I skins. {

1881 1 193 16,380

1882 1 327 I 22,880

1883 1 908 1 8,180

1884 i 4,089 I 16,053

1885 ; 9,181 11,184

1886 i 29,240 4,7;t5

1887 j 34,331 8,908

1888 1 1 5, 097 24, 80 1

1889 j 25,560 20,580

in, .'■)73

23, 207
9,094
20, 142
20.365
33, 975
43, 239
39, 898
46, 146

\i'L' *

I-

The above totals are believed to be very nearly correct, having been
compiled from the London catalofjues of sales, but the numbers caught,
respectively, in Bering Sea and the North Pacific are not definitely
known. The catch of the North Pacific has been ascertained by deduct-
ing the number reported from the Victoria custom-house records as
having been taken in Bering Sea from the total number sold in London.

It will be noticed that nearly in proportion as the Bering Sea catch
increased, that of the Northern Pacific decreased; and, that while the
total catch of 1888, following the seizures and repression of 1887, was
not very materially less, the proportion taken from Bering Sea was much
smaller than in the preceding and following year.

The inference may be clearly drawn that to the e.\1;ent to which illicit
sealing is suppressed in Bering Sea, it will be more active in the North
Pacific, and that the simple closure of the former body of water against
marauders will do little toward the effective protection of seal life.

■ w

tj' if ' '"'

ft ■'$ }

:>t»NI

206

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS,

Value of Fictoria, Hritish Columbia, sealing fcsse/s, estimated by A. li. Milne, esq.,
surveyor of the port of rictoria, and T. T. Williams, of San Fiuncisco, August, 1889.

Schoouer.

Owner'it name.

Carne, Muusie & Co.

....do

...do

D. McLonn

K.C.J{iikeri:Co....

C Snring

Not known

H. Jucobson

Mary Taylor

Pathfinder

Viva

Mary Kllen

Triumph Xo. 1

Favorite

Kate

Aurora

Minnie

.Sapphire ' Marvin &C'o

Winifred MrDolan

Blk Dinmond A. Frank

Lily do

Feuelopu Gray & Moses

Maggie Mac U'jdd A- Co

"W. P. Sayward Lnndberg k Co. . ,

Jnniata.' Hall & (icopel

Annie C.Moore ' Moore & llackett

Tliere.sa ; Bnbbington Jt Co

Ariel Biickman

Mountain Chief Indians

AVanderer I'axton & Co

Triumph No. 2 Mtiir Bros

Letetia Indiana

Total

Milne's Williams's 'n_„„„„,.
valuation, valuation, i ^"nnage.

$8,

10.

12,
8.

14,
8,
7,
8,
8,

15,
2,
9.
8.

10,

10,
8.
6,

l.'i.

10,
».

a,
;t.
a.

000
000 I
000 i
000 1
000 I
000 i
000 I
000
.'iOO 1
000
500
5U0
500
000
000
000

ouo

000
000
000
000

ouo

000
000

$4,500 i

10,000 {

12,000 :

0,000 '

11,000

6,000 '

7,00»

8,000

8,500

15, (too

2,500

5, 000

10, 000

7,000

8.000

:t, 000

1.5, 000
10, 000
9, 000
1.000
1.000
1,750
TOO

Crew.
White. Indian.

46
124 ;

13 <

69 !

7(t

71 i

40
113 i

63 I

90 '

23 I

16'!

15 1

'2S

a 200, 500 6173,350

1,464

22 :
22 '
22 I

30 I
7
5

4 I
4
6 '

5 1
5 I
5

20
21

5
22
20
21

261

30
30
24
30
40
10
36
36

28
28

20
20
15
20

389

a A(;tiial result, $198,000.

;.' Actual result, $171,350.

Slight errors appear to have been made in footing the above, but the
totals are a.s reported respectively by Milne and Williams.

The above estimates include cost of outfit for a season's cruise, com-
prising boats, guns, spears, ammunition, provisions, etc.

The schooner Araunah, formerly belonging to the Victoria sealing
fleet, was seized by the Russian Government July 1, 1888.

Mr. Milne estimates the cost of a sealing venture as follows:

Wages of crews and huuters per vessel $7,000

lusurance, 7 per cent of $8,000 560

Provisions, salt, ammunition, etc 3,000

Total per vessel, average 10,560

He also estimates the annual average catch at 2,000 skins per ves-
sel, but as a matter of fact the average has been for Victoria vessels
during the last four years only about 1,288 skins per vessel annually.

Mr. Williams estimates the expense of a sealing trip as follows:

For five boats $600

FiveMarlin rifles, at $35 175

Five shotguns, at $35 175

Two extra guns 70

Salt for skins 200

Five thousand rounds of ammunition 125

Insurance, one-third of a year 175

Captain's wages four months 400

Ten men at $35, and 5 at $20 per month 1,800

Paid huuters, 1,600 skins at $2 per skin 3,200

Provisions, 20 men 4 months at $8 per month 640

Total per vessel, average 7,460

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

207

30
30
24
30
40
10
36
36

28
28

20
20
15
20

389

The annual average price paid for seal skins in Victoria froi.i 1881 to
1889, inclusive, is as follows:

1884.

1885.
188ti.

IVr akin.
. . $7.75
. . 7. .50
. . 7. 65

1887.
1888,
1889.

Per skin.
.. $5.50
.. 5.62
. . 6. 50

I'er Hkin.

1881 $9.25

1882 8.00

1883 10.00

General average, $7.53 per skin.

it will be observed that the price of Victoria and Northwest coast
skins has decreased. This has resulted from the fact that it was found
by the London dressers that the skins of .seals taken indiscriminately,
ch'.efly from females, in the water, did not compare favorably with tltose
taken from carefully selected young males on the islands.

On the basis of the foregoing figures, the value of the fur seal trade,
as conducted by the Canadians, i.s surprisingly small. Their annual
catch at present prices is worth about ^V2'>,{){){t, and the highest esti-
mated value of the tonnage engaged is only $ii(K),00(> — amounts incom-
parably small in proportion to the loss that would be sustained by the
United States and England in case the seal fisheries were broken up,
as will inevitably result if the Can.adian manner of killing is continued.

The following is extracted from the report of United States Consul
Stevens, of Victoria, British Columbia, to the Department of State, in
June, 1889:

Since the beginning of tlie present decade the hunting; of the fur seal lias been
vigorously pursued from this port. There are some 21 ve.ssels, varying from 26 to
126 tons register (an aggregate tunna<i;e of 1,737 tons), employing 158 men, and
valued at about $126,000, engaged in hunting the fur .s<;al. These vessels, some of
them having small steam power, leave here about the 1st of .January and proceed
southward, returning in May and landing the skins, taking some of them as far south
as San Diego, Cal., and along the coast up. They again leave for the north, going as
far as the Bering Sea, returning in September. The total catch for 1888 amounted to
26,720 skins, much smaller than for recent jirevious years. Of these, 14,987 were
reported as "the Bering Sea collection," the distinctive name given to those taken
far north, in the neighborhood of the Aleutian Islands, and claimed to be finer fura
than any other.

These skins are sold here in bundles, salted to preserve them, and they may be
kept many months in that condition without injury. Ordinarily sales are made at
BO much per skin for the lot; sometimes, however, they are sold in assovtments of
males, females, and pups, the average price for the latter being $6 per skin. They
are shipped from here to London, where they are dressed and dyed, paying a duty
when they reach the United States, as they mostly do, of 3C ^ler cent on their then
value of about $22.50 per skin.

During these years (1886-87) some eight of these vessels were seized in the north-
ern waters by the United States revenue cutters for violation of the law of July,
1870, "to prevent extermination of fur-bearing animals." No seizures were made
in 1888.

*- . "I

i i

$600

175

200

125

175

400

1,800

3,200

640

7,460

Hi I :j| > 1 S I! :

208 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Victoria and Northteeat coast fur-seal skins sold and dressed in London.
[Compiled by Mr. Alfred FruHer, of the house uf Messrs. C. M. Lainpson & Co.]

Year.

1868.
1869.
187U.
1871.
1872.

187;!.

1874

1875.

1876.

1877.

1878.

1879.

1880.

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1886.

1887.

1888.

1889.

Dry skins
sold.

2,141
1,671

684
12, 4U5
14,584

8U1
2,772
1, :i51

09»
1,173

912

918

686

321

;9U

785

1,52U

970

2,843

I. 252

Totul .

a Retained in United States (eHtimnte).

J» t- 3,0U0 23,365. c + 3,000 — 36,975.

NOTB.— Indians dried the skins.

41), 361

Salted DreHsed for
skins sold, owners.

1,020

4,949
1,646
2,042

264 <
12,212
8, 939 i
9,9»7
11,727
2, 319
e, 242 I
2,07H
17,909
36,907
36,816

122

578

1,062

772

2,434 I

2,397

4,562

5, 890

11, 159

6,385

10, 115

16,667

15, 087

3.589

1,930

Total.

2,141

1,671

684

12, 495

16, 312

931

7,843

3,575

4,097

1,945

3,610

15, 527

13, 501

16, 573

23,207

9,094

a 20, 142

b 20, 365

c 33, 975

(243,239

e 39, 998

46, 146

158, 070

83,488 ! 337,071

(i-h 3.000 = 46,239.

e + 3,000 =42,000.

During the past four years, say from 1885 to 1888, about 3,000 Bering
Sea and Victoria skins have been annually dressed and dyed in the
United States, and must be added to the above.

The large number of dry skins sold in 1871-72 doubtless consisted in
part of the stock of the iiussian-American Company taken before the
cession of the Territory, and held in their warehouse at Sitka.

Adding to the above yrand total 337,071

Skins dressed in the United .Statea, as above stated 12,000

349, 071
And deducting those from the Riissiau-Ainerican Company's stock of 1867.. 24, 000

Makes total killing in the waters of the North I'acilic and Bering Sea, from

1868 to 1889 325,071

That this number should be considerably more than doubled to rep-
resent the total illegitimate destruction of seal life has been so frequently
repeated and so thoroughly proved as to need no further proof or
demonstration.

It is worthy of note that of the above 325,071 skins, 203,865 have
been taken witLiii the last six years in constantly increasing numbers,
except during tlie year 1888 following the seizures and repression of
1887.

Sealini/ vessels (schooners) fitted out in 1889 under the American flag.

Sylvia Handy.
Allie J. Alger.
J. G. Swan.
Venture.
Henry Dennis.

San Jose.
Lily L.
Mollie Adams.
JSesHie Keuter.
Challen ge.

Lottie.

Mary I'eleo.

(). S. Fowler.

City of Son Diego.

Adonia.

Caroline.

Adcle ((Jerman).

Marie«le]asCruze8(f)

Alexander.

Webster.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

209

Decrease in size of I'libiiof Inland seal skinn, 1S85-1S89.
[C'rmipiltMl by Mr. AU'rcd Kin'»' :, oi Messrs. (!. M. Liinipsoii & Co., of I.oniloii.l

AviTllfJO

1885.

1886.

Lhs. oz.

LargH midiUiiig!* ID I)

Midrtlings 15

MidillinjiH and snialls 12

Smalls '■)

Lar«e pups H

Middling pn])8 7

Small pups i>

Extra siiiiill pups 5

Extra extra small pups 4

i:i
4
I)
(I
4
U

t4U

t,HU

5, :ioo

20.««4
34, 27(1
•-'i 207
10,6«4
1,2U1

1. i7;i

4, «7.'.

i;i. ;iiK
2«, r>-x
:i(i, 910

17,04.")

:i, H.'>7

1887.

fiOli
2. 2.")4
«, !i:)0

23, 1T8

35, r„ti

24, 814
4, 42(i

1888.

177

2,318

!), 2i)8

18, 3(T5

36, 66!)

29, 239

3, 962

Total

90,376 99,889 99,938 99,97U

1889.

220

2,133

7, 020

11,040

26, 478

33, 859

18, 728

521

09,997

The lessees of the ^seal islands have been niiable during the last three
years to secure the most desii-able si/os of skins, owing to diminished
number of seals, the result of illicit killing by marauders.

The decrease in the size of skins taken by lessees is in proportion to
the increase of numbers caught by tlie marauders.

LOSS Ol- FEMALE SKALS.

British and Amerimn ioitimony.

[Kstrnct Ironi Iftter ol' Sir Gc'orj;e Budoii-l'owill, iiiiblisliiMl in tlio London Tiuics Xovenilirr 30, 1889. |

As a matter of fact the Canadian sealers take very few, if imy, seals
close to the islands. Their main catch is made far out at sea, and is
almost entirely composed of females. (Case of the Ignited States,
p. 200, and Senate Ex. Doc. !N^o. o5, Fifty-second Congress, lirst session,
p. 96.)

[Extract from lettirof Kcar-Admir.il Hotbani, of the Itriti.sli navy, to Admiralty.]

Warspite, at Esquimult, September 10, ]8!)0.

I have to request you will bring to the notice of the Lords Commis-
sioners of Admiralty this letter with reference to my telegram of the
8th instant.

I personally saw' the masters of the sealing schooners named below,
and obtained from them the information here reported: Capt. C. Cox,
schooner tSupphire; Captain Petit, schooner Mary Taylor; Captain
Hackett, schooner Annie Seymour; Capt. W. Cox, schooner Triumph.

'.('

•a

"7t

' "ill

They also mentioned that two-thirds of their catch consisted of female
seals, but that after the 1st of July very few indeed were captured "in
pup," and that when sealing outside the Bering Sea, round the coast,
on the way up (where this year the heaviest catches were made), they
acknowledged that the seals "in i)up" were fre<iuently captured.
(Extract from Vol. Ill, Appendix to Case of Great Britain, cited in
United States, No. 1, 1891, p. 17.)

There were killed this year so far from 40,000 to .'50,000 fur seals,
which have been taken by schooners from San Francisco and Victoria.
The greater number were killed in Bering Sea, iind were nearly all cows
or female seals. This enormous catch, with the increase which will

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 14

■iq--'

r ' >

210

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

:iil

.■i

take place when tlie vessels Httiiig up every year are ready, will, I aai
afraid, .soon deplete our fur-seal tisbery, :!nd it is a };reat pity such a
valuable industry could not in some way be protected. (Extract from
reports of the (lepartnient of tislieries of Canada, 188(», by Thomas
Mowat, inspector of fisheries for Hritisii Columbia, i). 2U8. Cited iu
British Case, Appeiulix, Vol. Ill, p. ll'.i; United States No. 1H90.)

The majority of our hunters contend that there are over 7 per cent
of pups in the entire catch of fur seals on the coast, while in Bering
Sea the catch does not exceed 1 per cent. But they can not deny the
fact that 00 per cent of the entire catch of Bering Sea is made up of
female seals. (I<iXtract from reports of the department of fisheries,
Canada, 1888, p. L'4l, by Thomas Mowat, inspector of fisheries for Brit-
ish Columbia. Cited in United States Case, p. 201.)

Niel ilonde, of Victoria, sealer. (Case of United States, Appendix,
Vol. II, p. 31.").)

Bonde has been out four years on sealing schooners from Victoria,
namely, from 1887 to 1890, inclusive. He says:

The seals caught ulon^ the coast sifter the 1st of April were mostly prei^nant females,
au<l those caught in li(-riii<{ Sea were females that had given hirtli to their yonug.
I often noticed the milk liowiug ont of tlieir breasts when heing skinned and have
seen live pups cut out of their mothers and live around on the decks for a week.

Cross-examination by the British Government (see British Counter
Case, Vol. 11, p. 04) :

That on each of said vessels [niimely, th(! four he had served onj 1 have had more
or less to do with skinning the seals, and would say that about (50 ]»er cent on the
coast were females and about 50 per cent iu Hering Sea. I distiuguishetl the male
akin from the female by the abseueo of teats.

Christ Clausen, of Vict(uia, master mariner (Case of United States,
Appendix, Vol. 11, p. 319) :

Acted as mate in 188it. Was navigator on schooner Minnie in 1890.

My catch that year was 2,{)00, of which about 2,000 were caught in Bering Sea.

Acted as navigator on same vessel in 1801.

The seals we catch along the coast are nearly all pregnant females. It is seldom
we capture an old bull, and what males we get are usually young ones. I have fre-
quently seen cow seals cut open and the unborn pups cut out of them, and they
would live for several days. This is a frequent occurrence. It is my experience that
fully 85 per cent of the seals 1 took in Bering Sea were females that had given birth
to their pups, and their teats would be full of milk. I have caught seals of this
kind from 100 to 150 miles away from the Pribilof Islands.

E, M. Greenleaf, of Victoria, master mariner (Case of the United
States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 324) :

Since then (1882) I have been interested in the sealing business, and am well
acquainted with it and the men engaged in it and the methods employed. I am
acquainted with the hunters and masters who sail from this port, and board all
incoming and outgoing vessels of that class. These men all acknowledge that nearly
all the seals taken off the Paciiic Coast are females, and that they are nearly all with
young.

# * # « ' # # #

I have also learned by cr>.iTeTsation with Bering Sea hunters that they kill seal
cows 20 to 200 miles from t ae breeding grounds and that these cows had recently
given birth to young. I have observed in the skins that the size of the teats show
either an advanced state ol pregnancy or of recent delivery of young.

Arthur Griffin, of Victoria, sealer (Case of United States, Appendix,
Vol. II, p. 325):
He went sealing in 1890.

Began sealing off the northern coast of California, following the sealing herd
northward, capturing about 700 seals in the North Paciflo Ocean, two-thirds of which
were females with pups; tiie balance were young seals, both male and female. We
entered Bering Sea Jnly 13 through Unimak Pass and captured between 900 and
1,000 seals therein, most of which were females in milk.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

211

Of the following year, lie says :

Wo captured between !tOO and 1,000 on tlie coast, most all of which were feiiialoB
with pii])B. We entered the sea July 12 through Uniinak I'ass and captured about^OO
«ea)3 ill those wnters, about 90 per centut' whicii were I'euiiilus in milk from 20 to 100
utiles from the rookeries.

James Harrison, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 32G) :

We conunenced sealing ri^ht oft' the coast; went as far south as the California
Coast, and then hunted north to the west coast of Vancouver Islands. Caught 500
skins during the season ; almost all of them were pregnant females. Out of 100 seals
taken about 90 pel cent would be females with young ])U)is in them. I can't tell a male
from a female while in the water at a distanve. On an average, I think the hunters
will save about one out of thre<! that they kill, but they wound many more that
escape and die afterwards. Wo entered Bering Sea about the Ist of .lune, and
caught about 200 seals in those waters. They were mostly mothers that hatl given
birth to their young and were around the tishing banks feeding. The hunters used
shotguns and ritles. in Bering ^Sea we killed both males and females, but I douot
know the proporticm of one to the other.

James IJayward, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 327):

He went <mt sealing: in 1887, 1888, 1890, and 1891. His vessels
appear to have made large catches. lie makes the following statement:

Most of the seals killed on the coast are pregnant females, while those we killed in
Bering 8ea after the Ist of .Inly were females that had given birth to their young on
the seal islands and come out into the sea to feed. Have (taught them 1.50 miles oft'
from the shore of the seal islands, and have skinned them when their breasts were
full of milk. Seals travel and go a long way to feed.

Alfred Dardean, of Victoria, sealer (Case of United States, Appen-
dix, Vol. II, p. 322):
He went sealing in 1890.

We caught over 900 skins before entering the sea and our whole catch that year
was 2,159 skins. Of the seals that were caught off" the coast fully 90 per cent out of
every hundred had young pups in them. The boats would bring the seals killed on
board the vessel and we would take the young pups out and skin them. If the pup
is a good, nice one we woultl skin it and keep it for ourselves. I had 8 such skins
myself. Four out of five, if caught in May or June, would be alive when we cut
them out of the mothers. One of them we kept for pretty near three weeks alive
on deck by feeding it on condensed milk. One of the men linallj' killed it because
it cried so pitifully. We only got 3 seals with pups in them in Bering Sea. Most
all of them were females and had given birth to their young on the islands, and the
milk would run out of the teats on the deck when we would skin them. W^e canght
female seals in milk more than 100 miles oft' the Pribilof Islands.

Morris Moss, farrier, and vice-president Sealers' Association of Vic-
toria (Case of United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 341):
He has bought from 10,000 to 20,000 seal skins per annum.

I believe the majority of seals captured by white huaters in Bering Sea are females
iu search of food.

J. Johnson, of Victoria, sealer and sailing master (Case of the United
States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 331):

Has spent six years of his life sealing, and been captain of four dif-
ferent schooners.

A large majority of the seals taken on the coast are cows with pup. A few young
males are taken, the ages ranging from 1 to 5 years. Once in a Avhile an old liull is
taken in the North Pacific Ocean. I use no discrimination in killing seals, but kill
everything that comes near the boat in the shape of a seal. The majority of the
seals killed in Bering Sea are females. I have killed female seals 75 miles from the
islands that were full of milk.

! '

212

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

Victor .lacobsoii, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. ;t28):

He is a British snbject. lias been engajiCil in sealing' for eleven years,
ten years as a master. He is iu)\v master and owner of schooner Mary
Ellen and owner of schooner Minnie.

The female hoiiIn ^o tlir<>ii<;h Mie jtiiHHes tVoin tb«f rncitic Occiin into Heriii); Sea
between .liiin' 25 iinil .hily 1"». I'eiiiiiles killed pievions to tliin time I t'ouiul with
pup, but noue witli pups at'ter tliat latter date. 1 littvo killed female Heals taken by
me that tlnoe in live are females and nearly all with pup.

Cross-exaniiniitioii by the British Government (See British Counter
Case, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 83):

My experience buH been that about tbree out of live Heals taken ou the coast are
females, and about the same in Merin^ Sea.

Edwin P. I'orter, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 340):

My experienee in four years' sealinfj is tbat nearly all the seals taken along the
coast are pregnant females, and it is seldom tliat one of tliem is caiigbt that has not
a young pup in ber. In tbe fore ])art of tbe season the puj) is small, but in May and
June, when tbey are taken otf tbe tjtneen Charlotte and Kodiak islands, tbe unborn
pup is quite laige. an<l we lre(|nently take tliein out of tbe mothers alive. I have
Kept some of them alive for six weeks, that were eut out of their mothers, by feeding
them condensed milk. The seals we capture in Hering Sea wore fully HO per cent
females that had given birth to their young. \ fact that I often noticed was tbat
their teats would be full of milk when I skinned rbt iii, and I have seen them killed
from 20 to 100 miles from tbe seal islands.

Charles Peterson, of Victoria, sealer (Case of the United States,
Appendix, Vol. II, p. 345):

We entered Hering Sea about the loth of August, through the Uuiniak Pass, and
captured therein 1,404 seals, most of whic^b were cows in milk. On tbat voyage we
caught female seals in milk over 80 miles from tbe rookeries where tbey batl left
their young. I have seen the deck almost Hooded with milk while we were skinning
the seals. Ninety per cent of all the seals we captured in the water were female
seals.

Robert H. McManus, of Victoria, journalist (Case of the United
States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 337) :

Tuesday, August 25, rain in morning. Boats and canoe out at half past 9 o'clock;
out all day (returning to dinner). Kesult: First boat, 2 seals rei)ortcd; wounded
and lost 5; seals said to be shy and wary, and not so numerous as formerly; atten-
tion called to cow seal being skinned (which I bad taken for a young bull). The
Bnow-white milk running tlown blood-stained deck was a sickening sight. Indian
canoe, 1 seal. Total, 3 seals, 2 mediums, and 1 cow.

Wednesday, August 26, cloudy morning. Seals lloating round schooner. Boats
and c.inoe out all day. Result: First boat, 1 seal ; second boat, none; Indian canoe,
10 seals; total, 11 seals; 8 cows in milk and 8 medium. Skipi)erin tirstboat blamed
the powder. Second boat said it was too heavy and clumsy for the work. Skipper
reported having wounded and lost 7, aiul the men in second boat 9 — 16 in all.
Skipper said seals not so numerous as formerly, more shy ; also blamed the powder.
Evidently a great deal of shooting and very few seals to correspond.

Saturday, August 29, ship's cook brought down from deck a large cow seal at 40
yards rise. Boats and canoe out all day. Fine, clear, balmy weather. Akutau Island
in sight. Eesult: First boat, 3 seals; second boat, 3 seals; cook, from deck, 1;
Indian canoe, 10; total catch, 17 seals, greater pn portion cows in milk. Horrid
Bight; could not stay the ordeal out till all were Hayed. A large number reported
as wounded and lost. According to appearances, slaughter and indiscriminate.

Sunday, August 30. Result of hunt: First boat, 2 seals; second boat, 1; Indian
canoe, 7; total, 10 seals, 7 of which were cows in milk. Several, as usual, reported
wounded and lost by the boats. The great superiority of the Indian spear evident.

The Britisli commissioners, in their report, express the following
"views with regard to pelagic sealing, which views should be specially

ani

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SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS. 213

noted in connection with the foregoing descriptions of how gravid
nursing females are killed:

633. By tliu poliiuic Hoiilors un<l by Indian ImnterH along the c-oaHt, tnr sealtt uf both
sexes are killed, and, indeed, it wonld be unreaNoniible, nndor the nircninHtanites, to
expect that a dlHtinction sbonld bo made in this roMpect, any more tlian that the
angler slionld diatriininate between tbe sexoM of tin; HhIi hu may liook.

010. Tlie uccnaution of butchery laid against thoso who take the seals on shore
can not be bronght against this pelagic method of killing the seal, which is really
hunting as distingnislied from slaughter, and in which the animal has what may be
described as a fair chance for its lite.

Capt. C. L. Hooper, of the United States revenue marine (United
States Counter Case, p. 214):

Captain Uooper made extensive official investigations in regard to
seal life on tiie L'ribilof Islands, in Bering Sea, and the North Pacific
Ocean in 1891 and 181)2. In the course of these investigations he cap-
tured, between .Inly 24 and August 31, 185)2, 41 .seals in Bering Sea.
He made no ettorts to secure large numbers or all that he saw. The 41
seals were composed of the following classes: C>ld nniles, 1; young
males, 11; nursing cows, 22; virgin cows, 7. He siys:

Since leaving San Francisco on March 9 the Corwin has steamed l(),L'fl() miles, and
8,713 nnles since the date of my reporting for duty, as part of the Bering Sea Meet.
Of this distance, 5,5(i7 miles were steamed in Bering Sea.

# * .V y- * # ' *

I hnd in general, as one of the results of my investigations, that more than two-
thirds of the seals taken are now having young or capable of bearing tliem at no
distant day; that it is impossible to discriminate as to age nr sex of seals while in
the water, except in the case of young pups and old bulls; that even under the most
favorable conditions a large percentage is lost by sinking or wounding; and that by
reason of the tameness of the nursing cows, which form the larger part of the seals
sent, pelagic bunting in Bering Sea is i)ecHliariy destructive and unless stopped will
wholly exterminate the already greatly <lepleted herds.

I do not believe that it is possible to indicate any /.on.al limit in Bering Sea beyond
which jtelagic sealing could be carried on and at the sann; time i)re8erve the seals
from complete annihilation. Further, I wish to renew a statement contained in a
former report ma<1e to the Secretary of the Treasury, that, unless supjilemented with
protection in the Pacific Ocean, no amount of protection in Bering Sea will preserve
the herds.

Capt. L. G. Shepard, United States revenue marine (Case of the
United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 187):

I am 45 years of age, a resider.t of Washington, I). C, and am captain in the United
States Revenue-Marine Service, chief of division revenue nuirine, Treasury Depart-
ment. In command of the revenue steamer Hush, I made three cruises to Bering Sea
in the years 1887, 1888, and 1889 for the purpose of enforcing existing law for protec-
tion of seal life in Alaska aiul the waters thereof. I hereby append to an<l make a
part of this affl<lavit a table, marked A, giving the names of the vessels seized by me
m Bering Sea while violating the law of the United States in relation to the taking
of fur-bearing animals.

• • « « • « •

I examined the ski)is taken from sealing vessels seized in 1887 and 1889, over 12,000
skins, and of these at least two-thirds or three-fourths were the skins of females.
Of the females taken in the I'acMtic Ocean, and early in the season in Bering Sea,
nearly all are heavy with young, and the death of tlie female necessarily causes tbe
death of the unborn pup seal; in fact, I have seei on nearly every vessel seized the
pelts of unborn ]inps which had been taken from their mothers. Of the females
taken in Bering Sea nearly all are in milk, and I have seen the milk come from the
carcasses of dead females lying on the, decks of sealing vessels which were more
than 100 miles from the Pribilof Islands. From this fact, and from the further fact
that I hare seen seals in the water over 150 miles from the islands during the sum-
mer, I am convinced that the female, after giving birth to her young on the rookeries,
^oes at least 150 miles, in many cases, from the islands in search of food. It is
impossible to distinguish a male from a female seal in the water, except in the case
of a very old bull, when his size distinguishes him. Therefore, open-sea sealing is
entirely indiscriminate as to sex or age.

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214

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

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Cai>t. Daniel McLane (Case of the I'nited States, Anpendix, Vol.
II, p. 443):

Captain McLane lia» been enpiged in pelagic sealing for eleven years
as niasfet' of vessels and deposes in part as follows:

(j. Ol' whiit Hcx iir« tbit NealR taken by .voii, or iihiiuII.v KiDud by hunting vesHels in
tL»f Nortli I'acitic uinl MHring Soaf — A. IVniah«H.

(.). What percentage of tbt-ni are cowgf SiippoHe you outcb 100 Heals, bow many
males* woiilA you have among tbeni/ — A. About 10.

C^. Wbat perct'utiijreof tbo cowh taken are with pup? — A. Tbe t'enialeH are numtly
all with ]>up; tlmt \n, up until tbe iHt of .July.

i). Have yon noticetl any tlec-rease in tbe (|uantity of aniniaJM in tbe last few
years f — A. Yes, sir.

(/. To wbat «lo you attrilmte tin- cauHf!?— A. Killing ott" tbe females.

(.},. If sealing continueN as heretofore, is there any danger of exterminating tbemf —
A. Yes, sir; they will all l)e exterminate)! in three year-i, anil there will be no more
Healing.

(/. Do yoii think it is altsolutely necessary to i»rotect tbe cows in tbe Bering Sea? —
A. Yes, sir,

James Kiernan, of San Fraiu'isco, sealing captain (Case of tbe
United Status, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 449):

My exneriencc has bettn that tbe sex of tbe seals usually killed by hunters employed
on vessels under my eonuuund, both in tbe ocean and llering (<ca, were cows. I
sbould say that not less than SO ]>er ceiit of those caught eneb year were of that sex.
I bave observed that those killed in tbe North Facitic weixi mostly female carrying
their young, and were geiieially <augbt while aslecjt on tbe water, while those taken
in the Bering Kea were nearly all mother seals in milk, that had left their young and
were in search of food.

The mother does not leave tbe rookery in search of food until she has dropped her
young and become pregnant again, hence when she has been slain it means the loss
of three, as the young puj) will un(|Uestionably die for lack of sustenance.

Micbael White, of San Francisco, sealing captain (Case of the
United States, Appendix, Vol. II, p. 489) :

I am i)0 years of age. I reside iit East Oakland. My occupation is nnister nniriner,
and I have been so engaged for twenty-se\en years, off and on. I bave been engaged
in seal hunting uaring tbe years 18H."., 1887, i8H8, and IWO in the North Pacific and
Bering Sea. I lirst went out in 188.5 in the schooner Citji of San IHeijo, chartered by
myself and others, and my catch for that year was between 2,300 and 2,40(» seals.
Of that number about 1,900 were caught in Bering Sea. There were but very few ves-
sels sealing at that time. In 188(5 1 was master of the schooner Terevc, sailing from San
Francisco on the 2d day of February, and connncnced capturing seals on the coast
of California, and tVdloAved them from that date north into Bering Sea. We caught
them from 5 to (jO miles otf tbe coast. I entered Bering Sea on tlie 6tb day of .June,
188(), and previous to that time had caught about 880 seals. Then I sealed in Ber-
ing Sea from tbiit time to the 28tb of August; caught alxmt 2,200 more, the whole
catch being 3,000 for tbe year.

In 1887 I was master of tbe schooner Lottie Fairchild, sailing from San Francisco
on or altout the 17th day of March, and \v'irked northward to Bering Sea, and cap-
tured Xii'.i seals. I then entered Berint; Sea about tbe 6tb of .July, cruising there
until tbe 2!ttb day of August, and took JjUl seals more, the whole catch being 3,400
for the year.

Tn 1888 I took the schooner f/'/irfrtt/?'.<f7 on a fishing and sealing voyage, leaving
liere on or about tbe 2()th of March, -.unl jruised in tbe North racilic up to tbe island
of Kodiak, capturing 400 seals up to the 7th day of .June. I did not enter Bering
Sea that year. I diil the same in 18p9, my trip being tbe same as in 1888, and my
capture of seals was about the same. I then quit sealing, and I am now engaged in
trading with tbe Gilbert and Marshall islands in the South I'acific Sea.

In my captures off the coast between here and Sitka 90 per cent of my catch were
females, but off the coast of Tniniak I'ass there was a somewhat smaller percentage
of females, and nearly all tbe females were cows heavy with pup, and, in some
instances, the period of gestation was so near at hand that I h.ave frecxnently taken
the live ])ni> from the mother's womb.

I never paid any particular attention as to the exact number of or proportion of
each sex killed in Bering Sea, but I do know that the larger portion of them were
females and were mothers giving milk. I have never hunted within 15 miles of the

HEAI. LITE ON THE I'UIHILOF ISLANDS.

215

Priliilot' IhIiuhIh, lint I have ot'ttm killed hohIh in milk at iliHtunceBof not less than 10<)
to 2(10 niih'M froni theMo ishui'lN, From my knowledjje and ((xperirnci' in tho linsineHH
it is my oonviction tiiat within tiiu last few years, since the sealerN have hecouie ho
niiinerouH in the I'acilic and iieriii); Sea, that nut more than one out of three is
Hecnred. Our pnrpo.se and practice waH to take all nealr* we cunid get, ref{ardleMH of
their a^re or sex, without any discrimination whatever.

M. A. Ilealy:

My own observation and the information obtained from seal hunters convince me
that fully !)0 jter (;cnt of the seals found swimming in Henn^; Sea durin<; the
breeding; season arc females in search of food, and the slau);liter reNultM in the
destruction of her younjj by starvation. 1 firmly believe that the fur-seal imlustry
at the I'ribilof Islands can lie saved from (lestruction only by a total ))i'oliibition
against killii <r seals, not only in the waters of Jieriiig Sea, but also tlurin<r their
annual immigration northward in the I'acilic Ocean.

This conclusion is baseil njxin the well-known fact that the mother seals are
slaughtered by the thousands in the North I'ae'ilic while on their way to the islands
to give birth to their young, and extinction must necessarily come to any species of
animal where the female is contiiuiully hunted and kille<l during the period reijuired
for gestation and rearing of her younn. As now practiced, there is no respite to the
femal(> seal from the relentless pursuit of the seal hunters, for the schooners close
their season with the departure of the seals from the northern sea and then return
home, refit immediately, and start out upon a new vovage in February or March,
comnuMicing upon the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, following the
seals northward as the season advances into Mcring Sea.

Captain Canlson says:

In company with Sjucial Agent Miinay, ('a|itaiii Hooper, and Kngiui'er Brerton,
of the Convhi, I visited the iJeef and (iarbotch rookeries, St. I'aiil Island, in August,
1891, and saw one of the most pitiable sights that I have ever witnessed. Thousands
of ilead and dying jnips were scattered over the rookeries, while the shores were
lined with emaci-.-t 'd, hungry little fellows, with their eyes tiirimd toward the sea,
uttering p]aiuti\e cries for their mothers, which wen; destined never to return.
Numbers of them were opened, their stomachs examined, and the fact revealed that
starvation was the cause of death, no organic disease being apparent.

The great number of seals taken by hunters in ISKl was to the westward and north-
westward of St. Taiil Island, and tht^ largest number of dead wen; found that year in
rookeries situated on the west side of the island. This fact alone goes a great way,
in my opinion, to conllrin the theory that the loss of the mothers was the cause of
mortality anuuig the young.

After the mother seals have given birth to their young on the islands they go to
the water to feed and bathe, and I have observed them, not only around the island,
but from 80 to 100 miles out at sea.

In dirterent years the feeding grounds or the location where the greater number of
seals are taken by poachers seem to ditt'er; in other words, the seals freiiucnily change
feeding grounds. For instant, in 1887 the greatest number of seals were taken by
poachers between I'niiiiak and Akutan passes and the seal islands, and to the south-
westward of St. (jeorge Island. In 1889 the catching was largely done to the south-
ward and eastward, in many cases from 50 to 150 miles distant from the seal islands.
In the season of 1890, to the southward and westward, also to northwest and north-
east of the islands, showing that the seals have been scattered. The season of 1891,
the greatest number were taken to northward and westward of St. Paul, and at
various distances front 25 to 150 miles aw ay.

Mr. Redpath :

The Alaskan fur seal is a native of the Pribilof Islands, and, unless prevented, will
return to those islands every j'ear with the regularity of the seasons. All the pecul-
iarities of nature that surround the Pribilof groii)) of islands, sin-h as low and even
temperature, fog, mist, and ))eri)etually clouded sky, seem to indicate their fitness and
adaptability as a home for the Alaskan fur seal ; and, with an instinct bordering on
reason, they have selected these lonely and barren islands as the choicest spots of
earth upon which to assemble and dwell together during their six months' stay on
land; and annually they Journey across thousands of miles of ocean and pass hun-
dreds of islands, without pause or rest, until they come to the place of their birth.
And it is a well-established fact that upon no other land in the world do the Alaskan
fur seal haul out of water,

J. C. Redpath says :

No cow will nurse any pup but her own, and I have often watched the pupb
attempt to suck cows, but they were always driven oil", and this fact convinces me

1,'

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216

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

that the cow ntcognixes her own pup but tliat the pup does not know its dam. At
birth, and for Hoveriil veekH after, tlie pup in utterly helpless and entirely depeii<lent
upon its (lam for sustenantre, and sliould anything preveut her return during this
period, it dies on the rookery, 'i'his has been demonstrated beyond a doubt since
the sealing vessels have operated largely in IJering Sea durinj; tlie months of July,
August, and Seiitemlier, and which, killing the oows at the Irodiug grouiuls, left the
pups to die on the islands.

At about 5 weeks old the i)Ui>s begin to run about and congregate in bunches or
"pods,'' and at (i to 8 weeks old they go into the shallow water and gradually learn
to swim. They are not amphibious when bom, nor can they swim forst-veral weeks
thereafter, an(l were they ])ut into the water would perish beyond a doubt, as has
been well established by the drowning of pups caught by the surf in stormy weather.
After learning to swim the pups still draw sustenan(;e from the cows, and I have
noticed at the annual killing ot i)ups for food in November that their stonuichs were
always full of milk and nothing else, although the cows had left the islands some
days before. I have no knowledge of the ])ups obtaining sustenance of any kind
except that furnished by the cows, nor have I ever seen anything but milk in a dead
pup's stomach.

Karp Buteiin says:

Schooners kill cows, ]iups die, and sea's are gone. Some men tell me last year,
" Karj), seals are sick." I know seals are not sick ; I never seen a sick seal, and I
eat seal meat every day of my lile. No big seals die unb'ss we club them ; only pups
die for food after the cows are shot at sea. When we used to kill pui)s tor food in
November, they were always full of milk ; the pups that die on the rookeries have no
milk. The cows go into the sea to feed after tli'i ]tups are born, aiul the schooner
men shoot them all the time.

Captiiin Cartlicut says:

About 80 per cent of the seals I caught in Bering Sea were mothers in milk, and
were feeding aronnd the fishing l>anks Just north of the Aleutian Islands, and I got
most of my seals from .'>() to 250 miles from the seal islands, I don't think I ever
sealed within 2.5 miles of the I'ribilof Islands. Tliey ire very tame after giving
birth to tiioir yonnii', and are easily apjiroiielied l)y the hunters. When the females
leave the islands to feed, tliey will go very fast to the lishing banks, and after they
get their food they will go to slee)) on the waters. Tlnit is the iiunter's great chance.
I think wo secure more in i)roportion to the number killed than we did in the North
Pacilic. I hunted with shotgun and ritle. but nu)stly with .ihotgun. Seals were not
nearly as numerous in 1887 as they were in 1877. and it is my belief that the decrease
in nnnihers is <lue to the hunting and killing of female seals in the water. 1 do not
think it ]io8sible tor seals to exist for any length of time if the present slaughter
continues. The killing of the female means death to ht;r born or unborn ])up, and it
is not reasonable to exiiect that this innnensi; drain on the heriis can be continued
without a vf ..>• rapid decrease in their numbers, and which practically means exter-
mination within a very few years

Christ 01iuis«'ii says:

The Indian hunters, when they use spears, saved nearly every one thoy struck.
It is uiy observation and experience that an Indian or a white liunter, unless very
expert, will kill and destroy numy times more than ho will save if hi! uses firearms.
It is our object to take them when asleep on the water, and any attempt to capture
a breaching seal generally ends in failure, The .seals we catch along the coast are
nearly all pregnant leniales. It is seldom we capture an old luill, and what males
we get are usually young ones. I have fVo(iuently seen <m)w seals eutojien and unborn
pups cut out of tiiem, and they would live for several days. This is a freijuent
occurrence, Ifc is my experience that fully 8."> per cent of the se.ils I took in Meriug
Sea were females and had given birth to their jiups. and their teats would be full of
milk. I have caught seals of this kind 100 to 150 miles from I'ribilof Islands. It is
my opinion that sjx'urs shouhl be used in hunting seals, and if they are to be kept
from extermination the shotgun should be discarded.

George Disliow rays:

I use a shotgun ex .lusively for taking seals. Old hunters lose but very few seals,
but begiiniers lose a great many, I use tln^ Parker shotgun, A large projjortion of
all seals taken are females with i>uj». I mn-er examined tiiem as to sex. Hut very
few old bulls are taken, only live being taken out of a totid of !(00 seals taken by my
schooner. Use no discrimination in killing seal, l)»it shoot everything that comes
near the buut in the shape of a sital. Hunters shoot seal in the most exposed ])art of
the body. Have never known any juips to be born in the water, nor on the land oa

SKAL LIFE ON THE PUIBILOF ISLANDH.

217

the roust ol' Alaska iiiiywhere oiitside of tlio I'ribilof iHlands. Hii\ o never known
fur still to haul up on tlie land anywluro on the coast except on tin' Prihilof Islands.
Most ot tiie seals taken in Bering Sea are females. Have taken them 70 iniles from
the islands that were full of milk. L think a closed season should be established for
breeding seal from .lanuary 1 to Anj^ust 15 in the North I'aiitic Ocean and Bering
Sea.

(leorge Faircliild says:

Most of them were cows, nearly all of which had i»ni)s in tliepi. ^Vc took some of
the pups alive out of the bodies of the females. We entered Herin<j; Sea May 25,
and we jjot 704 scsals in tliere, the jjroater ({iiantity of wiiich were female*! with their
breasts full of ndlk, a fact which I know by leason of having stan the n.ilk ilow on
the deck when they were being skinned. \Vo bad live boats on board, each boat
hijvinjr a hunter, boat jtuller, and steerer. Wo used siiotguns and ritles. Wu g<»t
one out of every five or six that we killed or wounded. We wounded a great many
that wo did not get. We caught them from 10 to 50 miles otf the seal islands.

Norman llodjison says:

I do not think it ])08Hible for fur seals to bree<l or cojiulate in water at sea, and
never saw nor lieard of the action tjiking place on a batch of (loating kel)). I have
never seen a young fur-seal pup of the same season's birth in the water at sea nor
on a patch of lioating kelp, and, in fact, never knew of iheir being born anywhere
saV'i' on a rookery. I have, however, cut open a gravid cow and taiv.-n the young
one from its mother's womb alive and crying. I do not believe it jtossible for a fur
seal to be successfully raised unless born and nursed on a rookery. 1 havi^ seen fur
seals resting on i»atc!ies of tloating kelp at sea. but. <lo not believe they ever haul up
for breeding purposes anywhere exi^^pt on rookeries.

Captain Tanner, lientenant-coniniaiHlt'r in the Unitrd Statt!s N'a\y,
makes a deposition wliieli is entitled to i)artieiilar eoiisideratioii. The
foUowiii}'- is a short extract:

Seals killed in Bering Sea after the birth ol pui)s are largely mother sea s, and the
farther they are found from the islands the greater the percentage will be. The rea-
son for this seeming ]iara<lox is very sim|>le. The young males, having no family
responsibilities, can afford to hunt nearer home, whce food can be found if snilicient
time is devoted to the search. The nu <-h(^r does not leave iier young except when
necessity compels her to seek food for its sustenance. She can not alfovd to waste
time on feeding gronn":s alrt^ady o( <'upied l>y younger and more active feedois. hence
she nnikes the best of her way to richer tields farther away, gorges liersell'with lood,
then s'.H'ks r'.ist and a (|Uietnap(Mi tlie surface. I'lider these circumstances she sleeps
soundly, and beconn-s an easy victiiu to the watchful hunter.

X double waste occurs when the mother seal is killed, as the pops will ^oirely
starve to death. A motiier seal will give sustenance to no pup l)ut her own. I saw
sad evidences of this waste on St. I'aul last season, where large numbers of pupa
were lying about the rookerieis, w here they had died of starvation.

Dr.CREASK OK Seaj.s.

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EXf!KSSIVK KILLING THE ADMITTED CAUSE.

We find th t since tlie A-hiska pnnihase a marked diminntioii in the
uumher of seals on and h;»l>itnally resorting vo the I'ribilof Islands has
taken place; that it has been <!Uinnlative in ellect, and that it is the
result of excessive killiiiij by man. (Joint report of United States and
British Bering Sea comriissioners.)

PELAtJiC SEALINtr THE SOLE CAUSE.

Ol)iiiions of American conimisitioncrti.

Iluviiig answered the first of the two (pieries relating to <'onditiou8
of seal life at the present time, the second becomes imi)ortant. It is:
Has the decrease in numlier been continen to aiiy i)articnlar class of
seals, or is it most notable iii any class or classes? In answer t(» this,
it is onr opinion that the diminution in numbers began and continues
to be most notable in female seals. ( Report of American commissioners.)

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218

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

As a inattef of fact, there is sufficient evidence to convince us that
by far the greater part of the iseiils taken at sea are females ; indeed,
we have yet to n)eet with any evidence to the co'.itrary. Tlie state-
ments of those who have had occasion to exaiviine the catcli of pehigic
sealers might be quoted to almost any extent to the effect that at least
SO per cent of the seaiS thus taken are females. On one occasion we
examined a pile of skins picked out at random, and which we have
every reason to believe was a part of a pelagic catch, and found them
nearly all females. When the sealers themselves are not influenced by
the feeling that they are testifying againsi their own interests, they
give similar testimony. The master of the sealing schooner ./• (?• ^Sivan
declared that in the catch of 18!)0, when he secnircd several hundred
seals, the i>roportion of females to males was about four to one, and on
one occasicni in a lot of (50 seals, as a matter of »'uriosity, he counted the
number of females with young, tinding 47. (Report of American <!om-
missioners.)

The decrease in the number of seals is the result of the evil effects
of pelagic sealing. (Report of American commissioners.)

Opinion of Dr. Allen.

From the foregoing sununary it is evident th.it the decline in the
number of the killable seals at the Pribilof rookeries and the iiMUu-- e
decrease in the total number of seals on the Pribilof Islands iii '
due to any change in the management of the seal herd at the ioiuntb^,
but to the direct and unquestionably deleterious effectt of i)elagic seal-
ing. At the islands the killing is regulated witii reference to the num-
ber of killable seals on the rookeries, the designated quota is limited
to nonbreeding young males, and every seal killed is utilized. The
killing, as thus regulated, does not impair the jn-oductiveness of the
rookeries. In pelagic sealing the slaughter is indiscriminate and unlim-
ited, and a large proportion of the seals killed are lost. The catch also
consists almost wholly of breeding females, which at the time of cap-
ture are either hea\'y with young or have young on the rookeries
depending upon them for sustenance. Thus two or more seals are
destroyed to every one utilized, and nearly all are drawn from the class
on which the very existence of the seal herd dei)ends. (Article by Dr.
J. A. Allen.)

Opinions of e.rperts.

I have always taken a great interest in the sealing industry and felt
a great desire to have them protected from destruction, and I say with-
out hesitation that the great decrease in the number now annually
arriving at the seal islands is due entirely to the killing of female seals
by pelagic sealers. ((Je(uge Adams.)

From my general knowledge of natural history, from my study of the
habits of seals, as well as from the opportunities I have had to acquaint
myself with the sources of destruction which are at work, 1 firmly
believe that pelagic seiJing wonhl not only accimnt for the diminution
of the seal herd, but if continued the seals will inevitably be commer-
cially destroyed. (A. U. Alexander.)

I believe there has been a great decrease of seals or tlie islands
since I left there, and this is no doubt due to i)elagic sea inv (Jamos
Armstrcmg.)

din

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

211>

My people wondered why tliis was so, and no one could tell until we
learned that Imnters in schooners were shooting and destroying them
in the sea. Then we knew what the trouble was, for we knew the seal*
they killed an<l destroyed must be cows, for most all the males i-einain
on or near tiie islands until they go away in the fall or fore i)art of the
winter. We also noticed dead pups on the rookeries that bad been
starved to death. If they had not killed the seals in the sea there
would be as many on the rookeries as there was ten years ago. There
was not more than one fourtii as many seals in ISJH as there was in 18S(L
We understand the danger there is in the seals being nil killed off and
that we will have no way of earning our living. There is not one of us
but what believes if they had not killed them off by shooting them in
the water there would be as many seals on the islands now as there was
in 1880, and we could go on forever taking 1()0,(M)0 seals on the tw»
islands; but if they get less as fast as they iiave in the last live oi- six
years there will be none left in a little while. (Kerrick Artomanott".)

Upon extimining the liering 8ea catch for 1891, as based u])on the
records of the Victoria custont-house, 1 asc.'ertained that tiearly 3(),(>0(^
seals had been taken by the British fleet alone in Bering Sea during
the sununer of 18'.M. When there is added to this the catch of the
American vessels, the dea.' pups upon the rookeries, and allowaiu^es
made for those that are killed and not recovered, we have a catcii which
will not only nearly reach in numbers the quota of male seals allowed to
be taken npon the islands in years gone by, but we have a catch in the
securing of which destruction has fallen most heavily upon the produc-
ing femahs. Tliis is borne out by a further fact. The young bachelor
seals can lie idly on the hauling groiuuls and through the peculiarities
of their i>iiysical economy sustain life with a small supply of food, but
the cows must range the ocean in search of nourishment that they may
meet the demands made upon them by their young. That seals go a
great distance from the islands 1 kn<»w from ])crsom,l observation, for
we saw them ILM) nnles to the northward of the is'and on the way to
Nunival. That the females outnumber the males ten to one is well
known, otherwise the hanling ground would present such an array of
killable seals that there would be no necessity for the (lovernment to
suspend the annual (piota. It inevitably follows that the females are
the class most i)i'eyed upmi in Bering Sea. No class of animals which
bring forth but a single <»ffspriug annually can long sustain itself
against the destruction of the prochu-ers. As a result of my invcstiga-
'H>n r believe that the destruction of females was carri<'<l to the point,
i;i about 188'), where the birth rate could not keep uj) the necessary

ipply of nmthers, and that the ecpiilibrium being once destroyed i-'ul
cte drain upon the proilucing class increasing iVom year to ynir Iron*
tI; date, the present depleted condition of the rookeries has resulted
directly tlierefrom. (J. Stanley- Brown.)

When we lirst noticed that ihe seals on the rookeries were not so
many as they used to be, we did I'ot knov/ what was wrong, but by and
by we found that plenty of schoonek.3 cr.ine into the sea and shot seals,
and we often foun«l bullets and shot in seals when we were skinning
them. And then we found i)lenty of dead i)ui)s on the rookeries, more
Piul more every year, until last year (18{)1 ), when there were so nniny the
rookeries were covered with them, and when the doctor (Akerly) opened
some of them there was no milk or food in their stoma(!hs. Then we
; il knew the cows had been shot when th«\v went into the sea to feed,
and the pups died because they had nothing to eat. Plenty of schooner*

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220

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

came first about eight or nine years ago, and more and more every year
since, and the seals get less and less ever since schooners came; and
my people kept saying "No cows," "No cows." First the cows get less
and then the bachelors get less, and the company agent he says "kill
smaller seals," and we kill some whose skins weigh only 4i pounds,
Mistb.^d of 7 pounds, same as tbey always got. Then we could not get
enough of seals and at last we could hardly get enough for meat.
Schooners kill cows, pups die, and seals are gone. (Karp Ruterin.)

The cause of this decrease 1 believe to be due to the promiscuous
killing of the seals by hunters in the open sea and the disturbance
caused by their i)resence v.\ destroying the mother seals and scattering
the herds. (James H. Douglass.)

I know of no other cause for the decrease tlian that of the killing of
the cows at sea by the pelagic hunters, which I believe must be pro-
hibited if the Alaskan fur seal is to be saved from total destruction.
(C. L. Fowler.)

In my opinion pelagic sealing is the cause of redriving on the islands,
the depletion of the rookeries, and promises to soon make the Alaska
fur-seal herd a thing of the past. If continued as it is to-«lay, even if
killing on tl i •' u'^s was absolutely forbidden, tlie herd will in a few
years be extb.i d, (Charles . I. Goff.)

During my visii > the islands of St. Paul and St. (leo"j.>;o for the last
twenty years I have carefully noticed that those islands were visited
by great herds of fur seals during the breeding season, and that,
although 100,000 male seals were taken annually at the islands by the
lessees, no perceptil)le diminution in their numbers was noticeable until
within the past few years, when the killing of seals in the open sea on
the part of fishing vessels became prevalent, since which time there
has been a very perceptible diminution in the numl)er of seals seen in
the water of Bering Sea and hauling grounds on tlie islands. This
decrease has become alarmingly sudden in the last three or four years,
due, I believe, to the ruthless and indiscriminate methods of destruc-
tion emjdoyed by vessels in taking female seals in the open sea. (Capt,
M. A. Healey.)

I made the conditions of seal life a careful study for years, and I am
firmly of the opinion their decrease in number on tiie I'ribilof Islands
is due wholly aiul entirely to hunting and killing them in the open sea.
(W. S. Hereford.)

When in 1886 we all saw the decrease of seals upon the hauling
grounds and rookeries, we asked each other what was the cause of it,
but when we learned that white men were shooting seals in the water
with guns we knew what was the matter; we knew that if they killed
seals in the water that they must be nearly all females tliat were going
out to feed, for the males stay on the islaiuls until they get ready to go
away in the fall or winter. It was among the cows we first noticed the
decrease, and as we never kill the cows on the islands, we knew they
inust be killing them in the water. (Aggei Kushen.)

There can be no question, in my opinion, about the ultimate result to
the rookeries of marine sealing. If it is continued as it has been for
the last two or three years, the seals will be so nearly wiped out of exist-
ence in a short time as to leave nothing to quarrel about, and an article
of commerce that has afforded a vast amount of comfort and satisfac-
tion to a Itirge class of wearers and a large income to both American
and British merchants will be a thing of the past. (Isaac Liebes.)

It to
n for
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ticle
sfac-
ricsiii

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SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS,

221

1 am convinced that t\w (le<reasc in ^...e rookeries was caused entirely
by open sea sealing-. (Abial P. Loud.)

Tliere were uo destructive afjjencies at work upon the island that
would not have left the rookeries in better condition in 1«S{)() tlian they
were in 1870. rntil the effects of the true ajicnt of destruction h«j,'an
to be manifest tliere was an excess of male life on the islands suHicient
to permit of an annind cat<'h of 100,(MM) seals for an indelinite period
without jeopardizinj; the rookeries. If it be remembered tiiat the seals
taken in the waters by hunters are chielly fenmles, that their young
die with them, and tliat all of those killed are not secured, and if then
an examination be nuule of the pelagic skins actually sold duiing the
past twenty years, the real source of the de|)letion ol" the rookeries will
be found. Jn my Judgment such dei»letiou was caused by i)elagi(^ seal-
ing, and that it grew greater from year to year, as the number of
so-called poaching schooners increased, and that its ettects began to
manifest themselves about 1885 or 1SS«). The depletion on both haul-
ing and breeding grounds is accounted for by the fact that the ciitch
of said sealers consists of at least 85 jter <'ent cows. Said cows, when
taken in the North Pacific, are in the majority of cases with pui)s, and
in Bering Sea are so-called milkiny females. Whenever a milking cow
is killed, her pup on the rookeries dies of starvation. In su])port of
this fact last stated, the nundier of dead pui)S during the last lour years
I was upon the islands increased smnually. The effect of the comj)ara-
tively few raids upon the rookeries themselves, while injurious, bear
but a small ratio to the enornmus danuige <lone by the pelagic hunting.
Those in charge of the islaiuls did not, when the decrease on the rook-
eries commenced, know exclusively tiie caiise thereof. jNIy opinion then
was that it was caused by pelagic sealing, but 1 had been informed
and believed that the United States Government intended to seize all
such poaching vessels. Relying upon such information I authorized
the taking of seals as before. The proper i)iotection of sesil life was
not fully carried out in IJering Sea ami the Xorth Pacific by reason of
England's interference, and the rookeries were thus dejileted. (li. II.
Mclntyre.)

From statements made by personal acquaintances and friends, 1
became aware of a rapid decrease in seal life in Alaska, and reports of
pelagic sealing, as made public; thnmgh the press, c<md)ined with pre-
vious persomd affairs as existii.g ]uior to 188LJ, leaves uo possible doubt
as to the cause of such decrease of seals. Pelagic sealing as practiced
prior to the year 1882 had no ai)i)arent effect upon seal life, and even
when to tliis was added the taking of a definitci number year after year
under lease from the United States (lovernment, there was still a con-
stant inciease of seals observed. I am, therefore, fully confirmed in
the belief that the decrease in their numbers is due solely to the indis-
criminate killing at sea of all ages, regardless of sex, as i)racticed since
1884. (H. W. Mclntyre.)

The seals have rapidly decreased since sealing vessels a|)peared, but
before the inroads of these seal hunters there was no trouble in obtain-
ing the full quota of the best grades of skins, as the herds i)reviou8 to
that time had been noticeably increasing, (John Malowansky.)

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease in the number of seals on
the rookeries? — A. To the great number of cows killed by poachers,
and consequently less pups are born on the rookeries.

Q. How do you know that cows have been killed by poachers? — A.
I have handled and seen a great number of skins captured by the rev-

! *»

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i?-

1 !

222

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

liiith!^

€iiue cutters from tlnj poacbiug vessels, and there were very few male
skins amoiij.- tliem; also have seen among them a great number of
unborn pups. Twice upon the rookeries 1 have seen cows killed and
left there by the poachers. (Anton Melovedoff.;

I know of no other explanation than this: The cows are shot and
killed when th<'y go into the sea to feed and the pups die on the rook-
€rip«" This, I think, is the true solution of the vexed (piestion, "What
has become of the seals?" (Anton Melovedotf.)

Since 1883, however, there is said to have occurred a very material
diminution of the seal life on the Pribilof Islands, due, as it is claimed,
to a large and indiscriminate slaughter of these animals in the waters
of Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The cause assigned for this loss
is undoubtedly the true one. If no other proof were forthcoming in
relation to it, the large display of dead pups on the rookeries would in
itself furnish all the evidence required. Such diminution could not,
in my opinion, be the result of the yearly slaughter of skins. It is
shown that an appreciable expansion of the rookeries took i)lace after
twelve or fourteen years of such slaughter, and I think this fact
conclusively demonstrates that tiie number of seals which the law per-
mitted to be killed each year was not greater than the known <!ondi-
tious of the seal's life would safely warrant. (J. M. Morton.)

From the experience gained, and observations made, during three
killing seasons; from the information gleaned from men who have
devoted their lives to the practical aide of the seal (juestion, and from
the books and reports in the Government offices on the islands, 1 am
able to say that, in my opinion, there is only one great cause of the de-
crease of the fur seal, and that is the killing of the females by pelagic
hunting. (Joseph Murray.)

I believe this decrease is owing to the large number of vessels engaged
in hunting the fur se.al at sea, and the indiscriminate methods employed
by these sealing vessels in taking skins. (Arthur Newman.)

The i)ractice of pelagic seal hunting was followed by the J^orthwest
Coast Indians from their earliest history, but amounted to ho little as
to be inappreciable on the islands. Even after white hunters engaged
in it in a limited way our losses from this source were attributed to the
marine enemies of the seals, and was so far overcome by the good man-
agement of the islands as to permit the growth of the herd to continue
so long as it was limited to a few vessels and confined to the vicinity of
the Oregon, Washington, and British Columbian coasts. But even
before any considerable slaughter had taken place 'n the waters of
Bering Sea, as early as 1882, it was noticed that t^e rookeries had
stopped expanding, though they were treated in every way as they
always had been. An examination of the London Catalogue of seal-skin
sales shows that the " Victoria catch " already aggregated a very con-
siderable number of skins, and now brings home the conviction that
pelagic sealing, when confined almost wholly to the Pacific, is still a
very dangerous enemy of seal life on the islands. After 1886 the force
of pelagic hunters was greatly augmented, and became more and more
aggressive, until they appeared in alarming numbers in Bering Sea in
1881 and 1885. In 1887 we were forced to commence taking smaller
skins in order to obtain our quota and preserve enough breeding bulls.
In 1888 they were still smaller, while in 1889 more than half of them
were such as we would not have killed in former years ; and we called the
attention of the Treasury Department to the evident diminution of seal

SEAL LIFE ON THE PUIBILOF ISLANDS.

223

man-
;inue
ityof
even
•s of

had
tliey

skin

life, and recommended that fewer seals be killed in fnture. There can
be no question as to the cause of the diminution. It is tbe direct result
of pelagic sealing, aiul tbe same destruiition, if continued a few years
longer, will entirely dissipate any commercial value in tbe rookeries, if
it does not, iiuleed, annihilate them. (Unstave Niebaum.)

lu my opinion tbe solution of tbe problem is plain. It is tbe shotgun
and tbe ritie of tbe pelagic hunter wbi<h are so (lestructive to the (tow
seals as they go backward and forward to tbe flsliing banks to supply
the waste caused by giving nourisbment to their young. At this time
they are destroyed by thousands, and their young of but a few weeks
old nmst necessarily die of starvation, for nature bas ])rovide«l no other
means of ':',ubsistence for them at this time of life. (L. A. Xoyes.)

(}. How do you account for itf — A. By tbe numbei's, i)rincipally
females, that are killed in tbe waters by nmrauders. (,J. C. Ucdi»atb.)

1 saw no diminution of seal life during my three years on the island.
The outlines of tbe rookeries rennuned Just about tbe same from year
to year. 1 was told at the time that there hxl formerly been a large
increase, and did not then understand why it <li<l not c(mtinue, as every
condition seemed favorable for it. There were, api)arently, an abun-
dance of bulls for service; every cow seemed to liave a pup, and all
were healthy and in good condition. No females were killed, and in the
natural order of growth there ought to have been at this time a con-
stantly increasing area covered witii breeding rookeries. Yet such was
not tbe case. Tbe explanation of tbe matter came later, when we fairly
awoke to tbe fact that our aninnds were being slaughtered by tens of
thousands in tbe North Pacific. 1 knew in a commercial wiiy from our
sales catalogue that a very large number of "Victoria skins,'' as they
were called, were being sent to market, and that this number grew con-
stantly larger; but I did not then know, as I now do, that each skin
sold represented a waste of two or three and perhaps even four or five
seals to obtain it. Nor was any attention given to the now well-known
fact that these animals were a part of our herd as wrongfully stolen
from us, I believe, as my cattle would be if driven in and approjn-iated
from the highway when lawfully feeding. (Leon Sloss.)

Since my residence on tbe Pribilof Islands I have kept a very careful
watch of the progress of tbe events there, and have interviewed a great
many connected with the seal industry. I am of tbe conviction that
the reported decrease in seal life on these islands can be attributed to
no other cause save pelagic sealing. While I was located at St. George
Islaiul in 1881 pelagic sealing was then and i)revious to that time bad
been of very little consequence, having very slight effect upon seal life.
Not more than four or five vessels were engaged in pelagic sealing in
1881 in the waters of IJering Sea, and prior to that time a still fewer
number were so engaged. But since 1881 this industry has grown yearly
until now about a hundred vessels are destroying the seals in great
numbers, and, as I am informed and believe, the great majority of those
killed are females. Then, too, large numbers are killed in this way
which are never recovered nor reported. (W. B. Taylor.)

Scarcity of seal can be attributed to no other cause than pelf'jric
hunting and the indiscriminate shooting of seals in the open sea, both
iu the North Pacific and Bering Sea. (John 0. Tolman.)

I am sure the decrease is caused by tbe killing of female seals in the
open sea, and that if their destruction by tbe indiscriminate killing in

i ill i i! H

III

< li

224

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

the open sea is permitted to continue it will only be a very short time
until the herd is destroyed. (Charles T. Wagner.)

I have no doubt that it is caused by the killing" of female seals in the
water, avd, if continued, will certainly end in their extermination.
(]\1. L. Washburn.)

1 am convin(!ed that if open-sea sealing had never been indulged in
to the extent it has since 1885, or perhaps a year or two earlier, 100,000
male skins could have been taken annually forever from the Pribilof
Islands without decreasing the seal herd below its nonnal size and con-
dition. The cause of the decrease wiiich has tak« ;i place can be
accounted for only by open-sea sealing; tor, until that means of destruc-
tion to seal life grew to be of such proportions as to alarm those inter-
ested in the seals, the seal herd incireased, and since that time the
decrease of the number of seals has been proportionate to the increase
in the number of those engaged in open-sea scaling. From 1884 to
1891 1 saw their numbers decline, under the same careful management,
until in tlie latter year there was not more than one-fourth of their
numbers coming to the islands. In my judgment there is but one cause
for that decline and the picseiit condition of the rookeries, and that
is the shotgun and ritle of tlie pelagic hunter, and it is my opinion
that if the lessees had not taken a seal on the islands for the last
ten years we would still find the breeding grounds in about the same
condition as they are to-day, so destructive to seal life are the methods
adopted by these hunters. (Daniel Webster.)

Deponent, by reason of his experience in the business, liis observa-
tion, conversations with those ]>hysically engaged in catching and curing
skins, and the custody of herds on the islands, feels justitied in express-
ing tlie 0))inion that the nnndters of the seal lierds have, since the
introduction of the opensea sealing on a large scale, sutt'ered i?eriou8
diminution. The killing of large numbers of females heavy with young
can not, in deponent's knowledge, but have that ett'ect. (C.A.Williams.)

I made careful inquiry of the people on the islands, both native and
white, and of those who were or had been employed as masters or mates
on sealing vessels, and others interested one way or another in the cap-
ture of fur seals for lood or for profit, and failed to find any of them but
who admitted that the number of seals in Bering Sea was much less
now than a few years since, and nearly all of them gave it as their
opinion that the decrease in number was due to pelagic hunting, or, as
they more fvequentlv expressed it, the killing of ieniales in the water.
(W. H. Williams.)

DECREASE OF THE ALASKAN SEAL HEKD.

After 1882 they seemed to stay about the same, as far as the number
of breeders was concerned, as long as I was there. (John Armstrong.)

I ascertained by questioning those who had years of continuous expe-
r^vjnce with the seals that up to the year 1882 there was an annual exi)an-
siou of the boundaries of the breeding grounds; that this was followed
by a period of stagnation, which in turn was followed by a marked
decadence from about 1885-80 down to the present time. (J. Stanley-
Brown.)

I am unable to state whether the seals increased or not during my
residence on St. Paul, but they certainly did not decrease, except, per-
haps, there was a slight decrease in 1884. In all my conversations with

SKAL IJKE ON THK PUIIULol" ISLANDS.

225

tlie iiiitives — wliidi were, of t'onrsc, a fi'rcat iiiiiny — tlicy never spoke of
the sBiils beiiijf on the tleeiease, ns they eeitainly wouhl liave done if
siieh liad been the ease. (H. A. (Hidden.)

Wliile on St. I'anl I do not tldnk the number of seals increased, and
in the hist year (l.S,S4) I tiiink tliere was a sliyht deerease. (J. H.
Monlton.)

Ujion tile (Joinniiinder Islands, as I liav«' iilready snid. tlie increase
in seal life was eoiistiint for many years, but in IS!)ii we noticed a
decided disturbance in the rookeries iind a eonsi<lerable deciease in
tiieir [topnlation. Tiiis we subsiMjuently attributed, when the facts
were ascertained, to i)ela;;ii(; sealiny in the adjacent waters. (Gustave
Niel)aum.)

1 noticed during' this period no perceptible increase in the breeding
rookeries on St. (Jeorge. (B. F. Scribner, Treasury agent.)

ON PRiniLOF ISLANDS.

In 18S2 there was no scarcity of killable seals. The men drove uj) as
many every day as they could handle, and those selected for killing
comprised only tlie choicest ones. (W. (J. Allis.)

There seemed to be also a large surplus of full-grown bulls ior rook-
ery service, and enough escai)ed from the slaughter ground to keep the
number good as the old ones passed the age of usefulness. I do not
believe the condition of the rookeries nor tlie manner of driving and
killing the seals at this time couhl have been improved. It was perfect
in every respect, and the lessees, emjdoyees, an(l natives, as well as the
seals, all appeared to be and were, I believe, contented and liai>i)y. In
188(5 the conditions had somewhat changed. The natives complained
that big seals were growing scarcer; that there were many dead pups
on the ro(dcevies, and the superintendent intimated to me that he did
not like the outlook as compared with a few years i)revions, and said
lie thought either the number killed or the size of the animals taken
for their skins would have to be reduced of killable seals, and the
work went on as during my lirst year (1882) in the service. But the
trouble of which they compiained grew more serious in the following
years, and I think it was in 18S8 the sui)eriiitendent told the bosses
tliey must kill less large seals and inore"yenow bellies,'' or I'-year-olds.
Ill 188!) a verj' large proportion of the (tatcii was made up of this class.
It was then perlcctly appaient to everybody, myself included, that the
rookeries were "going to the bad" and that a smaller number must
inevitably be killi'd the following year. (VV. C. Allis.)

The aggregate size of the areas formerly occupied is at least four
times as great as that of the [tresent rookeries. (Report of American
Bering Sea commissioners.)

I have noticed a great deciease in the numbers of the fur seals since
1887, both on the rookeries of St. Paul Island, which are much shrunken
in the area covered by seals, and in the waters of the racific and Bering
Sea. On the rookeries, ground formerly hauled over by seals is now
grown up with a scattering of recent growth. (C. fcl. Anderson.)

The skins taken prior to 1880 weighed from to 10 pounds ea<'h,
averaging about 8 pounds ])er skin: but I understand from those who
remained there on duty that much smaller ones were afterwards taken,
beitause the large seals had become scan-e and were needed for rookery
service. (John Armstrong.)
S. Doc, 137, pM ^1.5

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SKAL MI'K OX THi: I'KIlilLor ISLANDS.

From 1870 lo issi tln^ seals were swunniiiy on tlie Imuliiij;' {ironiids
and tilt' ruoUcrii's, and tor many yt'iiis llicy spicud out UKtie and ii:oi»'.
All of a ^iiddcii, in issi. ui' noticed tlicic Wiis not so many seals, and
they Inive been doci-easiny: very lit pidly ever si nee. (Keniek Artonianoff.)

Then' aie not nearly as many seals on the coast as there were two or
llii'ee years ajio. (.lolinny llaronoviteh.)

There are certain piiysieid as well iis historical sources ot int'oruiatloi)
upon I he island from wlii<tii the relation of the present to the p/.st con-
dition of the rookeries can be very <d<>arly maiie out.

(I) Not only upon, but iinnu'diately to the rear of, the area at i)resent
occupied by the breedinj;' seals occur frajiuients of basalt whose anj>les
have been roun<h'd and jiolished by tlu' llijjpers of seals. Among these
latter rocks j^rass is fouinl {;rowin{j t<> an extent i)roportionate to tiieir
distances from the p'.i-sent breeding grounds, and further, the soil
shows no recent disturbance; by the si-als. This rouiuling of the bowl-
ders ol" the abandoned areas was not due to the impingement of saml
driven by the wind. No geologist would be willing to risk his reputa-
tion by asserting that this rounding came from any such agency. The
distinction t)et\\een the result of sand-blast action and seals' tlipi>ers
is very marked.

(L') A careful examination among the roots of the grass will often
show the former presence of seal by the i)eculiar appearance of the soil,
due to the excrementa of the s«'al and the occurrence of a thin mat of
seal hair. The attention ol' Dr. (ieiuge M. Dawson was called to such
a felt of hair ui)on the summit of Hutchinson llill, and both he and
Dr. C liart Merriam collected specimens of it from among the grass
roots at that locality.

{3) At the rear of the rookeries there is usually an area of mixed
vegetation — an area the boundary of which is sharj)Iy detined, and
between Avhicli an«l the present breeding grounds ocuairs a /one of
grass of oidy a single variety. In the immediate vicinity of the ])res
ent breeding grounds oidy scanty bunches aie to be seen. These
gradually c<»alesce as the line of mixed vegetation is ai)i)roaclied. The
explanation of this is that the seals were formerly so abundant as to
destioy the nctrmal mixed vegetation at the rear of the breeding
grounds, and that the decrease of the seals lias been followed by the
encroachment of the unifoini variety of grass.

(4) The statements made to me by competent observers who have
lived upon the islands for years all agree that the shrinkage in the
breeding area has been rapid during tlu; past iive or six years.

After observing the ha()its of seals for a season, 1 unhesitatingly
assert that to satisfactorily account for the disturbance to vegetable
life over areas whose extent is \isible even to the most careless and
])rejudiced of observers, would retpiire the presen<;e of frou) two to three
times the amount of seal life which is now tobeibund upon the islands.
That there has been enormous decrease in the seals there can be no ques-
tion. (J. Stanley Ibown.)

Have observed carefully the areas oc<'upied by the seals on the rook-
eries and hnuling-out grounds, especially at Northeast P"int and the
Keef, on St. Paul Island, in ISSl, ISSo, ISSG, and lS!)l,and on both rook-
eries the areas formerly occupied by seals have greatly decreased, so
much so that at lirst appearance it seemed, in 181)1, as if the hauling-
out grounds had been entirely deserted. Subsetjuent examimition dis-
closed the fact that this was not strictly true, tlune still being a small
number of male seals lelt on the grounds. Have also observed that the

SEAL LIl'K ON Tin: I'lilltlU >l' ISLANDS.

227

s«^;\ls uic miicli iiioic sciittj'rt'd on tlic biccdiii;;' nxikci it's tliiiii in Iniinri'
yciU's I I.SS4. |S,S."», ISSil); iilso tlnit lln' ininilxT ol" s«';ils in tin* watci lins
pidliortionatcly dei'it'jised, aiid tliat tlic.v liavc ;;rn\vn very inucli nad-e
sliy and dilticnit toapproafli. Withont prcsiiniinji' to he altsolutcly cor-
rect, would estimates the nundxM' ttt seals i)n'sent al iSt Paul Island
dnrinj;' the year ls!»l to about 10 percent of the nuMihcr there in i'oriner
years of obstavation — 1SS4, |.S,s."», ISSti, f.Iohn C (!ant well.)

I did not notice any falliu};' oil in the size of tlu' rookeries from the
landmarks to which they came when I first saw them during' the lirst
two years I was on the island, and all afjreed. in discussing' the matter,
that the seals had never been more numerous than tlu'y were; but in
the followiii;;' years, aiul particularly in ISS.S and 1S.S!>, no other opinion
was lieaid tlian that the animals Inul ;;rcatly diminisiied, and in tlii.s
opinion 1 fully coincided. (Henry N. Clark.)

Duriu};' the seasons of IS'tOand ISIM, I wasin command of the revenue
cutter h'lisli, in Berinj;' Sea, and <'ruised extensively in those wat«*r8
around the seal islands and the Aleutian {jroup. In the season of I.SIHJ
1 visited the islands of 8t. I'aul ami St. (leorj^e, in the months of .luly,
August, an<l 8eptend)er, and had ample and fre(|uent opportuidties of
observiufj; the seal life as compared with 1S7(). 1 was astonishe<l at the
reduced luimbers of seals and the extent of bare ground on the rookeries
once teeminj'' with seal life. In IS'.M) the North American Commercial
Comi)any were unable to kill seals of suitable size to make their cjuota
of (iO,(MM) allowed by their lease, and in my opinion, had they been per-
nutted to takeo(),0(M) in hSlU, they could not have secured tliat number
if they had killed every bachelor seal with a merchantable skin on both
islands, so yreat was the dindnution in the number of animals found
there. (W. C. Coulson.)

1 arrived with my (iommand at St. Tanl Island .June 7, 181)1. At that
date very few seals had arrived, and Imt a small nuird)er had been killed
for fresh f(»o<l. On tlie I'-th of dune, 1891, we were at St. Ceorge Island
ami fouml a {'i^w seals had been taken there, also for food, the numb(>r
of seals arriving not being enough to warrant the killing of any great
number. During that year 1 was at and around both these islands
every month IVom and including elune until the 1st day of December
(exceitting October), and at no time were tiiere as many seals in sight
as in ISIIO. I assert this from actual observation, ami it is mj' opinion
we will lind less this year. (VV. C. Coulson.)

I3iiring my annual cruising in lieringSeaand to and from thel'ribilof
Islands 1 have carefully noted the nundter and appearance of seals in
tlic water an<l on the breeding rookeries froni the deck (»f my vessel, and
have also repeatedly visited the hauling grounds from year to year, and
it was about ISS t and IS8."» that bare s[)()ts began to appear on the rook-
eries, so much so that myself and the other otlicers often si)oke of it
and «liscussed the clauses therefor. The decrease in nuohti of seals
both on the Pribilof Islands and in the waters of IJering S^;; •, nd North
I'acitic has been very rapid since 188.">, especially so in the lastthreeor
four years, and it is my opinion that there is not now more than one-
third of the number of seals in these waters and on the islands that
there were ten years ago. (Leander Cox.)

During my last visits to the islands I observed a very marked diminu-
tion in the number of seals thereon as contrasted with the herd on the
rookeries five or six years previously. I am familiar with the area and
topography of the various rookeries on the islands, and have observed

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SKM- LIFE ON THK PUIMII.OF ISLANDS.

tliat siMuros toriii«rl.v occu|>i»Ml l»y seal licrds luc now vaciiiit iiiid parts
of llu'iii ntvcrcd witli fiiass. Tliis iliiiiinutioii was partii-iilailj' notice
al)lt' ill ISS7 and l.SSf>, tlu' lust tw(» years' visit to tin* islands, (.lunios
II. Doufjflas.)

l-'or iiiiiiiy years prior to ISOO I liave ol)served the rook<M ies from my
ship and also from the islands. Tlie lirst decrease in the nniiiber
appearin;^^ on the rookeries and in the siin'oiindin<>' sea that 1 partien
hiriy noticed was in tlie siinnner of ISSl, and it has l>e(!ome more marked
fnnii year to year sine*', l-'or the last tiireeorfonr years their dit^ap
jiearance has l)een very marked, in October, LS1K>, I made a tiip from
I'nalaska to St. Michaels. When al»ont ~0 miles sontli of St. (ieor{;e
we (!omm»'n<'ed to watch for si-als passing tlie Zapadnie rookery close
inshore alonf; the w«'8t end of St. (Jeorj^e Island to Otter Island and
Seal Island rock; then«;e to Noitheast Point, ahont a mile ami a half
offshore. Wlien we started, I reijueste^l the ollicers to keeji a sharp
lookont and to rei>ort if they saw any seals in thei water. I was on
deck most of the time myself also, and we only saw two seals in the
whole run ; whereas ten years ago, when on a similar voyage, seals were
so plentiful that it was impossible to count them. From my long obser-
vation 1 do not think there are as many seals by two-thirds now annu-
ally arriving on the islands or in tlntse waters as there were ten years
ago, when 1 first commenced to notice that they were decreasing. Piy
this statement I nrean to say that only one-third as nniny are now to be
seen as formerly. (M. ('. ICrskine.)

Seals have decreased in numbers very rapidly in the last few years,
and to anyone who saw the breeding rookeries as I did in 1880 the
change is most wonderful. (C L. Fowler.)

It was on the breeding rookeries and among the cows that I '^^st
began to notit^e the decrease in seal life, and 1 do not think there 'e
more than one fourth as many cows on the breeding rookeries ii
as were there iu IS87. (C. L. Fowler.)

I have been a resident of the seal islands for the past ten years; for-
merly assistant agent of the Alaska Commercial Comi)any, now agent
of the North American Company, and during that time was engaged
in the taking of seals. I have listened to the testimony of J. C. Ked-
path, as al)ove, and fully concur in all that he has said concerning seal
life, with the exception that the nund)er of seals on the islands this
season are, in my judgment, not more than one-fonrth of what they
were in 1887. (C. L. Fowler.)

In those days (from 18()9 to 1882 or 1S83) we used to get plenty of
seals on the Zoltoi sands near the Reef rookery, and now there are
none there. It was in 1881 that I first noticed a decrease in the seals,
and it has been a steady and a very rapid decrease ever since 188(!, so
that at present there are not one fourth as many seals on the island as
there was every year from 1809 to 1883. (John Fratis.)

In 1880 I made careful observations of the rookeries on St. Paul
Island and marked out the areas covered by the breeding grounds; in
1890 I examined these lines made by me the former year, and found a
very great shrinkage in the spaces covered by breeding seals. In 1889
it was quite difticult for the lessees to obtain their full quota of 100,000
skins; so difficult was it in fact, that in order to turn off a suflicient
number of 4 and 5 years old nuiles from the hauling grounds for breed-
ing purposes in the future, the lessees were compelled to take about
50,000 skins of seals of 1 or 2 years of age. I at once reported this

fact

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tiMtt to the St'cretiiry <»t" the Tivasury, aiid iidviscd tin' taUiii;; ul' a h'ss
iiuiiil)ei' of skins tlie loUowiii}; yt-iir. iMirsiiiiiit to siicli lepurt llicdov
(M'liiiieiil ti\i>(l tlie iiiiiiibiT to he takcii as <i(l,(MKL iiiid tiirtli(>r or(h'r('(l •
that all killiii;;'or seals iipoti the islands should stop alter tht^ L'Otli day
of.lidy. I was rmtlier ordered to nidily tlie natives mioii the Aleutian
Islands that all killiii;;' of seals while <-oniiii;A IVoni or j^oin;;' to tlie seal
islands was prohilHtcd. Thesi- ndes and le^iulations went into elleet
in ISiM), and puisuant theieto I posted notiees I'oi' the natives at \ai'ions
|)oints alon;> tiie Aleutian chain, and saw that the oiders in relati(Hi to
the time ot killinj;' and i.innber allowed to l»e killed were exeeuted upon
the islands. As a r»'sult of the enl'orcenieiit of these re;;ulations. the
lessees were unahle to take more than lM.-Js seals oi' the killaliie age
of from 1 to ."> years during the season of LS!K», so great had been tlie
decrease of seal life in one year, and it \<uild have l>eeii impossible to
obtain <»0,(«K) skins even if the time had bi'en unrestricted, ((^harles
,). (loir.)

The Table A, appended to this allidavit, shows how great has been
the decrease on St. I'aiil Island's hauling grounds, bearing in mind the
tact that the driving and killing were done by the;* same persons as in
former years, and weic as diligently carried on, the weather Ix-ing as
favorable as in l-SStl for seal driving, I believe that tlu' sole causes of
the decie.ise is pelagic sealing, which, from leliable inforiimtion, 1 under-
stand to have increased greatly since ISSt oi' LSS."», Another fact I
have gained from reliable sources is that the great majority of the seals
taken in the open sea aie pregnant femah's or females in milk. It is
an un<|nesti(»nable fact that the killing of these females destroys the
l)ups tiu'y are carrying or nursing. The result is, that this (h'struction
of pups takes ab(»ut oiually from the male and female increase of the
herd, and wl:en so many male pups are killed in this manner, besides
the 100,0(10 taken o tlu' islands, it necessarily atl'ects the nundier of
killable seals. In ISSI* this drain upon n)ale seal life showed itself on the
islands, and this, in my o]>inion, a<'couiits foi' the necessity of the lessees
taking so nmny yoiuig seals that year to till out their (piota. As soon
as the eiVects of ])elagic sealing were noticed by me upon the islands
1 reporti'd th«' same, and the (io\ernnient at once took steps to limit
the k'lling ujion the islands, so that the rookeiies might have an oppor-
tuinty to increase theii- nund)eis to their fornu'r condition; but it will
l)e impossibhi to rei)air the depleti(tn if i>elagic sealing c(»ntinues. 1
have no <h)ubt. as I reported, that tin- taking of 100.000 skins in LS.SO
atfected the male life on the islainls and cut into tiie reserv*- of male
seals necessaiy to preserve aninndly for breeding juirposes in the
future, but this fact did not become evident until it was too late to
repair the fault that year. Mxcei)t for the numbers destioyed by pelagi<'
sealing in the years previous to ISS'.i the hauling grounds would not
have been so depleted, ami the taking of 100,000 male seals would m)t
have impaired tlie reserve for breeding purposes oi dimiidslu'il to any
extent the seal life on the Pribilof Islands. lOveii in this dindnished
state of the rookeries in 1.S80 I caielully observed that in the majority
of cases the I ami ."i year old males were alhnved to drop out of a
'•drive" before the bachelors had been driven any distance from the
hauling grounds. These seals were let go for the sole purpose of sup-
plying sutlicient future breeders. (Charles J. (Jotf.)

I believe there has been a great decrease in the numbers of the fur-
seal species. I do not believe that there are m)w one tenth as many
fur seals frequenting the I'ribilof Islands as there were ten years ago.

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Nine ()!• toil years iijio, wlieii !yiiij>' olV tlio I'rihiNff islamls in tin' tall,
tli«' yoiiiij;' seals used to play in t 1m' wattM" alMmt tlio vessels in larjie
imiiilx'is: ill ,nniiif>' to the westward in the iiitnith «i|" May inaii.\ seals
wei«' always ti i)e seen l)etwe<'ii I'lialaska and the I'our .Mduntain islands,
ill iiiid.sn||||i;vr. when making' passa^^es between I'lialaska ami the I'li
bilof Inlands, iisetl to see larjie bodies of t'lir seals ieedinj;'; they were
invariably to b«- met with most iinim-roiisly about <i(> miles northwest
true tVoiii I'liiilaska, and iVoiii there up to and Irom the I'eediii;^ oinnnd.s.
VN'^heii last I visited the ro(»k«'ries. three years aj;o. in lSSt>, I notie<'d a
ji'ieat shrinkajye in the area covered by seals on tlu' rookeries. (Charles
:I. llajiue.)

Ill IHHCt and LSST there ajipeaied to be enoii;.'li seals, and tlie men were
kept pretty steadily at work after the first lew days of the season until
the eateli was completed, (iood sized skins were taken in these years,
and there was no trouble in iiettinj; them, but larjxe seals <iiew very
scarce on the island in 'SSS. and still more so in the three lollowinjj
years. 1 am siiri^ the si/e of the rookeries on St. I'aul Island ami the
number of seals on them in 1S!>1 were lesn than one-half their size and
number in issii, (Ale.\. iaiisson.)

Coincident with the increase of linntiii^' seals in tlu^ sea there was an
increase in the death rate of pup seals on the rookeries; also a per-
ceptilile diminution of temale seals. .\s huniiii;^' increased it became
self evident, even to the most casual observer, ihat the rooki-ries were
becominy devastated. It is positively a fact that tlu're are not near as
many seals «»ccnp_\ iiiji' the rookeries i.ow. at the presi'iifc tini", as there
were wlieii I first saw the islands. The vat'aiit spai'cs on the breedin<i'
a;ul liaulin}«' grounds have increased in siz«' fnmi year to year since
ISSt, iiid Iiave been vi'iy iioti<'eable for the last lour or five y<'ars.
When I lirst went to the seal islands the seals were actually increasing
in numbers instead of dim nishiiig. Two facts presented tliemsi'lves
to me lat«'r on : l-Mist, seal-* '.ere arriving onvh y<'ar in diminished num-
bers; second, at the same time that the female seals were decreasing
in numbers thi' niiieber (»f dead pups on the rookeries were increasing.
The indisi'iiminate slaughter of seals mi the water has so deph'ted
their nuinbei that the company is at present una' 'e to get their «|Uota
of skiiis on the islaiid as allowed per contract with me <iov«'riimeiit,
and is r<>sti'icted to such an insigniiicant niimliei' that it is not enough
to supply food to the native population of the islands. It . an iiulis
pntable fact that larg*- jiortionsof the breeding idokeiics and hauling
jroiiiids are bare, where but a lew years ago nolliing but the hapjiy,

noisy, and snarling seal families c(mld be seen.

Tiie driving

ro()kei'ies also necessarily liav«' suffered, as witness the difference in the
catch, a - rop from 1()(MI(KI to about 2)).(I(H» in IS'.Ml. (W. S. Hereford.)

I hav<' been employe«l on the seal islands since ISSl'. have resided
iijion them <'ontiiiu<uisly lor ten years, and have a personal knowledge
of the seal lite as it exists (Ui the islands and in llie waters surrounding
them. There was less than one third the number of seals on tin' islands
last year than in ISSl'. The decrease in tlie iiiiinber of seals <'«)ming to
the islands was first noticed and talked alM»nt two or three years after
I liist came to li\e here; and simte iSS7 the de<'rease has been very
rapid. A careful inspection «>f rlie r<»(»keries each retnrning seascm since
1SS7 showed that ";e cows 'ven' getting h'ss and less, alflsoiigh it was
a rare Miing to find a cow seal tiiat did not have a pup at hei side.
(Edward Uughes.)

SKAI, IIFK <iN 'IIII-: I'lill'.lLor ISLANDS. Jol

Toil <)i' twelve ycivis ii^o tlie idokencs iiiid sea wmmo full of seals, hut

now flioie ai(^ imt a iji'eat man-

We used to kill S."i.(t(M> in less tliaii

two iiioiirlis' tiiiu' Oil St. Paul Island, and our peophcained ideiity of
money tct Ixiy eveiytliiii};' tliey wanted, and in the winter we kilh-d L'.00(>
or .'i.dOO male pups tor food and <littliiii<;\ Now we are not allowed to
kill any more piiprS, and only 7,."in(> male seals for food, and the jx-ople
are! \ cry miieh worried to kianv wlmt is to heeoiiie of them a>id their
eliildren. (.lacob Kotehootten,)

1 rememher the lirst time ' noticed ii decrease of seals on the rook-
eries, about seven or eijiht years aji«>, and tlie s«'als have hecoim' fewer
every year since. We used to kill sr>,(MI() seals on St. I'aul island in
less tiiaii sixty (lays' time until 1S',K», when they became so few we
ciMild not take more than about one tbiirth of that number in the same
leiif'th of time. (Nicoli Kiukott'.)

All our p«'oj)Ic know the seals are {•"ettiny' scarc(-r eveiy year, and we
think it is because^ of the schooners coming' in and slioi»tiiij;' tlui C(tws
in the sea. (Nicoli Urukotf.)

About ISS."> a decrease was observed, and that deciease has become
more marked every year from ISSo to the pieseiit time. (A}^ji;ei Ku-
sheii.)

There an' not one fourth as many seals now as there were in ISHL',
jiiid our i)eople are very much alarmed ti> know wliat is to become of
*liein after the seals are killed otK If the seals decrease as fast as they
have duriiii'' the past live or six years there will be none left in a very
short time lor us to live upon, (A}j.mM Kuslien.)

During; the time from lSiSr» to IStS1> thei-e was a very maiked decrease
in the si/e of tlu^ breeding;' j>rouinls on St. Paul Island, and from ISS7 to
ISS!) I also noticed a great decrease in tln' areas covere<l by the litok-
eries on St. (icoryc Island. (Abial P. Loud.)

Ill his report oi" ISS(» and 1SS7 (Jeori>-e l{. Tinyle, special Treasury
ajicnt in (diarjieof the seal islands, rep(»rt«Ml haviiij- im^asured the rook-
eries oil the islands, and that the seals had lar<;('iy increased in number,
j^ivinj^ the increase at about LSlKiO.OOO. I'rom this rep<ut I dissented at
the time, as I was unable to see siiiy inciease, but, on the contrary, a
perceptible decrease, in the rookeries. I expressed my \i( ws tiwinany
(u: the islands and all aureed that t her*' had ln'cn no increase in tin' seal
life, i'lie nieasnrcments of the rookeries on which Mr. Tinj;le relie«l
were made wiih .» common rojie by ijiiKuant natives while the seals were
absent from the islands, th(> j;ioiiiids covered by them beiiij;' di-siyiiated
by .Mr. Tin^ile from memory. (Abial P. l.oud.)

hiuinii tli<' tlirt'c years followin;;' ISS'J, iianie!\, ISS;;, ISSI.and lSSr>, I
was not up(ui the islands, I'pon my return ' ; 1SS(> I noticed a sii;;ht
sliriiika}:e in the bie.'dipf;- areas, but am nnal>le to indicate the .\ear of
the period of my absiMice in which the decrc .sc of l>ree<liiij' seals l»e;4an.
l''roin the year 1>>S(» to >,-'.so, inclusive, niv ol»servat'on was continuous.

and there was a yreatci- decrease ot the s<'a

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of that pt riod in a <Mim><lative ratio, proportionate to tiie number of
seals killed by the pela;iic seders. (II. II. Mclntyre.)

In ISSi; I a;iain assumed personal direction of the work upon the
islands, and continued in charge to and including ISS!). And now, for
the tiist time in my expt'iience, there was difliculty in secniriiig such
skins as was wanted. The trouble was not particularly marked in liSHO,

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SEAL LIKE ON THE rRIHILOF ISLANDS.

but iiH-reiistvl from yeiu- to year to iin iilaniiiii^' t'xrciit, niiril in ISS!). in
onU'r to secure tlie full (|iiotii jnid at tlie siiiiie timo turn l)ack to the
rookeries such hreedinj;- bulls us they seemed to absolutely need, we
weie forced to take fully .">(» per cent of animals under size, wliich oujuht
to ha\e been allowed one or two years uutre {iiowtii. Concerninji this
matter I reixnted to the Alaska Connuercial Company, under date <»f
July l(i, ISS'.», as follows: "The contrast between the jtrcsent condition
of seal life and that of the tirst decade of the lease is so marked that
the nu)st inoxjaut can not fail io notice it. .Inst when the change coin-
meiuicd 1 am uinible from persoinil observation to say, for as you will
remember 1 was in ill healtii ami unable to visit the islands in ISH.t,
1.SS4, ami 18Sr». I left tiie rookeries in 1SS2 in tlu'ir fullest ami best
condition and found them in ISSt; already sho^inj*' sli<>iit fallinj; olf, and
experienced that year for the first tinw sonu? ditliculty in securin}>" Just
the class of aninmis in every case that we <lesired. We, however,
obtained the full catch in that and tiu^, two followinji' years, Hinshing
the work from the li-tth t(» the -Ttli of .lidy, but were oblij-ed, particu-
larly in ISS.S, to content ourselves with snnd'er skins than we luul hereto-
fore taken. This was in part due to the necessity of turninji back to the
rookeries many half f^rown bulls, owiiiji' to the notable scarcity of breed-
injj males. I should have been };iad to Inive ordered them killed instead,
but under your instructions to see tiiat tiie best interests were c(mi-
served, thoajjlit best to reject them. The result of killinj;' from year to
year a larj>'e and incieasinji' nundter of snniU aninnds is very apparent.
We are simply drawin<>- in advam-c ujxmi thi^ stock that shonld be kept
over for another year's growth." (11. 11. Mclntyre.)

(i>. llow (l<»es the numl)er of seals on the rookeries this year compare
witii the nund>er live years ago? — A. The ninnber now is about one-
fourth of what they were then. (Noeu Mandregin.)

In 1SS7 1 b(^g;ui to notice a dindnntion in the nnnd)er < f seals arriv-
ing at the islands, winch wasduetotlieindiscriniinate killi ig l>y sealing
vessels in the oi)en sea, some 'lO or (iO miles distant. W Idle we still
obtain about the usual numlter of skins, many more are taken front the
younger aniniaW than fornu'rly, and aie somewhat inferior in (juniity.
(John Malowausky.)

From ISSrt. which was about the tinu' the sealers ajjjteared in the
waters, the decrease in seal life was rapid, and the natives coninu'nced
saying "no females,'' »'no female,.,'' until now we are ccnd'ronted with
deplete<l rookeries and probable extermination. (.loliii Malowansky.)

(J. Have you noticed any ])erce|>tible dilferen<;e in the number of
.seals on rookeries from one year to another? — A. Yes.

i). Abtuit bow nuudi less is the luindiei' of seals during the past year
than they were six years ago.' — A. The nnnd>er of seals this year is
about one fourth of what they wer-.' six years ago, ami about one half
of what they were last year.

(}. In w!iat way do you form your above opinion as to the relative
luunner of seals on the rookeries? — A. l>y the fact that nmny 8i)aces on
the rookeries whi(^h were formerly crowded are now not occupied at all.
(Anton Meloved(df.)

About 18S<» I noticed that the liiu's of former years were not tilled
with cows, and every succ.eediu«' year since then has shown a more
marked decrease. In l.SSD the bachelors were so (ew on the hauling
grounds that the standard weight of skins was lowered to o pouiuls,

HKW. I.IK.. ON TIIK rUliill.OK ISLANDS.

•J33

iiIUmI
ling

and liuiidrcds were takon at only 4 pouiids in order to lill tlie (piota of
1(M»,(I(M>. (A. Melovcdott.)

Until till* sdiooncrs came into IJeiinji' Sea the rookeries were always
well lilled, ami niany ol' them had }>rowii steadily lor years, when it
was no nneommoii tiling' for the lessees to take the i|M(»ta of S,"),0()()
seals on St. I'anl Island between .Inne 1 and -Oof ea< ii year. After
IS.Sf, when the orijiinal two or three sealing vessels had grown to be a
well organized fleet, we fonnd a steady decrease of seals on all the
rookeries, and we found it dilticult to secnie the (juota of skins, and in
18S1» the lessees had to low<'r the standai'<l of weight lower than ever
before in the history of the island. (Simeon Melovidov.)

l''roMi the year IST-l till ISS.") w<' were able to get fioni St. (ieoige and
St. Paul islands 1(I0,()(UI nnde seals within the period known as the
sealing season of six weeks, from the 10th of .lune t«) the 1st of August,
and still leave a large percentage of nnirketabie seals. In IS.S."), and in
every year thereafter until I left in 1SS7, theie was a marked decrease
in the nund)er <»f marketable skins that could be obtai'ied in each year
during the sealing season. We were able, down to the last year (1<S.S7),
to get our total catch of lOO.OUO seals, but in order to get tliat nundier
we had to take what in ]>revious years we would have rejected, namely,
undeisized skins, i. c, the skins of young seals. Prior to ISST wc had
endeavored to take no skins weighing less than IS pounds, but in order
to make np our (piota in the last inentioiu'd year we had to take skins
weighing as litth as ('»}, pounds to the number of several thousands.
(T. K. Morgan.)

In the years loS."». ISSd, and ISST my attention was attracted not only
to a diminution in the nnmberof killable seals appearing on the island,
but to a decrease in the fenmles as well. I'p t<» the year IS.sl the br«'ed-
ing space in the lookeiies had increased, and from that year down to
1S.S7, when 1 lelt the island, the acreage covered by the rookeries which
were occiipied by seals constantly diminished. (T. V. Morgan.)

.My att«'ntion was called to the deci'ease of se;ils and the depletion of
the rookeries at an early date after my a^ ixal. I attempted to study
the habits and (Ninditions and to note ih umbers of seal on the sev-
eral rookeries and li.iuling gronmls. 1 he natives and employees of the
Alaska C«nninercial Company were nnaninmus lu the' opinion that the
seal had been decre.ising steadily and rapidly siui » ISSl. ] repoited
the fact to Agent (iolf, who had fonnd similar conditions existing on
St. Paul, and he so repotted to the I >epartment. and suggested that
not more than (1(1,000 seals should be taken in any one season in fiitiiie.
In puisuai\ceof instrnelions from Agent (iolV, I lelt St. (ieorji* Island
on the I'.tth of ,lidy. l.S'.M). and landed on St. Paul Island on tli -Mitli of
the same month, and renniined there until Auj:ust. IsOl. iMiring the
iin>nth of .Inly, IS'.IO, I walked ovci- the rookeries and hauling grounds
of St. Paul Island, and Agent (!olV pointed out to nu' the lines to which
in former years the seals hauled, and the huge areas which tluv eov-
ered; and then he called my attention to the snnill strip cov» . by
seals on that date, which was snmller than the year previtnis. Agent
Golf stopped the killing of seals by the lessees on and alter the I'Oth of
.Iidy, IH'.tO, becau.se of the depleted condition of the haidiug grounds;
an(l I fully concurred in his order and action. I spent the .sea ling sea8oii
of 1S1>1 (lu St. Paul Ksland, ard pursuant to instru«'-tioiis of Agent Wil-
liams, 1 gave my time and special attention to tlu^ study of the ciondi-
tn)n of the rookeries, both the breeding and hauling grounds. 1 visited

ii' iu..

f ;i

,^f

234

SEAL LIFK ()>; THi; I'kllilLOF ISLANDS.

illl

tbe V(t(»l<eiies diiily tVoiii the 7th to tlie I'l'd of .Fuly — duriii.u the period
wlieii tlic rooke!i('s are liiUest iind at their best — and I earelnlly noted
their euiidition and the Mnnil)er of seals; tlie number of cows to the
family, and tiie number of idle, vi<;oious bulls u|.on eaeh rookery.
(.Joseph Murray.)

I'ltou my first \ isit to the rodkeiies and hauling j-rounds of the island,
of St. Paul my attention was attra<;ted to the evidences ol recent and
remote occKpancy by tlie seals. Marked dilfereiices were noticealde in
theappearan<'eof vej;etation on larjic areas formerly occupied as bi-ee<l-
ing- and haulinji' grounds, while near the water's ed}>e, more leeently
occupied, the {•round was entirely bare ot ve<ietation, enabling; one to
trace the {;:radual decrease of areas occupied duriiij;' the last six to
ei}4ht years. My examination of the rookeries on St. Paul and St.
George durinji' tlie years IS'.K). l.S'.H, and ISUJ enabled me to trm-e the
yearly decreasinj; area occupied by the fur seals on these islands.
Aside from the evidences of '.'eserted rookeries and hauling jiTounds
shown by native inhabitants of each island, the grounds «)ecupied in
former years were now deserted and j>rass j>n)\\n. The silent witness
of the deserted rookeries contirms the testimony of the resident aji'ents
of the lessees of the islands and of the native inhabitants that the
number of seals l>eyan to decrease with the advent of i>ela{{i<! sealin<;',
and that the yearly decrease has been in prt>portion with the yearly
increase in the number of vessels engajjed in that enterprise. (S. R.
Nettleton.)

The decrease in tiie number of seals coming to the islands in the last
three or tbu'* years became so manifest to everyone acipiainted with the
rookeries in e.'ilier days that various theorie; have been advaiu-ed in
an attempt t<^ account for the cause of this sudden (ihange, and the fol-
lowing are some of then*: (1) "A dearth of bulls ni»<ui the breeding
ro(dveries;*' (2) ''Impotency of bulls caused by over<liiving while they
were young ba«;hel(trs," and (.'{) "An epidemic among the seals." (L.
A. Noyes.)

<^. Have you noted any perceptible difference in the number of seals
on the rookeries from (»ne year to another? If so, what (changes have
you obsjMved ? — A. Within tlie last four or Hve .\ ears I have observed :;
decided decrease in the number of seals on the rookeries.

(). In what proportion have the seals decreased w thin the time men-
tioned ? — A. As (ar as niv judgment goes, I shouhl say at least one-
half. (.1. (\ Kedpath.)

As the schooneis imrreased the seals de(!reased, and the lines of con-
traction on the rookeries were noticed to draw nearer and nearer to the
beach, and the killable seals became fewer in numbeis and harder to
Iind. In l<SS(i the decrease was sn plain that the natives and all the
agents on the islands saw it and were startled, and theories of all
sorts were advanc<'d in an attempt to account for a cause. (J. C
Kedpath.)

I had no diillculty in getting the size and weight of skins as (U'dered,
nor had my predecessors in the oMlce, up to and including l.SSI. The
casks in which we packed them foi- shipment were made by the same
nuiii lor many yeais, and were always of uniform size. In 1.SS5 thes«i
casks averaged about 47.] skins eatrli. and in ISSii they average«l abo.it
50', skins each, as shown by the records in on. otlice. After this <late
the number increat*ed, and in 1.S.S8 they averaged about .mj skins per
cask, and in l.SHO average<l about <•(> skins per cask. These latter were

men-
one-

're<l,

The

same

these

iibo.it

(hite
us per

were

•I.AI. LIFK ON THE PKIMILOF ISL.\M»8.

'235

not siii'li skins as we wanted, but the snperintendent on the ishuids
lepoiti'*! tliat tliey were tlit' best he couM j;et. (Leon Sh)ss.)

Tlie nninber of seals on the I'ribihd" Islands is ilecreasini*'. 1 saw
positive proof of this on St. I'aul Island last season. (/. L. Tanner.)

I had an exeelkut opportunity to obseive some of the seal rookeries
dnrinj;' my tirst visit U> the ishuuls, and spent much time in stndyinj*"
the habits of the seals, both on the rctokei ies and in the adjaci nt waters.
I was i)ai ticularly im|>ressed with the ^leat numbers to be seen, both
on land and in the water. Durin}; the summer of I<S,s".> the li'ii.slt was
enjjaged eruisinjjf in jtursint of vessels en^am'd in illej^al sealiufj', -so that
our anchoraji'es olf the seal ro()kerit's that season were short and inlre-
<|Uent, heiii ;' I <lid not have the opjKtrtnnity to observe them as closely
on land as the preceding year. During ISitO the h'lisli was not engaged
in preventing sealing outside the .shore lindt, and we spent much time
in full view (»f the seal rookeries and eiuising about the seal islands,
and 1 also made frequent visits to the breeding grouiuls. The desertinl
ai)pearan('e of the rookeiies and the absence of seals in the water was
very noticeable ami was a matter of general remark among the ollieers
ot the vessel who had been on Ibrmer cruises. Very large tiacts of the
rookeries which I had formerly seen occui)ied by the seals were entirely
deserted, and the herds were much smaller than tlntse of l-SSS. My
attention was also called, by those conversant with the facts, to the
grass growing on the inshore side of some of the rookciies, and to the
three dillerent shades ol' grass to be seen, indicating the si>aces that
had not been occupied by the seals tor several years, owing to tlieir
diminished niunber. The darker shade showed where the growth tirst
coiMnuMM'cd, and a lighter shade foieach succeeding year. There were
tliiee or four ditteiently shaded gi(M*tlis. reachiirg down to the sand of
the rookeries, ami on that poition of the rookeries occupied by seals
they were not lying near as couipact as in ISS.S. In our IVe(iuent pas-
sages during l.S!K> between the Aleutian group and the seal islands we
sometimes nuide an entire trip without seeing a seal. This was entirely
<litferent from the experience of preceding years, indicating a great
failing otf of seal life. (Fraiu'is Tattle.)

In the year 18S() I tiiought I began to notice a falling otf from the
year previous of the nund)er of seals on Northeast Point rookery, but
this de( rease was so very slight that probably it would not have l)een
ol»served by erne less familiar with seal life and its c(niditions tlian I;
but I could not discover oi' learn that it sh(»wed itself on any of the
other rookeries. In ISSl an<l lss."» I n(»ticed a dcciease. and it became
so marked in ISSI! that everyone on the islands saw it. Tiiis marked
decrease in ISSd sliowed itself on all tlie ro(»keries on lioth islamls.
I iitil I.SS7 or 1>SS, however, the decrease was not felt in olttaining skins,
at which tiaie the standard was l<»wered from (i and 7 pound skins t'> .">
and U pounds The haiding gr«)unds of Nortiieast I'nint ke))t up the
standard longer than the otiier ruukeiics, because, as I lielievi', the
lattei' rookeries had felt the drain of the open si'a sealing during 1S{S."»
and is,s(i more than Northeast i'oiiit. the cows fiom the »>tlier rookeries
having gon»^ to tlie southwaril to Iced, where the majority of the sealing
schooners w»'ie engaged in taking seal. (Daniel \Nebster.)

In pursuance of Department instructions to me of May -'7, ISIM, 1 made
a careful examimition during the sealing season of the habits, nund)ers,
and comlitions of the seals and seal rookeries, with a view of reporting
to the Department from observation ami such knowledge on the subject

■■s

(:■

I I

liiii.

236

SEAL Li:'l-: ON THE I'UIIULOF ISLANDS

as I ini;;'lit obtain whcthei' or not, in niv «)|>inion, tiie seals were diiniu-
isliinji'on the IMibilof Islands; and if so, tiie causes tlieret'or. As a result
of such iiivestij;ation, I found, tVorn the statements made to me by the
natives, (loverninent agents, and emiiloyeesof the lessees, sonii-of wiiom
had been on the islands foi' many years, that a decrease in the nnmber
of seals had been ,i»ra(lually ji'oinj; on since ISS't, and that in the last
three years the decrease liad been veiy rapid. A caicful and fretjuent
examination of the hanlin<>° grounds and breediu'-' I'ookeries by myself
and assistant aj;eiits during the months of .lun<', .July, and Auyust
showed that the seals had {greatly diminished in number. We found
large vacant spaces on all the I'ookeries, which in former years during"
these nuMiths had been cov<'red by thousands of seals. I'rior to KSSS
the lessees had been able to take I(M»,0()(» skins from umle seals, but I
am clearly of the oj>inion that not nu)re than one third of that nunib*'r
of merchaiitabl= skins can be taken during the yeai' I-S'.H. (\V. IJ.
Williams.)

DEC'UEASK OF SEALS.

MiiHdffcment of rookvrii's not the eaitne.

In studying the causes of diminution of seal life, there were found a
variety of actual and possible sources of destruction which aieetlWjtive
iu varying degrees. Fortunately, the most important of these smirces
were directly under my oliservation, and the following facts presented
themselves for consideration : The restrictions ujion the uuilestation of
the breeding grounds and upon the killing of females has been impera-
tive both on the i>art of the (ioveru nent an<l lessees since the Anioricau
ownership of tiie islands, so that in the taking of seals no injury could
])ossibly iiave occuired to the fi males and bulls found theieon. I'or
sonM> years past the natives weic jterinitted to kill in the fall a few tln)u-
sand male jyups for food. Such killing has been prohibited. It is not
apparent how the killing of male pups could ha\t' decreased the nund)er
of IV'iua'es on the breeding grounds (.1. Stanley iJrown.)

If the seals were as nunuTous today on the Pribilof Islands and the
nninnei' of driving and killing conducted in thesanu' manner as during
my expeiienci^ there. 1()(>,0{)0 male st'alsof from li to 4 \ cars of age could
be taken from the hauling grounds aniunilly for an indelinite period
without diminution of the seal herd. (Cliarles Hvyi'.iit.)

liecause of the nuinnerof killing seals on the islands, the |)recautions
taken to kill only m.iles from L' to ."> years, and the careful linutation of
the numbers taken, 1 am lully convinced that the taking of seals on the
I'ribilof Islands c()nld never aifect the nund)ers of the seal herd or
dejilete the rookeries. (S. N. Uuynitsky.)

I was in the employ of the Alaska <'ommercial (Jompany. the former
lessees of the seal islands, ami their instructions were to use the utmost
care in taking their quota of seals, so that tiiere nrght be no dimihution
in number from y»'ar to year, and I persoindly know those instiuctions
were rigidly enforced. (Leander ('ox.)

If no other agency is at work in destroying seal life, 1()(>,(M)() bachelor
seals can be taken from the I'ribihd Ishnuls yearly for an indelinite
period, jn'ovided the rookeries were in the same c«mdition they were in
ISTl. Of this I am convinced from the fact that the seals continued
to incrcHse during all the time I was upon the islands, when KMMKMt
were killed every yeai' except one, when J>r),(>0() were taken. (Samuel
Fahroner.)

SEAL MFE ON THE PWllilLOF ISLANIlS.

•2 HI

lelor
tiiiite
Me ill
lined

iiiuel

Tlie iiiaiiiiyciiK'iit of the seali'iies upon Copper islaiHl. ninler Knssiaii
occaipatioii. was lelt wholly to tlie native (tliicfs and i<>noraiit laborers
of the liUssiaii-Ainericaii Coiiipaiiy. The work of killiii^i' tlie seals and
cnrinj;' the skins was done by tliein in a very nnsy.steinati<'. eareless
way; but even tlu'ii it was understood that as the seals aie polyyainons
the surest way to secure an iinrtMse <d the herd was to kill oil' snipliis
males a'ld spare the females, and this was systenritically piarticed,
resultir.g, as far as I am aware, most satistactoiily. Alter the expira-
tion of the framdiiseof the Hnssian Aniei lean ( 'omi>an.\ , in ISHT 1 think
it was, and their abandonment <»f the ishind. and the e.\eention of the
lease to Hutchinson, Jvolii »S: Co., in I.S71, several dilVerent jiarties visited
the island, killed seals inJii«lici(M\sIy. and intlicteil ^^leat injury iijion the
rookeries. They w«'re restrained to son;e extent by the natives from
indiscriminate slaughter, but I have no doubt they killed more males
than they ought to have done, and perhaps als(t some females. l'i»on
my arrival upon the island, in 1871, the native chief told me that the
seals were not as identiful as they had been formerly. I announced
that we intended to secure (»,("•<> sl:i"s that year. They protest«'d that
it was too many, and begged that a smaller number be killed for one
year at least. We, however, got the »»,(«'(> skins as jiroposed, and an
almost constantly increasing nnmbi'r in every siibsecpu'nt year as hmg
as 1 stayed on the islands, until in 1S,S(» the rookeries had so developed
that about 3(>,0(M> skins were taken without in the least injuring them
This is proved by the la*;t that the increase for the next ten years allowed
still larger numbers to be killed, amounting, I think, in one of the years
of the second decade of the lease to about 40,(t()0 ."-kins. In order to
secure uniformity in the methods pursued respectively upon the I'ribilof
group and Commander Islands, the respective lessees of the two
interests sent Capt. Daniel Webster, an expert sealer of many years'
experience in the business, and who was at the time in the service of
the Alaska Commercial Company at St. Paul Island, to assist and
instruct me through the summer of 1874 in the best manner of handling
seal droves, salting skins, a".d generally in the conduct of the business.
In w(U'king under liis direction, I found that the methods pursued by
the resjtective jtarties upon the ditt'erent sealeries did not dilfer in any
essential feature. The main object in both jdaces was to select good
skins for market a!id spare all female seals an<l enough vigorous i»ull8
to serve them. When the supply of bulls is more than enough I have
no doubt the number of offspiing is diminished. The bulls, when over-
numerous, light savagely for the possession of the cow seah^ and unin-
tentionallj' destroy many young in their ■ onllicts. The healthiest
conditicMi of a rookery is no doubt when, under the laws of polygamous
reproduction for this species, the pr(»i>ortion of the sexes is properly
balanced. (C. F. Kmil Krebs.)

F(dlowing the surrender of occupancy of these islands lu- the Kussian-
Ameriean Company in 18(18, the sealeries were left open .o all parties,
and various expeilitions visited Ihein unrestricted by any govern-
mental control. Their catches anionnted in 18(18 to about l.">,0()0, in
18(JlMo about LMM>00, and in 187(> to about 30,(M»(» skins. In 1871 the
Knasian (iovernment executed the lease to Hutchinson, Kohl «S: Co.,
and it was found necessary to restrict the killing for this year to about
(),()00 skius, because the rookeries had been largely depleted by the
excessive killing, unwise methods, and heedless husbandry. The result
of improved methods showed themselves at ouce, and the rookeries
steadily increased in size and nundier of occupants. We were thus
enabled to procure an almost constantly increasing number of skins

■•<

U, I

2;j8

SHAL LIFE OX THE I'a'IitlLOK I-LA.N!>.S.

from year to year (Unin^ tin' wliolc tonii of our Ij-iis;-, \\v wen- iimv
striftt'd as to tl i' miinhers to be takni. aii<l after tiie tirst two years of
tlie lease were urj;e<l by tlie lliissian aiitliorities upon the islands to take
more tliaii \v«' wanted, in view of tlie eoiiditioii (»f the se;d skin market.
1 revisited the islands on various (tccasions subs»'(|Uent to l.s71,and my
observations e(»nlirmed the laet that we were movin;;' in the ri;ilit direc-
tion to secure an increase of the roitkeries. The expei ience ot the whole
term of the lease inoves conclusively that (»nr jiolicy in condu(;tin;;' the
business was a wise one, and tinit our nniniier of handling, nninagin<>,
uiid killing the seals was in every respect what it should have been.
This policy was predicated upon the custom of the liussian Anu'rican
Company, observed during many years and strengthened by my own
actual exjierience in (ionducting the business of taking seals upon the
I'l'ibilof Islands in 1S(»7, KS(iS, and l.S(»l), and more paiticidarly during
the season of IStW, when there was unrestricted sealing done by various
parties regardless of the future of the rookeries. The pernicious effects
of the methods pursued by them were at once observed, and measures
immediately taken by me. aided by the natives, over whom I had com-
]dete control, to correct their i)ractices and bring them within reason-
able custonjs already proved elficacious in preserving the rookeries from
annihilation. ((Justave Niebanm.)

If the right i)roportion is nniintained between the sexes, the greatest
possible number of progeny is assured. As long as we were able to
keep exclusive control, undisturbe<i by «)utsi(le inlluenees, we nniin-
tained the steady increase of the herd and profitable returns from the
industry. When (mtside parties, beyond our .jurisdiction, <'avried on
their destructive work to any consi(ierable extent, the eipiilibrium of
the sexes was destroyed, any caleidation of those in charge of the
islands was nnllitied or miscarried, and the speedy decrease ami ulti-
mate destruction of the seals ami sealing industry made certain. (11. 11.
]\lclntyre.)

We protect and take good care of the seals, ami if they were not
killed in the sea we could make them increase ui»(»n the islan«ls so that
they would be as nniny as before. (A. Melovedolf.)

We can care for and protect the mature seals as well as the<-attle on
the ranges are car«'d l<n' ami prote<!ted, and if they could be guarded
fron» the hunters in the sea we could by good nnmagement again make
the rookeii<'s as large as belbre. (S. Melovidov.)

Naturally the cause of this dinunntion was a matter of interest and
impiiry. It was not evident that it was from causes incident to the
taking of the seals upon the island. The greatest (sire was exercised
in the driving. Under precisely similar conditions the herd had increased
in former years. The nnml)er of skins origii. ally apportione<l to St.
(leorge Island was reduced at an early date, and only increased in pro-
portion to the rookeries' e\i)ansion. No disturbanc«M)f the rookery was
])ernntted, even the presence of dogs and use of lirearms being prohib-
ited during the presenile ot the seals. (T. F. .Morgan.)

The management of the rookeries the tirst lift een years of the Alaska
Oommercial Company's lease resulted in a large inci-ease of seals. The
same business management continued and the same system was pur
sued to the end of the term, yet in the last five years the rookeries fell
off. Clearly ii was throufjh no fault of the company, and resulted from
sonu' cause beyond their control. I do not think the Alaska Commer-
cial Company made any ndstakes in nninaging the seal herd. They

SKAL LIFi; ON 'I'Hi; I'laiMLOF I>1.AMJS.

231)

liaixlled tlu'in in I'vory respect iis I would li;iv(' tloiic il' tliey liiid lu'cii
my «)wn pi'i'SfUial inopcrty and as I would do it tlicy wcic now to conio
into my hands. It' tht-y erred in any partieuiar in tlieir nnina.uenient, it
was in tlieir futile altenipt in isss :ind ISS'.i to stop tiie waste of the
seal life at the island spigot while it was ninnin<j out at the huii/^hole
of pelaj^ie sealing. I'lie record shows that we ilid not linisli the catch
as early in ISSo as had heeii done in formei' years. 1 do not tliiidv this
was from any lack of seals, hut was caused by ;;reater care in niakin<;
our selection ot animals to l»e kdh-d. (Leon Sloss.)

I affain visitetl St. I'aul Island ami remained tlieic several <lays in
the summer of ISs.*), l)ut saw m> «>vitlence then or when formerly (»n the
island to lead me to think that the lessees were damaj;inji' the id(»keiies
or doiufi" anything different from what a. judicious rcj^ard lor the future
of the imlustry would dic^tate. in n'iviujn tiiis evidence I am as fiee
from |)reiudiee as is ])ossible when entertaininji'. as 1 do, a feeliiij;- that
the late lessees treated me in some measure unjustly, n(»r have I any
interest whatever in the seals or the products of the sealeries. ((leorj;e
11. Temple.)

Raids on roolxerics not the cause.

It may be worth while to add that the sujigestiou has been nuide that
the decrease cui the numb»'r of seals is due t(» piratical raids upon the
islands themselves ilurinf"' the breeding season. While it is umpies-
tionably true that such raids have occasionally occurred during the past,
and that s<une skins have been obtained in that way, the number of these
is so trifling in comparison with the annual pelagic catch as not to atlect
in any way the question undei* consideration. It is alsoditlicult forcuie
familiar with the rookeries and habits of the seal to conceive <if a laid
being made without its becoming known to theotlicers in charge of the
operations ui)on the islan<ls. Tlie '• rai<l theory," theiefore. may be dis-
missed as unworthy, in our judgment, of seri()USconsiderati()n. ( Heport
of American Commissioners.)

The statistics which I have examined, as widl as all the incpiiries
niatle, show that in the laitls upon the rookeries themselves by maraud-
ers the loss of seal life has been to:» unim|tortant to p-lay any part in tiie
destruction of the breeiling groun<ls. The inliospitable sjioies. the
exposure of the islands to surf, the unfavoraltle clinmtic conditi«)ns, as
well as the i)reseuce of the natives and white men. will always picven;
raids upon the islands from ever being frequentor eflective. (.1. Stanley-
r>r<»wn.)

During my stay upon St. (leorge Islaml several attemi»ts were made
by jioachers to get on shore and steal the seal, luit tlie\ suc^'ci (led, as
lai' as I am awai'e, only on three occasions, and in all those three I «lo
not think they killed more than l,L'(lb or l.oOll seals, including pups. If
any others had elfect<'d a landing we should have known it. for the rook-
eries are constantly watched, and the natives are vny keen in this
matter. (Marry N."^CIark.)

We tried to make a raid on St. (leorge, but the Conrlii was after us
and we kei)t out of its way. (I'eter huHy.)

During the time I was on St. (ieoige Island there never was a (aid on
the rookeiies to my knowledge, and 1 never heard of any such raid ever
having taken place. (Samuel I'alconer.)

I'. ''I

I-

1 ' i

1:- Bi : ii

i -If

\ ''

1 1

!i !■

240

SEAl. LII-K ON THE I'HIHILOF ISLANDS.

I lisivc known of one or two schooners operittini*' in lU'rin;;' Sea as
early as l.STTor IS7H, and they wi-rcon tlic rooUerics or(;iisionally (Iniirif-'
the past ten xears, but they ran not (laiinij^e tin* seal herd tnneli i»y raid
inji' the I'ookerii's, l)ecanse tliey can not take many, even were they per
niitti'd, which they are iKtt by any means, (.loiiii I'ratis,)

|{;iids on the rookeries by marauders did not. while 1 was on the
island, amount to anything;, and certainly seal lite tiiere was n(»t atl'ected
to any extent i>y sucli iMcnr>ions. I only knew of one raid upon St.
Pan! Island wluic 1 was there. It was by a .Japanese vessel, and they
killi'il about KM) seals, the carcasses of which wc tbiind on i-oard when
we captured the vessel. ( 11. A. ( lliddi'n.)

We sailed about .lanuary from Victoria. British C'(dund>ia; sailed
alonin- tiie c(»ast until the latter part of June and went into l>erin}i" Sea,
and sealed as near to St. Ge<»rf»e Island as we «!ould. We cau;^ht alxuit
300 or 1(10 seals in the sea. Our intention was to nnike a raid, but were
driven away by a revenue cutter. We left the sea about the latter itart
of .lul.y. (Joseph dry mes.)

Max. Ileilbroiiner, havin}>' been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am
secretary of tUi^ Alaska (Commercial Ajjoncy, ami as such have in my
custody all record books of the (;omi>an3% and anH>n^ them the daily
recordsor " \o'^ book" kept by the ajj^ents of the company on St. (leorge
Isi:»iid from IST.'J to 1S8!), inclusive, and on St. I'aul Island from 187«» to
1880, inclusive. In these books every occurrence was carefully noted
from day to day by the ajjent in char;te at the time. They have been
examined under my supervision, ami show only the following;- raids on St.
Geor{»e Island durinfj' the time covered by tliera, to wit:

October 2.'{, 1881: The carcasses of M dead pups and a cargo hook
were found on a rook«'ry. It was supposed that the crew of a schooner
seen about the islaml a few days previous landed in the ni^iht.

October 10, 1884: Fifteen seal t!ar(;asses were found on Zapadnie
rookery. A j^iianl was stationed, and the followinj-' nij^ht the <!rew of
a 8(^hoouer made an unsuccessful attempt to land. The boats were tired
on by the jiuard and retreated.

July LMK 1880: A party landed under the cliUs in a secbuled i>lace
and killed about oOO adult female seals and took the skins away with
them. They killed about oOO pups at the same time, leaving- them
uQskiuned.

July 1*1', I880: A party lauded at Starry Arteel rookery and killed
and skinned 120 seals, the skins of which they left in their tlight, when
pursued by the guard. They killed also about 200 pups, which were
left unskinned.

November 17, 1888: A crew landed ami killed some seals at Zapad-
nie; how iniiny is not known, but at this season of the year the nund)er
must have been small, because the seals have nearly all migrated.

September ."JO, 1880: Eighteen dead pui)s ami lour clubs were found
on a beach near a rookery. It is not known whether any others were
killed.

An examitiation of St. Paul record does not show any destructive
raids upon the island. It is a fact, however, that in July, 1875, prior to
the beginning of the record, the crew of the schocmer San Dicfjo landed
on Otter Island, a small islet miles from St. Paul, and killed and
skinned 1,<I()0 seals. She was capture<l before leaving the island, and
both the skins ami vessel were (condemned to forfeiture by the United
States court.

place
with
them

SKAL I.IFi: ON Tin; I'RIHILOK IfiLANUS.

241

The re|»urt.s ot'thr siipt'rinteiuh'iit for the lessees allow thiit it wnsthe
(ustoiii ol° the coiiipiiiiy's ii;;'ent on the islands to I'lXMiiiently patio! the
rookt'ries whenever the weather was such that a laiidiii^' eouhlbcetVcct*'*!
on them, and to keep wiitehnicn at points distant tVoin the villages,
wln>se sp«'<',ial diitv it was to report I'very unusual or suspicious occur-
rence. For this purpose the noitheast point of St. I'aul Island was
connected with the villajie hy telephone in ISSO, a distance of \~ miles,
and the natives instructed in the use of the instrument. If any raids
upon the islands, other than tlios(> herein ineiiti(Mied. had o(-(;urred, 1 am
sure they would Inive been detected and reporte«l to thisollii^e. No such
reports are on tile. (Max. Ileilbronner.i

U. H. Mclntyi-e, havinj;' been duly sworn, <leposes and says: 1 was
superiiiteiident of the seal lisheries of Alaska from 1.S71 to 1889, inclu-
sive. The records aI»ove referred to were kei»t under my direction by
my assistants on the respective islaiMls. 1 was in frecpieiit correspond-
ence with these assistants when not personally present and am sure that
anything wortiiy of notice would have been promptly reported to me,
1 believe that these rec(»rds c(nitain a true account of all destructive
raids u|Mm the islands. If there had been any others I should have
heard of them. Kvery unusual occurrence at any point about theisiamls
was noted by the keen eyed natives and at once reported to the com-
pany's ottice, the mattJ'r was investigated, and a recm-d of it entered in
the daily Journal. 1 am <(mtident tliat the only marauding expedition
that ever suci-eeded in killing more than a few dozen si-als each were
those of lS7r», upon Otter Islaiul, and of is,sr» upon St. (leorge Island,
the details of which were set fortli by .Mr. Ileilbronner in the foregoing
athdavit. If there were others of which no records appear the number
of seals killed Wiis comparatively \ery small and had no appreciable
ert'ect upon seal life. (II. II. Mclntyre.)

Sometimes they try to land on the rookeri«'s, but we drive them ott'
with guns, and they nev«'r get many .seals that way. (Nicoli Krukoff.)

I do not mean to say that the seals were injured because a few were
killed on the rookeries, when men from schooners landed on the islands
ill the niglit or when the fog was very thick, fcu" the numbers killed in
that way never amounted to much, as it is not often the raiders <>an
land on a rookery and e.scajie with their plumler. (Aggie Kusheii.)

When on a raid we would watch tor a favorable <»)ii>ortunity to make
a landing, and then kill male ami female fur seals indiscriminately.
Probably for every 5(M» marketable skins secnre<l, doidile that number
of pups were destroyed. (Ij. M. Lenard.)

While 1 was ou the island there were not more than three or four
raids on the rookeries to my knowledge, and I think that tlie destruction
to seal life by raiding rookeries is a small part of 1 percent ascompare«l
with the numbers taken by killing in the water. (A. I*. Loud.)

It is often ditTicult to entirely prevent poaching on the islands,
although in my Judgment it has not been of sutKcient importance on
the Commander Islands to have any perceptible intluencein tliediminii
tioii of the herd, (.lohn Malowansky.)

I remember seeing an occasional sealing schooner in Hering Sea as
long ago as 1878, but it was in 1884 they came in large nund)ers. At
first it was suppo.s«'d they intended to raid the rookeries, and we armed
a number of men and kept guard every night, and we drove ott" any
boats we found coming to a rookery. Sometimes in a dense fog or very

S. Doc. l.iT, pt. 1 16

lll^

ill

ww^

242

SEAL LIKE ON TIIK I'UIBILor ISLANDS.

(lark iii^'lit tlicy lanilcd and killed a lew litiiidK'd seals, lait the luiinbti s
taken in this manner are too small lo be «-onsid«'red. (A. Melovedort'.^

One canse of destrnetion in raiilln^', whieli has been done n|»on the
shores of the islands. A half do/.en sm-li raids ar(; known to me per
Boually; but while it is not possible lor niu to state with certainty the
skins actually secured by such raids, 1 believe that, althon;>li such
raidin*^ is detrimental, its injurious elfect us compari'd with the disas-
trous results of pela^jie sealin^i is insi^-nillcant. (T. F. Morgan.)

There was only, as I recollect, four raids on the islands while I was
there; but little «)r no dama;ie was done, ami seal life was not peicep
tibly at!'ecte<l by such nnirau<lin^. (.1. 11. .Moulton.)

From my personal kn«»wled^e of the number of .seals killed upon the
I'ribilof Islands by rai<ls upon the rookeiiesduriu}*' my residence there,
and from informaticm {gained Irom otlu'r sources, 1 conclude that the
number of fur seals killed is intinitely snndl compared with the number
killed in pelaj^ic sealiu}; — so small as to have no appreciable eti'ect
upon seal life upon the islands. S. K. Nittleton.j

I am told that the diminution ot .seal life has been attributed to raids
by poachers upon tln^ seal islands, v'ery few of these have occurred,
and the nundter of skins obtained by the poachers has been compara-
tively inlinitesimally small. I tldnk the whole number obtained by
them in this way <loes not exceed ."^OOO or -1,(100 skins. We were accus-
tomed always to maintain a patrol and ^uard upon the rookeries when-
ever the weather was such that i)oa('iM'rs could land upon them, and
upon the least sus|>icious circumstances measures were taken to fore-
stall any attempts to steal the seals. The .sea is usually roujjh in the
fall, when i)oachers try to };et in their w(uk ; the shores are, at most
places, inac(!essible from lioats, and the natives are vigilant and active.
If nnirine hunting'' is stoi»i>ed, they can be safely trusted to <lefeiul the
I)roperty upon which their very existence is <lei)endent, as they have
done repeatedly, against any single .s<*hooner\s crew. ((Justave Nie-
baum.)

There were occasional raids nmde upon the islands (Comnninder) by
poaclM'rs during our twenty years' lease, but they were generally unsuc-
cessful in killing any considerable number of seals, and their raids had
no appreciable effect upon the rookeries, (dustave Niebaum.)

During those years the lawless occupation of seal poaching was in
its infancy. Marauding ves.sels from time to time were seen in these
waters, but the islands were so well guarde<l that during my term of
oflice tliere never was a successful raid or landing upon either of the
islands of St. Paul or St. George. The only landing upon any island of
the group was made in dune, 1881, upon the unoccupied island of Otter
(not included in the lease), as described in my special report to the
Secietary of the Treasury, dated duly 4, 1881. On that o(!casion a pred-
atory schooner succeeded in landing a boat's crew, who killed 40 or uO
seals, when they were ilriven off by a boat sent by me for that purpose
from St. l*aul, about (5 ?niles distant. (II. (J.Otis.)

Until 1884 sealing schooners Avere seen but very seldom near the
islands or in liering Sea, and the few seals taken by the hunters who
raided the rookeries occasionally are too i)altry to be seriously consid-
ered, because the raids were so few, and the facilities for taking many
seals oft' so utterly insigniticaut. (J. C Kedpath.)

r'llS 111

these
M'ln of
of the
aiul of
Otter
to the
pred-
or 50
iirpose

ar the

'8 who

loiisid-

niaiiy

8KAI- I.Ii'K ON TIIK I'KllllLoF ISLANDS.

243

There was but one sin'cessfiil raid on tin* rookeries while I was upon
the ishmd and but lii>') seals were killed. I do not eonsidcr that raids
on the rookerit's have anvthin{r t(» do with the d»'ereas»' of the number
of seals. (T. F. Ifyan.)

While I was on the islands there were n»» raids on the rookeri«'s. and
seal life was never depleted at that lime by such means. (1». F. Serib-
ner.)

There was but (»ne raid on the 'ookeries while I was there, and that
took plaee on Otter Island, aboui <iO skins bcin^^ taken. After that laid
the (ioverninent kept a man on Otter island during the entire summer
to protect it from marauders. iJaids on the islands lu'vei- affected seal
life to any extent. (W. P.. Taylor.j

1 do not reineinber the jirecise date of the lirsl successful raid upon
the rookeries by sealinjj; schooneis, but I do kmnv tiiat for the past ten
years there have l)een many such raids atteni] ted and a few of them
sui'cessfully carried ((Ut.ainl that as the number of scluMUiers increased
around tlu; islands, tlu^ attempted raids increased in proi)ortion, and it
has been deemed necessary to keep armed yuanls near the rookeiiesto
repel sueli attacks. Althoujjh a few of the raids w«'ie successful and
a few hundred seals killed and carried oil' from time to time during the
past ten years, the ajitiie^^ate of all the seals thus destroyed is too small
to be mentione(l when eonsideiinji- the cause of the sudden decline of
seal life on the I'ribilof Islands. (Daniel Webster.)

DESTUl'OTlON OF TKMALE [SEALS.

Extoninatiou of peUtnic catch of 189l>.

On May 7 of this year 1 examined IJof) salted fur seal skins, ex steamer
i'maiilla from Victoria, and found the saiiu' to be fresh skins taken oft'
the animal within Ihree months. They were killed in the North I'aciti'.'.
On examination I found they were the skins known as the Northwest
Coast seals, and beh>n<> to the herd which have their rookery on the
I'ribilof Islands. The lot contained '{10 skins of the fur-seal cow
(matured). From the shape of the skins most all of these cows must
have been heavy with pup, and same cut <uit of them when captured.
Eighteen skins of the fur-seal male (matured). Twenty-seven skins of
the fur-seal gray pup, from to 1> m<»nths old; sex doubtful.

On June 2 I examined 78 saltetl fur seal skins, ex steamer Walla
Walla from Victoria, and fouiul the same to be fresh skins taken ott'
the animal within three months. They were killed in the North I'aeitic.
On examination I found they were the skins known as the Noithwest
i'oiist seals, and belong to the herd which have their rookery on the
I'ribilof Islands. The lot contained (it> skins of the fur-seal cow
(matured). From the shape of the skin most all of these cows must
liave been heavy with pup. and the same cut oi.t of them when cap-
tured. Five skins of the fur seal male (matured). Seven skins of the
fur-seal gray pu|>, from (» to months old ; sex doubtful.

On .luiie 7 I examined L'(»S salted fiir-seal skins, ex steamer I'malilla
from Victoria, and found the same to be fresh skins taken ott" the
animal within three months. They were killed in the North Facitlc.
On examination I found they were skins known as the Northwest coast
seals and belong to the herd which have their rookery on the I'ribilof
Islands. The lot contained 212 skins of the fur-seal co v (matured).
From the shape of the .skin most all of these cows must have been

*•;

m t •

; ^

\r, }|,

;

1 1

1>44

SKAh hlKK ON TIIK J'KII'.M.oK IShAN'DS.

lH'iiv.\ with i»iijr, iiid siiiiM' cut txit of tlu>iii when ciiittiircd. Kh-vcii
skins <>l tlu' (iir si'iil maU' (mafiii "(1), I''iut.v skiiis of tlu' liir seal fiiay
j)U|>. IVoiii (> to *> iiioiitlis old: St". «loul>ii;'l.

On tin' sanuMJatc I also cxan: i;r'l lL'4 >alt<'(l liir seal skins, ex stranicr
I'linitilhi iVoni X'ictoiia, and fonnd fiie same l<» In- t'n'sli skins taken tttV
the animal witliin tlrce iin»ntlis. They were killed in the North I'aeilic.
On examination I found that they were the skins known as (he North
west coast seals and helonjj; to the herd which hiive theii- rookei-y on
the IMihilof l>IaMds. 'i'lie lot <-ontained !).'> skins (»!' the t'nr seal <!ow
(nnitnred), Kioni the shape ol' tlu' skin most all of these cows must
liave hvvu heavy with yoiini;'. ai'd the same cut out of iheni when cap
tnred. l-'itteen skins of the t'ni-seal nnile (niatnred). Sixteen skins of
Jlie fur seal jfiay pu|i, from <• to months old: sex douWtfnl.

I notice on examining;' st>als caught tliis spring;' that there is a lack of
the lar<>ur si/e of prodtieiive animals, and the lots mostly contain the
skins of the niedium-si/ed seals, rnnninji' from - to ."> years of af^e.
(Charles ,1. IW-hlow.)

OntheliUth inslat t I «'xainined -MiOsalted far s«'al skins. «'x schooner
Emma mifl l.imixv from the North I'aeitie (h-eau, and found same to he
fresh skins taken ctV the animal within four months. They were killed
in the North [•acilic. < )n examinaiion I lind tliey were the skin ivnown
^is (he Northwest coast skins, and lielonjn to the herd which have their

rookerv on the J'.ibilof Island

The lot (Contained 4 skins of the fin-

i I

seal lar«»e hulls (l>rcedin<; hulls): \'1'.\ skins of the fni' seal male (mostly
niatuied); Its skins ot the fur seal ^'ray i)up, less than 1 year ohi, sex
(louhtful: l,!rj skins of the fur seal c(»w (mostly n.atured). From the
shape of the skin most all tlies*' eows must hasc heen heavy with pup,
and same cut out of thero whi'w captured. (Charles ,1. Ilehlow.)

As a lesull of the work I have |)erformed for so nniny years 1 am ahle
to <listinji>nish witluait ditliculty the skin of ii fennde seal from that of
i\ male seal. Tlieie are generally seveial ways in which I can tell
theiu apart. One of tlu^ surest ways consists in seeinj;' whether any
teats can he found. On a female skin above the a^^e oi' li years teats
<'an praetieally always be discovered: when the aniruiil is over ■> years
old evcMi a person who is not an exitert at handlin*;' skins <;an discovei
two prominent ones on ea«jh side ot almost every skin. This beirause
after tlu> a^i'e of .'i, siiul i>ften even after li, almost all fenmles ha' i:. been
in pup. There are also (eats on a. nuile skin, but fchey are «>idy v«M'y
sliffh'ly developed. VVln-n the fur is matted, as it is in salted fur-seal
skins, the untie teats can not be found, but the female teats of skins
anoi'<^than li years old eaa be found un<ler all eireumst dices.

I have been able to test all my ol)hervati()ns as t<» Wm teats on salted
fur-seal skins l)y followiii}; these skir.8 tlirou^ih the various pioi-esses
whii'h 1 have descii bed. IJiirinj;' these jMOi^esses the skins b<'«'ome thin
ner and thinner, and the teats nuuv and mor.^ lUJiiceable, and at an
early stage in the dressing they must be whcdly removed. There arc
other ways of distinguishing the skins of the two sexes. I »vill state ;i
few of UuMu.

A female has a narrower he.id tha n a male seal, liy ( he word " head '
I mean here to include that part of the body from the head down to the
ndddle of the baek. I believe all men who have handled tlu^ skins ol
both sexes havj n«>tieed this point. Then, again, when the whiskers
have not been cut oft' they generally atford a safe means of distinguish
ing the sexes. Male whiiskers are miudi more brittle and of :i dai kei
€i;lor than those of the female animal. When the male seal is over <>

SEAL MFK <>\ rilK I'UIIULOK ISLANKS.

24&

skins
sal tod

XM'SSt'S

' thin

i\{ iin

',(' an'

Stat*' ;i

ytMi's ols! it Ix'uiiis to liavo a man*', am) lor tiiis irasoii it is after tiiat
i'^'e «'all»Ml a wij:. Finally, it is jujMUTally |>ossil>It' tor ini' to tell tlie
nkin:; .n" tlie two srxos apart by Just takiii^i" a look at tlii'in or tW'liii^-
then:. I sup|)osu I can do this hccaiisf I have Ix'on at the biisiiie^s so
Ion<;' that I am ancNpcrt in it.

'I'Im' I'hict ('lasst's of s«'al skjns that 1 have liandlnl an- tin- Alaska,
tlu' Noithwest toast, and the Copper Island skins. 1 can always dis
tiii^iiish the skins of these t-lasses. 'I'iie Northwest (!oast skins ai'e
most easily told ' y the very jjreat jtroport ion of females eontaineil in
any jiiven lot. Amon^- the Alaska and Copper skins I ha\e hardly ever
seen a female skin, i.lohn •!. IMielaii.)

I was sent to New York from Alhany a few days a<io by Mr. (leorye
II. Treadwe'jl, with instriietions to ;.:() thro(i<;h a certain lot o\' seal skin.s.
wliitrh, I understand, lie had recently hon^ht in N'ictiuia, an<l to tin<l
(Mit how many of these skins were taken from female animals. I have
spent fonr days in doi,,'; this, working; about seven hour>ia da\.

There were several men who unpacked the skins and laid them hefor*?
nie. so that all of my time was spent in e\aminin<: t he individnal skins.
The lot contained .'>,.Vi<) skins. 1 fonnd that, witii tiie |M)SsiUle e\ce|>>
tion of two liried on»is. they were taken from the animal this year::
they wen^ a part of what is known as th ' sprin;;' iatch. I know this
t(» he the case 1 v tiie fresh app('araiice ol' the Iduhhei' and iif tlie skiu
as a whole. This affords a sure way of telliii^j whether the skin li;is
lain in salt all winter or whethei- it ha> been recently salted. I per
sonally inspeett'd each tme of these skins by itself and kept an accii
rate record of the result. 1 divide<l the skins according' to the three
following ('lasses: .Males, females, and pups. In the f-lass of jnips I
placed only the skins of animals less tlian '2 years ol a<;e, but without
refereiM'e t.> sex.

I fonnd ill the lot ;{'.>.'» males, l.'.M»7 Icmales. and !>ss pnps. Leaving
out of act'oiint the jnips., the percenta.ye (d' females was therefore abmit
S'J. The j;reat majority <d' what 1 classj'd as male skins were taken
from animals less than .'» years of a^^e. There was not a single wi^ in
the h>t. On the other hand, iieaii\ all the (V'liiale skins w<'ie those of
full ;irowii animals. On every skin which I (dassed anion;: the females
1 found teats, with bare spots about them on the Inr side. Such bare
spots ina've it absolutely certain that these teats were those of female
skins

Willi re<iard to the jmp skins. I will say that I did not undertake f(»
deteiiiiiiie whi'ther they wt're males or females, be-aiise they had a
thick coat of blubber which, in the eas«' of an anii:ial less than L' years
old. makes it v«'ry haid to tell the sex.

All tif the skins that I examined were either shot or oxMreil. I did
not keep a close count, but I am of the o|>inion that alxnit T't per cent
of them were shot.

The result of the examiiiation is altoii; what I expected it would be>

I'lie li]L>iires only conlirm what I have .'ways iiotiie<l in a general
way. that nearly nine tenths of the skins in any shipment of Northwest
coast skins are tlio.se of female animals, (.loliii .1. I'helan.)

Kx'tiHf ilia tion »>/" ratrli of' n:ssfls srizni.

About seven years since I was on the revenue (iutter Covwin wlieii
she seized the Healinp: selmoner Son IHii/o in Herinjj" 8eii. On the
(U'hooiier'sde<'k were found the bodies of some 20 seals that had recently
iieen killed. An examination of the bodies disclosed that all of thenu

24()

SEAL LIFK ON THK PKIIMI.OF 18' ANDS.

i I

; I

witli but a siii^'h' exception, were feiiiales, an<! Itad tlieir yniiii;; iiKsiil«>
or were jfiviiij"' suck to llieir y(»uii;i'. (Vit of s(Hin' .'iOlt or (500 skins on
bosinl I only f'niinl some .j of the number tliiil were taken from males.
I have iilso been present jit iiunieroiis otlier seizures of senlinjj vessels,
8ume 1<S in number, iind i)inon<; the several thousand skins sei/.ed 1
found on (^\aminiltion that they \ver<> almost invariably those of females.
There certainly was not a large!- proportion of males than ."» to KMJ
skins. This great slaughter of njother seals certainly means a spee<ly
destruction of seal life, (.huncs H. Douglass.)

While in Unalaska in Septendiei-, IS'.H, awaiting transportation to
San Francisco, I had an opportunity to examiiu' personally the catch
of the steam sloop Chitlhinji; whiirh had in'cn warned out ot the sea,
and was undergoing repairs at the hai'lxu'nanuMl. The«-atch amounted
to 172 skins, which were ail taken in liering Sea at various distances
from the seal islands, and of this niunber only three were those of nndc
Meals, oiu' of t4M>se IxMiig an old bull, and the other two being younger
inah>s. (.\. \V. Lavender.)

In July, 1887, I captured the ])oaching schooner . I H//f/ />«//// while she
was hovering about the islands. I examined the seal skins stn^ had on
board, and about 80 |ier cent w«Me skins of females. In 1888 or 1880 I
examined sonu'thing like ."t.OOO skins at I'nalaska, which had been taken
from schooners engaged in pelagic scaling in IJering Sea, and at least
80 or S."» per <ent were skins of lenndcs. (A. I*. Loud.)

I liave pers'Mially inspected skins tak»'n ni>on the three schooners
Omcaril, (jarolliif, and Thmiitnn, which skins, taken in Bering Sea,
were hnnlcd in I'nalaska and were then personally inspected by me in
the njonth of May, l'^;'i7. Tlu^ total nnnd)er of skins so examined was
2,000, and of that number at least so pcr«*«'nt were the skins of fenndi's.
I have al8'» examined the skins taken by the I'nited States levenue
cutter IvknIi fnnn one of the North I'atrilic islands, where they had been
deposited by what is known as a poaching s<rhooner and taken to I'na-
laska, whi<'h nuMd)ered about 400 skins, an<i of that 100 skins at least
80 per cent were the skins of tenuile seals. !. have also examin«'d the
skins seized from the ■faim-s llainiltnii l.eirix in tlie year 1801, i»y the
Uussian gunboat .l/ci/^ nuiida-ring 410, of which at least 00 percent
were th" skins of female seals, l-'roni my hmg observation ol seals and
seal skins I am able to tell the ditterein-e between tlu' skin ot a male
and tln' skin of a female seal. (T. F. Moigan.*

I examined over IL'.OIH) skins fro"i s«'j'.ling vessels seized in bSST and
1880, and of tiiese at least two thir«is or three fourths were the skins«>f
females. (L. (1. Shepard.)

IIHASON PRKiiNANT KEMALKS AKK TAKKN.

1 think cow seals are tamer than young nnile seals. (Martin lienson.)

A cow seal that is heavy with pup is sluggish and slee)»s n)ore soundly
than the amies, and for that reason they are more readily approached.
(Henry Brown.)

They are very tame after giving birth to their young and are easily
appr.>a<'hed by the Imnters. When the females leave the islands to
fee<l they go \ery fast to the fishing banks, and after they get their food
tliey will go to sleep on the waters. That is the hunter's great chance.
I think we secured move n proportion to the nund>er killed tluMi wedi<l
in the N(Mth INu'itic. (.lames !>. Caitheut.)

.sKAL LiFi: ON Tin: Fiaitii.or i.si.amj«.

•J47

They sleep iiioie and are less active siixl inoieeasily captured. (Simeon
Oliin-koo tin.)

1 tliink the female seal is less active ami more easily approached.

(Teter (iiurch.

I have noticed that tiic Icmalcs when at sea are less w ild and distrust-
ful than the l>aciielor seals, and dive less ipiickly in tli' jiresenee of the
hunter. After l'eediii>i' plentifully, or when icstin^j' after heavy weather,
tlH*y ai)pcar to fidl asleep U|M»n the surhice of the water. It is then they
become an easy tarjicl for the liniittMS. (.lames 11. Dou^ilass.)

I think the females sleep more on the water, and are less active and

more easilv taken than the nnile

llofstad.)

When the females :ire witli pup they sh'cp n|(»re. are less active, antl
inoieeasily approached than the nnile seals. (1*. Kaliiktday.)

Think cow.s ai-eniuch more jdentiful on the (M)ast, sleep more, and are
inoie easily «*apture<l than the male seals. (.lohn Kowin«'et.)

Think cows are less active and re.(piire Miore sleep than the young
male seals. i(Jeor;;e Lache<'k.)

I am infornu'd and l)eliev(> that the reason of there hein;: such a hu'ne
proportion of females :imon^ the coast skins is because the nnile. which
is powerful and stron;;, usually swims more readily and at a lonj^er
<listanec fr«>ni the coast, and are so scattered and active and hard to
cat«'h that it does mtt pay to liiint them. The female heavy witli yonnff
easily tires ami sleeps on the water, and is easily shot while in that
(■ondition. ((ieoin(. Iael)es.)

.Mother seals heavy with y.*tin.i: are nuu-h easier taken, foi' they are
usimlly asleep on the water iNNilliam II. Lon;"-.)

i). Why is it, in your opinion, that mor<' fennde than male seals are
kille<l by the poachers.' — .\. Uecause, first, in the passajfe <»f the seals
to the islands in the early season the females travel in groups and the
males scatter; s«'condly. after arrix in;; at the islands the males remain
on or abcmt the liaulin;>' ;{:i'ouii<ls. while the fenmles, having' their pups
to nurse, ;>o out into the sea to ttbtain food.

i}. Mow do you tell the skin of a female from that of a male/ — A. Wy
the nipples and ^^'eneral appearance, (.\ntoii .Melovetlotf.)

-\s I understand the fa«'t to be, mo^it of the seals killed in the open
sea are females. My reasons for this coiu-lusion are that, from my
knowledge of the si'al, 1 know that the lemah' when heavy with yonn^,
as they are durin;' the vnrly part of the season when on thi-ir way to
tlic rookeries, where they are dt'livered during the months of .luiic and
•luly. are much heavier in the water and much less abh' to escape,
liccanse they aie i-apable of remaining;- under water to escape foi' a very
Muich less period of tinu' than when tlicy are not heavy with youny, (m-
than the male seal would be. (T. !•'. .Mor;>an,)

It is harder to take an old seal than a ,\oun;;'one, the older ones being
Uhtvv on the alert and are not less active when preyuant. ( W. Ifoberts.)

Of the seals killed, from (>() to TO per «'ent are females, which, during
their northerly migration, are iieavy with young, slow of movement,
and reipiire an extra amount of rest and sleep, thus hugely increasing
their liability to Huceessful attack. (/. L. Tanner.)

I have been t(dd that it is easier to catch the female seal at sea than
it is to catch the male Bcal, bur 1 have no peisonal knowledge of that

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248

SEAL LIKE ON THE PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

point. I siijujose, however, thiit there must be some fouiHlatioii lor thr
statfiiHMit by reason of the fact that so small a proportion of male adult
(teals are included in what is called the northwest catch. (Kmil
Teichunmn.)

The cows are less active, sleej* more, and are more easilv ca|)tured.
(M. Tiilkahdaynahkee.)

Cow seals sleep sounder on the water, are less active, and are easily
captured. (>)ames Uiuita.jim.)

Cows are more easily captured because they have pups, iltudolph
Walt<m.)

They are less active, sleep more, and are easier captured. (Charlie
Wank.)

It is my opinion tiiat fennile seals arc more easily captured and
appear to l>e more tame than the nnde seal, and. I think, sleep more.
{V. S. Weittenhiller.)

The larjje proportion of f«'nniU's killed in the North Pacific is due to
the fact, as I explained before, that males pursue their way to tin'
haulin}>' groumis with dispatch, w liile tlie fenniles are more leisurely in
their nn>venients and tak«' fre(|in'nt rests. I'V. T. Williams.)

DECIJEASK Ol' SKALS.

I'ercentiujr lost of .seals Idllrd.

Kroni my experieiu-e 1 am satisfied that .■{.').\ i)er cent shot with a sliot-
jjun are lost, and when a riHe is iise<l a iarjuer per cent are lost when
killejl. (Peter .\ndeison.)

We lost three out of four we killed. ( II. Andiicius. )

On an avera;;e, we .saved one out <»f three that were killed. (I»ern-
hanlt Hleidner.)

It is my honest belief tliat tor e\'ery fur-seal skin obtained by pelajiie
sealers at least live other seals' lives aie taken. |.l. A. Uradley.)

During' the trip of ISIM I don't think we <;(>t more than one seal out
of six tluit we killed; many were wounded, and others were shot
dead and sank be.'bie the boat could <;et to them. (TInnnas Ibown.)

Native hunters secure about one third of all fur seals killed at .sea.
while in my belief white hnnteis secure ev«'n a less number in |U'<»p<u'-
ti(Mi to tlio.se killed. (.M. Colieii.)

An averajie hunter will j^ct oiu> out of foui' td" lireadiiny seals and one
out of three of sleepeis that he kills, l)ut a conuuon hunter will not get
.so many. (Pet«'r Collins.)

.\ml that a \ast luimber (»f the seals killed i>y them are lost, (Lean-
der Vo\.)

It is \\\y experit'iice that very few, if any, seals were lost by the hunters
who u.se the spear, but fully 7o per cent of all tho.se killed by the riHe
were lost. (.lames l)algar<luo.)

From myob.servation of the methods ('mjdoyed by the open-sea hunters
1 believe that a very large proportion of those killed by them are lost.
I have often heard sealers so express themselves, They have said to
me that they get only about one out of five shot or killed; others made

SEAL LIFi: ON THK I'KIIULOF ISLANDS.

249

the loss still greator. I think tht' latter .statement more nearly correct.
(M. (J. Erskine.)

Of seals killed, about tour out of five are .save«l. ( !•'. K. Feciiy.)

An experienced hunter like myself will net two out of three that he
kill», but an ordinary hunter would not get more than one out of every
three or four that he kills. (Thomas (iibson.)

I lose about '><► per cent when 1 u.se the shotgun, and more an? lost
when ritle is used. I always shoot them in the head when possible, but
if not possible, I shoot them in any part of the body that is expo.sed.
(Gonastut.)

About r>() per cent are lost when killed with a shotgun, and a larger
per cent when rille is used. (.James (iondowen.)

The iiuuters would get, on an average, one out of every four they
killed, (.lanu's (Jryme.s. )

On an average. I think the hunters will save about one out «>!' three
that they kill, but they wound many more that esciipf iin<l die alter-
wards. (James llarri.son.i

Kormeily the seals were gentle and the approach of a vessel did not
even alarm them, but when tiicaruis ciimc into use it .so frigliteiie<1 them
that they had to be shot at Ion;: range entailing a l(»ss of not less than
three out of every four or live killed, i .M. A. Ilealy.)

.My experience convinces me that a larye percentage of the seals now
killed by slnioting with ritlesand shot;;nns art' lost. .My estimate wouhl
be that two out of every three killed are lost. Formerly the killing was
d»tne by spearing, and in later year> it was learned that shooting them
was a switter method of killin;:. At the start tln' hunters were ine.x-
]terience«l and a large proportion wcr»' lost. (.lames Kiernan.)

I use the shotgun for taking seal, and sometimes 1 lose one or two out
of ten that I kill, (.lames Klonacket.)

I have made it m^ business to tind out what propcntion of skins of
seals kille«l are really broiijuht into the market, and from the infoiina-
tion whi«-h I obtaincil from the sealers, Imnteis, and those owni'ig (he
skins I learned that on an av«'rag«' only about one out of six killed was
secured, varying with the expertness of the hunter, ((leorgc Liebes.)

The number of seals actually seemed to the nund>er kilh'd does
not exceed about «.?ie in tour, or about one is taken for every three
destroy«'d, varying, ol cour.se. with the skill and experience of the
hunters, i Lsaac IJcIm's.)

Knnn these conversations I should judge tliey tlid not secure more
than one half of the seals kilh-d: and this, 1 thiidv, is a large estiunite
of the innnber secnn'd (A. 1'. Loml.)

! have fretpiently noticed, in the harbiu- of Petropanlovsky, that the
natives, in killing Iniir seals, are only able to obtain one ainmal out of
every four or live of those killed, and that they freipiently wait about
four day.* for the bodies to be washed ashore. (.John Malowausky.)

None I lost wIumi ! used spear. About !.'(► per cent are lost wheu
kilhMl with shotgun. (Nashtau.)

An experienceil A No. 1 seal liunter, in shooting sleeping seals with
a shotgun, will get a large proiM)rtion of what be kills, and will get one

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SKAL LIFK ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANU.S.

out of foui- breauhiii^ sciils that lie kilKs; but aii ordinary foiniiiou
hunter like myself will sonietiines use ten cartiidj^es and not get one
seal. 1 can safely say tliat a conunou hunter will only get one seal out
of three. (Niles Nelson.)

The w hite hunters who used guns In Bering Sea were banging away
at the seals sometimes all day long, and they would lose a great many
of those that they shot. I do not think that they brought to the
schooner one-half of those that tiiey killed, to say nothing of those that
they wounded and got away. (Osly.)

Hut sin«'e it has become the praetice to hunt seals with guns a good
nniny are killed, wounded, and lost, lireen hunters bang away and
wound more than they kill, and will shoot six or seven l)efore they
get one, and sometimes more, (iood hunters will do mneh better. I
used to get most of the seals I killed, but I have killed live <lead in
succession and lost the whole of them. (William Parker.)

Shotgun is exclusively used by me for taking seals. Lose about *-*0
per cent of those killed with shotgun. (Abel Ifyan.)

The captain, mate, and myself went out several times with the stern
boat and we killed l."» the first time we went out. I think we went out
that way three or Ituir tiines, and wo u.-iuaUy got one out of four killed.
I recollect one day when we w«'re hunting, bad weather sj't np and we
<lid not get any seals. In good weather we gor more seals than we did
in bad weather. (Peter Simes.)

And we got one out of live killed. (.John A. Swain.)

On my first voyage 1 think we got two out of every live that we
killed. (Adolph W. Th'^mpson.)

When seal were struck with a spear none w e lost; lose about .')(» jier
i^eut when killed with shotgun. (Charlie TlaUsatan.)

I had in my eni])loy men who are old seal hunters and who were for-
merly engaged in that business, and they have often told me that they
lo»t at least two out of every three they killed. (M. L. \N ashbnrn.)

VervenUtye lout of xeah Hlnick.

The skill of the hunter has a great deal t«> do with the nund)er of
seals secured of those killed or wounded, but the most expert does not
get more than half he hits, ami the average for hunters in general
would be about three in ten. (C. A. Abbey.)

We secure one out of abojit every live that we shoot at or kill.
(Charles Adair.)

An experienced hunter wonhl get one out of every three that he shot
or killed, and a green hunter wcmld get about one out of every seven or
4'ight that he shot or killed. (Charles A<lair.)

It has been my (Mistom in the last few years to examine the h)g8 of
sealing vessels ami to <;onvers<^with otiicersand hunters of such vessels
in order to obtain what intbrimition 1 cmild as to the methods employed
by hunters and the h>ss of seals occasioned in sn<-h pursuit. From the
logs I learned that in many instances 1(H) rounds of ammunition had
been fired to each skin secured, and often more; and on an average I
found that not over five seals to the hundred sliots had been obtained.
The logs further showed that a large number had been wounded and
lost. 1 also ascertained from the logs and from conversation with

^iKAL LIFK «>N THK I'lMHILOF IrSLANDS.

•J.")l

iiiastfis of siiiliiifj scliooiiers tliat not out' seal <»ut of ten killed or
womnItMl liail Ihm'Ii caiifjiit. Tlie.seiin|uiiii'S I pursiu'd at Saii Francisco
until (juite rect'iitly. Tin* cliief ivilliiij; l»y iMtacluMS was <louo between
the passes of Aleutian Areiiipela^'i) and tlie I'ribilof Islaiuls. ((leorjjo
K. Adams.)

Have always used a sliotj:;uu and ritle in takiu;^ seal sin<'.e a youn^
man. 1 rarely lose any seal I shoot, as I never shoot at tlieiu uidess
tiiey are very close to the b<»at. (Adam Ayonkee. i

Have always usetl a shotgun t'«»r taking seal, an«l lose about M) per
cent of what I shoot. (Maurice liates.)

No seal were hist when struck with spear. About 40 per cent of seal
shot with shotgun are lost, and nntre when tlie ritle is used. (VViltou
<". Mennelt.)

1 use the shotgun for taking seal. I lose about ■-'•"» per cent ot the
seals shot. (lOdwai'd Henson.)

The spear and sliotgun have been used by nie. lUit few s<'als are
lost that are striu'k by spear. About »»<» per cent are lost when shot
with shotgun, and a larger proportion are lost when ritle is used. (Mar-
tin Denson.)

(Ml the I'ioiinr we had a couple of gootl hunters, who wouhl get
almost all they shot at. while some of our linnters would lose a good
many that they would kill and wound. A green hunter will not get
more than one out of live, and I have known (Uie hunter on our vessel
wlio sliot eight shots and got oidy four seals. Indian hunters that use
spears .seldom lose any tiiat are struck, and there is no wounded to go
away and die. (Neils l>on<le.)

This year the si'als are wilder than the year before: 1 think it was
because tiiey were hunted so much. We did ni»t <-apture as many iu
proportion to tiie number shot as w«' did the year picvious, and did not
.save more than one out ttf six that we sliof. (Thomas ISrown.)

We got on an averaj;e three or live out of e\«'ry twehe killed and
rouiuled. It dependsa great deal upon the weather. There were lots

of .seals in the water at that time. ( l honnis iirown.)

The average hunter W(»uld get one out of every three that ne shot;
a poor hunter not nearly as many. TiM're are L'l bucksiiot to a shell.
' • * When they are in school slee|»iug we get a good many. We
diti n(»t get as nniny as we shot at in Mering Si-a as wc did on the <-oaat.
If we got one out of cmmv three we wer«' doing jnettv well. i<'|iarles
("halall.)

I used a shotgun almost «'.v<-iusively last season, and lost al>out <uio-
third of all furs shot. (Julius Christiansen.)

1 think about TiO per cent of the seals shot with shotgun are lost, and
greater i>roportion are lost when shot with a rille. (I'eter Church.)

I always use the shotgun for taking seal. I think about !'."» per cout
are lost.' (William Clark.)

()ver."»(> percent are lost when shot with shotgun. (Jcdm C.CIemeut.)

My ob.servation of the seal hunting by white hunters in ISSS is that
tliey do not secure more than two or three out of every hundred shot.
The number of shots tired by a hunter in an iudinary day's sealing
is something enormous, and the waste of seal life in the water is

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252

PEAL l,IFK ON THK PRIBILOF ISLANItS.

(Irendt'iil to cniitoinplsiti'. * • • 'I'jiy pi-oportitni of loss of soiils
shot W.V wliite liuiitt'is in the Otto was (|iiite as {(ivat in KSIM as by
the hunters in the year before stated. I have never seen any bhieii
puiiM in tlie North I initio Ocean. (Kouis Culler.)

AVlien it was i-ouf^h weather we {-ot one out of six that we kijletl or
wonniled, and in smooth weather we rouhl {ret on an avera;;e one out of
three and sometimes three out (»f tive. (.lolin Dohrn.)

On an avera^je, all the hunters pot one out nf three oi four seals
tiint they kiMed or wounded. There were |denty of seals in tin- waier
at that time, (iiit-hard I)<dan.)

We ;iot one out of every Hve or six that we killed ov wounded. We
wonnde<t a jireat many that we did not jjet. ((leor^-e Fairehild.)

When I was a youn^r man tlie liulians used the spear for takin;;- seals;
now they have learned from the white men to use tlu' shc»tyun. AlMuit
three out of ten are lost that arc shot. (Frank.)

The hunters used ritles atul shotjjuns. They ffot about one out oi
every six they shot at <)r killed, and sometimes they ^ot none. Tin-
{jreat nnijority of them were fenuiles. We used rilles, we had experi-
enced hunters on board, and we jjot one out of every thiee killed or
wounded. (William Frazer. )

i). What pereentajje of seals are taken compared to those you destroy
indoin<; sof In other words, how many do you actually yet of those
you shoot ? — A. About ■»(> per cent.

i). Is it not a fact, when you first started in the business and was
inexperiem-ed in hunting, that you, like all other bejiinuers, <lestroyed
a much larjxer proportion than you now dof — A. Ves: a little more in
])roportion. (Filward W. Funcke.)

Indians lose a less nnnd)er of the seals shot at and wounded or
killed than white hunters. When they use s|)eara tliey yet nearly all
they wouiul. When they use slu»tjiuns they do not yet nuM-e than one
out of eiyht killed or wounded. In conversation with boat steerers
and boat pullers I have fre(|uently heard them state that hunters would
sometimes tire from To to !<H) shots without brinyiny in a single seal.
The hunters would claim they secured nearly all they tired at or killed,
but it is known that this is not true. It is impossible to say what pro-
portion of the seals lircd at are killed or wounded, but taking the run
of hunteis, good and pnor. 1 should say that the best get about ")(» per
cent of those shot at. while the |)o(»resr do not get more than one out
of tifteen fired at. ( !•'. M. (Ireenleaf.)

The native hunt»'i's used spears < .<'lusivcly •:: liunting the seals, and
secured fully tw(»thirds of all stru«'k. I am of the opinion that with
firearms not m«)re than one-third of the aniinals sht>t are actually
secui'ed. (A. .1. (luild.)

IIav<' always used a shotgun for taking seal, and lose about '2'i per
cent of the seals I shoot. (Ilenry llaldane.)

J use the shotgun exclusivi'ly for taking seal. About •»"» per cent of
the seal hit are lost. (Martin llannon.)

(}. According to y<uir experience, what percentage of an innils that
are shot are actually taken by the boats ? — A. That depends a good
deal on the nuin that shoots them. Some fellows will miss four out of
five and another nniy miss three out of five and cripple them. I think
on a general average we will get about three out of five. (H. Haruisen.)

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SEAL hiri: ON THE PKIIJILOK ISLANDS.

253

t). Wliiit perccMitagt* of seals jiivtaUt'ii roiiiparrd to tlaisf yon destroy
ill doiii;; so; in oilier words. Iiow many <lo you actually <;et on: of those
you shoot.' — A. We ;iet about 7."» per cent of them.

(^. Is it not a fact that when you first started in the luisiness :uid
was inexperiemed in hunting;, that you. like many others. de>tio\«'d a
much larjjer proportion than you ni»w do .' -A. Ves, sir; it is. i Andrew
.1. llon'nian.)

The sliot};uii was exelusi\ely used Ity our hunters. I ciiii form no
idea as to the amount of seals lost. Some hunters lost iiau'e and some
less. It ranges all the way from 10 to 7."» per rent, a«'('ordiii<;' to stories
told l>y hunters. ((>. Ilolm.i

We used sliot;;uns, and seemed ahoiit two seals out of live that we
shot. (Alfred Iivinjj.)

The Indian hunters with spears would not wound or lose hut very few
se.ilsthat they strueU, hut the ordinary white hunter will. on an average,
lose over half that li(> kills and wounds. (.Iam«-s .lamieson.)

About K> per cent shot with shotjrun are lost. When the ritle is used
a linger per eent i.s lost. (•!. .lohii.siui.)

Have always used shotjfun ami ritle for takiny' seal. I never lose any
.seal when I shoot them, bet^anse I always shoot themelo.se to. (.lohnnie
.lohntiii.)

The spear and ari'ow were used to take seal when I was a boy. but
now I use the shotffun and ritle. At least ."it) per r<'nt are lost when shot
with shotj-un. When ritle is used a lai ••■er jtortion of .seals are lost. (L*.
Kahiktday.)

I always use the shot<;un for killing seal. I lo.se about four out of
ten that I shoot. (Kiiij"' Ivashwa.j

I always u.se the shotgun for takin;; seal. Sometimes I lose two and
three out of ten that I shoot. (.Mm Kas«)oh.)

Fully one-half the seal shot with sIiotj;uns are lost, ami a mueli
larjfer proi)ortion when the ritle is usetl. None were I().st when struck
with a spear. (Mike Kethusdiu'k.)

On an aveniji'e we '^ot one or two out of every six or seven that we
wounded (U- killed. (James Kennedy.)

Constant shootin;*: has frii^hteiied them ami made them wild, so that
they have to be shot at great distances unless found asleep. .Much
depends f(U' sucetssful huntinj* upon the weather, as it is ditlieiilt to
j^et accurate aim \.'lieii both the hunter's boiit and the seal are in motion.
A poor hunter tloes not secure more than one out of every tive shot or
aimed at. (iood hunters do better, ('lames Kiernan.)

The lirst sighted was August t, longitude IJilP .{2' west, latitude
.*»2~^ 4(1' north. During the days following August 4 canoes were
lowered, but their search for .seals was fruitless. On August 14, before
entering liei-ing Sea, a seal was speared by the Indians otl' Marmont
I.sland, which was bearing N\V. \ W.S'i utiles. We entered the sea
at <i..'tO p. ni. on the 22d day of August and at o'tdook the following
morning we got our first seal in liering Sea. It was shot by one of
the white men in a boat. We were at this time about lio miles west by
north of Northwest Cape on rnimak Pass. On the same day four
other seals were shot, and three not recovered. Two .sank and the
other escaped badly wounded. The following day the captain shot

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254

SKAL LIFE ON TIIK PKFHILOF ISLANDS.

twi>, losing; uiK', iiiid tlio oilier Ixiat l>i'oii;>lit «»iie seal on Ixtaril. On the
25th of Auj,nist we weie ILT) miles sontlieast of St. <ieor^e Ishiiid. The
Indian linnteis weie out all da.v and Inou^lit in three seals, the white
hunters fjettinu none. The captain informed me that day that the pre
vious year he had taken in this locality lis seals in one day, and that
one <tf his hunters ;iot .'i.S and lost 40, wliicii he shot. The next day the
two Itoats ami canoes were out, and the captain l)rou;L:ht hack one, but
had shot and lost six others, one of which sank. The other boat
reported that they had shot seven, but all sank before they could get
them, the water being so colored with bhxKl that it was impossible to
see tlie bodies sutticiently to recover tlu-m with the gatf. The two
Indians brought back ten seals, all speared. Out of the number taken
on board four wen^ lull of milk. On the L'Ttli the Indians brought in
two seals and the captain one, wliicli were all they had seen. On the
I'Dth .seventeen seals were taken; the captain got three, having lost
two, killed or wounded. The other boat brought in three, having lust
two, and the <'ook shot one from the schooner's de«k. Out of these
seven were females, which covered the decks with milk wliile they were
being skinned. 1 am coiivliic«'d that at the very least white hunters
lose "»() per cent of the seals they hit, and pi'ol>aldy the majority of
those wounded will ultimately die. il'^rancis \l. King-llall.i

When a seal is stiuck with a spear wc never htse him. About oO per
cent are lost when shot with a shotgun, (b'obert Kooko.)

About «»(► per c«Mit of the seals are lost when shot with a shotgun.
When lilies are used a much larger pr(»portion is lost. (.lames Lacheek.)

Of all the fur seals striurk in the entire season by Ixtth implements
in<ne than two thirds were actually set ed, the greater proiM>rtion of
losses resulting from the use of the shotgun, (.lames K. fieunan.)

The average hunter will tire ten times to get one seal. 1 think on an
average he gets one seal out of every three killed. (William IF. Long.)

i). \Vhati»ercentage of seals are taken compared to those you destroy
in doing so; in «)ther words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot? — A. 1 should say we get about 8() i)er cent of those we
shoot.

Q, Is it not a fact that when you first started in the business and
was inexperienced in hunting, y(Ui, like all other beginners, destroyed
a nuu'h larger proportion than you now do? — A. There is no doubt
about that. (Cliarles Lutjens.)

The shotgun was used exclusively. Ovox GO per cent of the seals
shot were lost, ((leorge McAlpine.)

I think I lose about (Hi per cent of the seals shot with shotguns.
(J.J). McDonald.)

Taking tlu' general average, we would not get more than two seals out
of every ten that the hunters shot at. Out of every sixty-live seals
that were bi'ought aboard the schooner I got one, so I tried to spear as
many as 1 c()uldafter they were shot. We caught mon'i seals in IJering
Sea than we did gcung along the coast, as we found more of them.
* * • All the s«>als that we shot at in rough weather were lost. In
line weather they sleep on top of the water, ami we do not lose so many
of them. (William M<Isaac.)

No seals are lost that are struck with spears. With a shotgun about
60 per cent are h>st. (.lames McKeen.)

SKAL LIFK ON TIIK I'RIIUI.OP ISLANDS.

256

\\v }jot alxMit oiM' out of every live tliaf we killed or w«niinle«l. Tliefo
was any ainonnt of tliein tliat we shot and did not ^et at all. It seemed
aa it'a ;;ood many ^fot away. * • • \V(> had some wliite and Indian
liuntei's. I do not tidnk that we lost as many that year in propor-
tion to those that we killed and woundetl. They were better hunter.-*.
(William MeLau^hlin.)

Q. Ace(»rdin<i' to your experience, what pereentajje of animals that
are shot at ar«' actually taken by thel»oatsf — A. Tliat isaeeordiu};' t(» the
ammunition tiiat we use. Aliout one third are taken, i Daniel .Mc-
Lean.)

VVe liad Indian hunters who used shot<;uns. The Indian hunters are
more e.xpeit than the white hunters and they do not lose so many
.seals as they kill. I think they would {tetcuieout of every twoor three
kille<l or wounded. (Thomas .Mad<leu.)

About ."»(> per cent of the .seals shot with shot;iiin are lost. (Kdward
Maitland.)

There were six boats on the vessel. Some of the boats would ^•^m^e
in without a .seal after beinj;' out all day lony- shootin;;, but tlu-y would
wound a {jreat many. On an avt-rajic, takin;;' all the boats tojjether,
they j-ot one out of every li\eor si.x that they killed or shot at. We
wounded a {jreat many that we c«udd not j;et. (Patrick Maroney.)

About .'»(> per cent are lost that are shot with the shotjiun. (Clnirles
Martin.)

I do not thiidc tliey would fjet more than (»ne .seal out of every six «u-
seven they shot, and sometimes only (uie out of ten. (Henry ^Iasou.)

Our hunter was a ;;ootl one. Mis mime was .loe Williams. I think
he {jot one out of every three, on an averajje. lie u.sed a ritle a pfood
deal, and was a tine shot. Some of the hunters in the other boats would
shoot at the seal and Jiot };«'t any at all, and come in it nifjlit without
any, or maybe one or two. There was one hunter from Nova Scotia that
did not kill any, scarcely. (William Mason.)

I think about 33 per cent of the seals shot with a shotfrun are lost.
(K. .Miner.)

About 2(> per cent of the seals I shoot with .shotgun are lost. (Amo.s
Mill.)

i). Wliat percentage of seals are taken, compsired to those you destroy
in doiuf: .so: in other words, how nniny do you actually get out of those
you shoot? — A. About 7."» per cent. Wv lo.se ab«>nt '2~> per cent.

*}. Is it not a fa«'t that when you lirst started in the business and
were inexperienced in huntinjj', that you. like all <»ther bejjinners,
destioyed a much larjjer proportion than you do now? — A. Certaiidy;
there is nod<>ubt about that, fl'iank Morean.)

From my kn(»wled{ie of the aquatic hal)its of the seal, and the ditti-
culty of accurate shooting when the object is in tlu' water, I am of the
opinion that a large number of seals are killed by vessels engaged iu
tiie business of taking seals in the open seas which are not caught. I
am unable to form an estinnite of the number of .seals shot or speared
from vessels which are lo.st, but in the last two or three years of my
residence at St. (ieorge Island, in taking l.~),(MK) seals, I found approxi
mately three pounds of lead, in the form of .slugs, bullets, and buck-
shot, which 1 personally took from the bodies of iinUe seals, some of

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si:al i-ifk on thk prihii.oi-' islands.

wliicli wt'ic SI) liiully woiiiidud tliat tlioy woiiUl liiiv<> iMimI. I liave pci
soiially «'\aiiiiiit'(l the lujj of the scliooimr Aiujil l>ollii , jii wliir.li it was
stati'd tliat tli«* liuiitui's iVoiii rliat vi'ssol };ot aliotit one seal out olcvi'iy
t«'ii shot at; also that on oii(> orcasioii tlicy liicd -'*tO rounds, suid ^'o't
L'O scalH; on another occasion 10(1 cartridges, and p>t i» seals, and which
lo^ also stiili'd that the captain personally shot and kdled 7 seals, ot
whij'h he };<»' J»"ly one. (T. K. Mory:»n.)

They Nst very few of the seals they speared. Tln-y secured iilMtiit
all of the seals they speared. (John Moriis.)

When in iSerin;*' Hea, I had an opportunity to (tbserve the ditterenee
in the nund)er of seals lost by killiu); tliein with slntt^uns and bytakin;;
them witli spears. The hunters that used sliut{;nns lost more tlian um*
half they shot, while the hunters that used spears seldom ever lost one
tliat they hit. (Moses.)

It is ;>enerally conceded that the Indian hunters in the use of the
.spear seldom lo.se one they kill or wound. (.Morris Moss.)

When I was a boy I used a shot{;iin for taking; seal, bought from the
Hudson l>ay Company at Fort Simpson, and have always u.sed a shot-
gun tor sealing;. I think about two out of ten seal shot are lost. (Smith
Natch.)

Sometimes I lose two and sometimes three .seal out of ten I sliuot.
(Dan Nathlan.)

It dcjiends a ;>reat deid upon the weather as to the amount of seals
obtainetl by the hunters. After a heavy blow you see the seals lying
on top of the water asleej), and you can ^jet very elo.se to them, and on
an avera^je you woidd j-et two or three out of every live or six you kill
or wound, while in loujjli weather you wouhl not jict one out of live oi'
six killed or wounded. (John O'lirien.)

Not being hunters of experience, our men lo.st about two thirds of
all tlie seal shot. (loo«l hnnti'rs wouhl not lose to e.xeeed 2.'» per cent.
(Nelson T. Oliver.)

We used shotguns, using buckshot, and I have known twenty shots
t<» be lire<l at a seal before we got her. WMien we .shot at "sleejjers"
we got a good many more than when we shot at "bachelors" or 'Toll-
ers," and we secured on an averag*^ about one out of every three killed
and wounded. The percentage of loss of lhos(> killed and wounded is
fully as great as I have stated. (John Olsen.)

When the ritle is used le.ss than one seal for live sli(»ts is secured;
uiany shots miss, but of tlio.se seals hit about one half are .secured.
(W. Roberts. )

It is very hard toestinmtethe number lostof those shot, but I .should
Judge an expert hunter would lose certainly from 10 to (iO per cent,
ami a hunter not particularly expert would lose from SO to S.'» per cent,
(li. (I. Shepard.)

In .some instances we ran upon schools of seal and shot live or six,
all of which would be lost; in other instances we would secure about
one-half of those wounded. One-half of all seals shot on the coast are
lost. (William Short.)

About 2.') per cent are lo.st when shot with a shotgun, ami nu)re are
lost when shot with rifle. Shotgun and ritle are used by lue for taking
seal. (Jack Shucky.)

SEAL MFK ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

257

When I iisjmI u spoar none were lost that were Mtriiek. When «hot-
{;iui JH UHeil nearly .'lO per rent Hie lost; when title is used a still Itiif^er
peirentu};e in lost. (.Mtirtin Sinpiy.)

No seal were lost when struck with •spear or arrow. Fully oO per
cent of seal shot with shotgun are lost, an<l a much larger per <-ent are
lost when shot with a ritie. (.lack Sitka.)

Always use a Hudson Hay gun to take seal with. A Hudson Bay
gun is a single barreled shotgun. Sometimes I lose one and sometimes
two out of ten that ure shot. (Thomas Skowl.)

1 think about one-third of the seal shot with shotgun are lost. (Fred
Smith.)

Verv few are lost when struck with a sjiear. About (!(> per cent are
lost when shotgun is used. (William II. Smith.)

An ordiimry hunter will not get more than one out of four that he
shoots at. (C'yrus Stephens.)

About 25 per cent of seals shot are lost, (.losliua Stickland.)

Q. What percentage of seals are taken compared to those you destroy
in doing hi; in other words, how many do you actually get out of those
you shoot? — A. I guess we j^et hardly two tliiids of what we shoot.

Q. Is it not a fact that when you tirst started in the business ard
was inexperienced in hunting, that you, like all other beginners,
destroyed a much larger proportion than you do now? — A. It is.

1 have always understood that .'{.'{ per <*ent of seals shot with shotgUiis
are lost. (W. Thomas.)

The hunters use shotguns and rifles exclusively for taking seal. I
think that from what I have been able to learn about half the seal shot
are lost, the hunters being unable to secure them before they sink.
(John C. Tobnan.)

About 00 per cent of the seal shot with shotgun are lost. A much
larger |)er cent is lost when ritle is used. (I*eter Trearsheit.)

I get most all the seals that I hit with the spear. I lose one-half of
those I shoot with a gun. (.John Tysum.)

When the si)ear was used all seal speared were secured. About 50
per cent of tlie seals are h)st when sliot with shotgun. Whenever 1
have used a ritle for shooting seal a much larger proportion of those
killed have been lost on act'ount of sh«»oting them at a h»nger distance
from the boat. (.lames ITnatajim.)

1 think I generally lose about 75 per cent of the seals shot with shot-
gun. ((Jeorge Tsher.)

1 have learned from personal ol)#ervatioii antl from conversations
with jiarties that they lose in kille«l and wounded at least two out of
every three obtained. Otiier sealers have told me that their loss is
much greater. (Charles T. Wagner.)

About 50 per cent are lost when shot with shotgun. When ritle is
used a much larger per cent is lost. (Rudolph Walton.)

I have often conversed with the hunters relative to the percentage
of the loss of seals to those taken, and some lell me they get one out of
five or six. (Elkan Wasserman.)

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 17

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258

SEAL LIFK ON THE IMUKILOF USLANliS.

My Imiiters UiSe sliotgnii oxdiuiivcly. Tliey carry a rille witli them
ill tlie boat, but liiive not usod oiu» this season to my knowledjje. I
think, as neai- as 1 can estitnatc, about :i3<\ (aT cent of the tteals shot
are lost. ( V. S. Wfitteiihiiler.)

From my kii(»\vh'(i^e ami oxiM'rieme in the business it is my eonvic
tion ihat within tlie hist few years, since the s<sUers hav«' i>ecome so
uuwiCioiis in the I'aeilitt and Bering; 8ea, that not more than one out of
tltree are seeured. (Michael White.)

I always use the shotjjun for takinj; seal. I think I h)se about five
out of every ten tiial I shuot. ( Miliy Williams.)

That for every tlnve sleepinjj seals killed or wounded in the water
only one is recovered. For every six iravelin;;' seals killed or wonnde<l
in the watet only one is recovered. (TiuMt. T. Willpims.)

8onietina\s I lose one and sonu'times two out of ten that 1 shoot with
a shotgun. ( i-'red, Wib.on,)

When the spear was ised 'ery few seal wer<' lost. About i'>0 per
cent are lost wIumi shot w'th shotjjun. A larjici' p«'r cent are lost when
killed with a rille, I use the shotj-nn for taking seal, and lose about
two out of ten that I shoot. (I'dlly Veltachy.)

Sometimes I lose one and sometimes two out of every ten that I
Blioot. I always shod the seal close to the boat, so 1 don't lose many.
(Ha 'tings Vethnow.)

The shotgun is used altogether for taking seal. About '^'^f^ per cent
of the seal shot are lost. (Alf. Yohansen.i

Always use shotgun lor taking seal. I lose but veiy few seal, as I
aiwavrt shoot them very close to the boat. (Paul Y()ung,)

llavii always used the shotgun for taking seal. Think I lose about
thrwfi out of ten of those I shoot, (Walter Young.)

ill Jiuntiug with spears 1 capture nearl;' all that I hit. (Thomas
Zolnoks.)

Woiindiiiff.

Those only wounded, whether fatally or otherwise, dive ami escape
capture. The let^s .sev<'rely wonmled uuiy, a»id in Jimny cases doubtless
do, recover from ".leir wounds; but, in the nature of things, nniny
others must die o tlieir injuries. There is a wide range of chances
boiwee'i an instantaneously fatal or disabling shot and a slight wound
from >vhich the victim may readily recover, with obviously a largo pro-
portion of them on the fatal sideof the dividing lin<'. (Dr. .1. A. Allen.)

Ag(tod many of the >.eals that I 1 ave caught in the last thieti or tour
years have shot in the ni and sonnf have been badly wounded. 1 have
seen white hiiuters sli«)oting seals out in the sea, and they lose a great
nmuymore than they get, and we sometimes i-apture some of those that
they have badly wounded. (Mowa chup.)

Have caught a great uuiny seals that had shot in them, (Feter
lirown.)

We often take seals that have been wounded with a ritle or shotgun,
and in their bodies ♦^here are a large nundu'r of shot. (James Clap
lauhoo.)

SKAL lilFK ON THK I'UII ILOF LSI.ANDS.

259

A j{oo(l many arc wouiuliMi and escape, only to die afterwards. (Alfred
Dardcaii.)

Wlieii I jjet seals now a }j;reat many liave shot in tlicm, a thin}; I never
B'tw befoic nntil ahont six oi' seven years ajjo. (Krani; Davis.)

kSomc that I shoot arc wonndcd and }>et away, and probalily die. I
have canj^iit a aoinl nuiny seals that iiad shot in them. (Kllabush.)

'S'!icy kill and wound a jjreat many that they do not {fct. I have
speared a >>'reat numy seals that had shot in them. (Selwish .lohnson.)

i know that a fivvAi many must he lo8t l»y the white hunters, for a
great many tlal 1 <'ateh have shot in them, and some are l>adly wounded,
(.lames lii}>'htiiouse.)

hurini; the killin-:' season on the Commander Ishunls we fre<|Uently
tind in the bodies both bullets and shut. (John Malowowansky.)

I have captured :t ^rcat numy seals with the spear and foniul shot in
them. (John 'rysniii.)

When I hey were woumicd wc lunl ti chase them, and tlu'n sonu'times
would n<»t jjet them. (Tatiiek Maroiri.)

While out seal liuntin;^' last y»>ar 1 eaptu;cd a few seals that the white
hunters had wounded and lost, and found a aood iniiny shot in their
bodies, i have captured a ;;ood nmny seals lately thai had buckshot
in tlu'm. (('h.uley White )

At the times when the male seals ari' on the rookeries the larjje
catclu's arc made. .V traveliiifr seal is alert, cautitius, ipiick of Itcaiinj;,
ami easily disturbed. A sh'cpiujn- seal is at the mercy of anyone. The
lar^ie proportion of traveling; seals shot at and lost is due to th(> timitlity
of the aninnil; in fact, all the hunters admit that when there is niiu'h
shoot in}; };oin^ on the seals are \ery dillit-ult to m'i. The loss of slccp-
iu}; seals, which I «'sliniate as two lost for one saved, is due to the fact
that unless the bullet nv shot kills the animal instantly it will imme«li-
ately dive, antl it is not easy to kill a seal instantly. The head of the
8cal aflbrds but a small nuirk. ICvcn in the case of a slccjier, the
motiiMi of the water keeps itnn)vin};. The boat from which the hunter
shoots is also nu)vinp, and v hile tlu-re are nu'ii who at a distance of r»(>
or (Ht yards can shoot a snnill object under su«'h cireumstaiu-es, they
are extremely rare. They aie famous as experts and they are hi};hly
rewarde<l for their skill. Cerlaiidy iu)t (UU' in ton of all the seal hunters
can truthfully asscil, nor do they altciupt to do so when in a. coi.lidcn-
tial liunuu', that they kill M) per cent of tneir seals dead. I was in the
comitany of a number of them in Victoria, in ISSt), and heard them
lalkiii}; anion}: thcMiselv^'S of their prowess. S<»ntc put forward claims
which til*' others derided. .\iiy estimate in excess of tne one I have
already }iiven called <(Utli niicoinplimentary renmrks and char}i»'s of
boastlulncHs. The disinclination of tlies<> ummi to state the absolute
facts, and they alone know what (he facts are, in relation to the num-
ber of seals shot an<l lost, has been intiMisilicd lat<'ly by the Ici'linj;
that it is necessary for them to make a };ood sho\\in}> to back up the
claim thit pela{;ic sealiii}; is not abstdutciv of the seal herd. (Thomas
T. Williams.)

Man) of the seals I have spcar(>d had shot and bullets in them.
This was never seen lu'fore until about ei};ht years a};o, and m)W it is
a frequent occurrence. 'Wispoo.)

A };reat nniny that I have cau};ht in the last three or foiir yeiM'« Inive
shot in then), and many have been badly wtninded. (Thonnis /iwnoks.)

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«KAL MFE OW ThiK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Prfcentatff Utnt — *t»'»er(d Httitementx.

We hswl a low on l>uunl l)er»nsi> wumi*' of tbe huiittTs wt»ro jfreen
huiidH anil the men would n«it {fo oiiiT. \i* tlif Units witli them. Thoy
took tlir huiitei's out of onr IniatK and put thetn into the other boats
that made no <'a(<h.and then we kirked dt*.* tbeyshnuhl jnit tlie jjreen
hunters iv.to tmr Itoats, Itecanse everythiitjf ttt*y would slioot wonid sink
on titem and be lout. (Charles Adair.)

The destrin'tiv«'ness to seal life by ]te]»pif hnntinj; is very {^rcat. The
majority of seals killed are pr«-}rniiMt iHiial***. so iliat tw^» lives are often
aae.ritieeil in secnriiij; one skin. I'liis ** trivr wlM'tli.'i Hrejirins or spears
are usi'd. In a<lditioii to this, tiie nnirH.»'r <«^ skiiiM r«ark#'ted does not
re|)resent tin* nnnilH-i iir;«<Hlly destroy«'d. for ma-n* *i»- kilb*,*! that arc
not jM'cured. wliile tttlM-rs. •lM)uj{h latally woinic..' ' - ! jii*»ss^-»iH strength
euouffh to esrape their ))Ut'iiviej-s. ^.\. \i. Ali'Xa.. .■

Of tli«)se killed the numb*'!' «*.ved varies with th» lai. if the hunters.
Last year we k>Ht sery few. i^hiM'leH Avery.)

A very U'W are lost when sh.>*' with tin- shotgiiii, j>s \«n» iitww t thein
0if$iuv tf> the boat. ^JohnnN Bai'(''<'«vit«'h.)

In linntin;^ with the spear w«' don'r lose iiiaii> that wr iHt. I iwver
hunted with awus. (I'etei' Hrown.)

K.Kperienci'd hunters lose v«'ry few s«'al that are .-CMtt. but i»«>!ijit»**r8
lose a great many. ((Charles Campbell.)

As to the |M'r«enta;i<' of seals lo«<t ii pelagir sealin;; when* the mm 0f
firearms is eiii|il(>,\«Ml, I am not ablr to statt- of my own olisrrv.itioA' jmmI
experience, but from conversation with those iMiy;aj;cd in tit*' businesi* f
am of tlie opinion tti^t 'lie number senircd is small compared wiui)

those hmt in attcnipt.x to .s»<<iii-«- the

III.

W. ( . Coulson.)

None were lost «h#'n the sp^^ar was usf^l. Vhen the shotgun is us*'^
BOinetimcH thev are lost. A fern' nM»»t' are i<"«f *lien ritle is used.
(Charlie Dahtlin.

Were I engaged M pi>v««iif in -Mealing I should preler the Hi>ear to the
ritte t)i' sholgiin, an4$ I InHi^'ve it« umt is not near so deAtiuetive to seal

lite.

•lames Dalgai'dii^).

The Indian-^ have alw.4ys bunt,»d .s*al with ^ uliotguit. and lam.'>ioir,v
to .say that titey have kilj*'^ a ^yeat many »»«)re tlutu they .secuietl.
(William Dnncan.)

From the ammiinitMMi w*' furiiMlied fliei' ' '• im-^t fhaf wHne of ^le
hunters on an averag*' used f'om l»o lo tin mi ds. • .simi to u .neal,
while others used from hu'ty to tifly rounds. «»eorge Kogel.)

Have always used the shotgun for killing seal. -mhI \mt very few are
lost. ((JhiefKrank.)

Have always used spear for taking x'al. and but very few are h>st.

(Chad t ieoige

A very large number of shots are thrown away. In the ease of the
Tliisilr, in lu'r v<»ya;;e of I.sfM. she brought in but nine skins, while licr
hunters had llred away L'OO pounds of shut Hht had poor hunters.
(!<:. M. (iieenleaf.)

That in pelagic sealing twice as many M<*i»l>i m'c hmt as are captured.
(W. l». Crimth.)

SKAL LIFi: ON THK PRIHILOF I. LANDS.

261

Always shoot the seal close totlie boat and rarely lose one ; but when
shot at with the litle 1 lose a piod many, (llooiiiah Dick.)

I have always used spears in hunting seal-*, and seldom wounded or
hit one that I did not avt until in 18M1, wliieh year, and the only (Uie,
1 went to ik'iing Sea, and used the shotgun part of tlie time. 1 found
in the use of tlie shotgun that a };reat many of tlie .^^eals tiuit were
killed or wounded were lost. (Alfre«l Irviny;.)

Welosebutvery fewsealstliat we liitwitii aspear. (Selwish.Iohnson.)
When seals were struck with a spear none were lost; a jjreat nniny

are lost when the shotj^un is used. (('. Klansineck.)

I have often heiird them say that they only }j«'t two or three out of a
school, and when they kill them, if they do not yet them rifjht away,
tliey will sink and be lost, I'lirther. tliat they lose a mmd nuiny that
tiiey kill, (.lames Kafkin.)

if. i3oyou treiierally slioot seals with a ri(le«u'shot};un f — A. A shot-
gun. Nitiety per cent aic killed with a sliot«;un. (Frank .M(U'eau.)

Always use the sliot^juii f(n' taking; seals. I hise very few, as I always
slioot them «'lose to the boat. (Matthew Norris.)

I <*an not say how many seals are killed and wounded, but there is
no doubt that ^rcen hunters l«ise many, while those m<»re experienced
in business lose fewer. ; Morris Moss.) ^

We used the spear m<»re than the jjun and si-mred nearly all of them
thiit we hit with it, but lost a ^jreat many seals that we shot. We pre-
fer to use the spear, be<'ause in st) <loin;; we do not lose so many or
fri;;hteu them away. (Osly.)

The sliot;:nn is not as fatal as the lille, but it ruins the skins of tliu
HCiils. (Adolphus Sayers.)

Ilreech loading' llrearms (ritles and shot(>'uns) are the instrumt.its
|)riMcipalIy emphned by |)ela};ic fur seal hunters, botii native and white.
Hy nu'ans of these weapons a greater number of Mkins are secured in iv
Ncasou tluin when spears are used; but tli' proportion of sciils struck
411(1 lost to tiiose actually seemed is much less than when tli<> spear ia
i<<ed. (John W. Smith.)

riu' best hunter will tire about liO i-artridp's. and they avt Hi or I'J
>< lis. whih' a hunter of less experience will lire 100 roimds and f^et
•.'>Miin<:. but will wound and disiil>le them. (A'lolph \\ . 'I'liompson.)

I have always used spears in hunting the seal, and seldom lo.se, any
i liir, I Charley White.)

Ill attciiii»tiiiji' to determine the sex of seals killed in the lUMiiiy Sea
and the North I'acilic. iiiid ot' the iiiimlier of seiils kille<l in excess of
•hone a»'tuiilly secured by the hunters. I iisid interviews with upward
^ *tty Heal liunt«'rs, aside IVoin interviews subseipiciitly had with indiiin
itin'i-i* I find this portion of my work l»y far the most dilliiult. Much
disnis ,'iii had already been had alioiit the tlamaf^in}; flfcet of pela^io
>eiihiiK- 'Hid the liiiiit«>i's were loatii to iell how man,\ seals were killed,
uiui n«>t recovered, and wer»! olten averse to makiii;; t ruthl'iil reports
ahiiiit the sex of the animals killed, but by frequent iiiy' tlieii liaiiiitH
aii'l ciiltivatiiitr their <-<nnpany lor loiiy periods I succeeded in yetting;
lUriiiate statements from a number <if them. iTIieo. T. Williams.)

1 fouinl that at tlrst the hunters were disposed to brag of their skill

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262

SEAL LIKE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

and to <>vorestiinate tlieir success in securing skins of seals sliot at.
Tlie reason tor that was that I was about to engage in sealing enter-
prises and that 1 was making inquiries for the puritose of ascertaining
their skill as hunters, with a view to engaging them. The practice in
liritisti Cohimbia is to pay tlie best hunters tiie higliest rate per skin.
Men wlio couM shoot fairly well, but wlio use a shotgun, couhl be
secun'd ibr a sciiling v<»yiige from !?l to !i<l.r»() per skin, while hunters
who shot with a rifle anil were of recognized skill in some instances
were piii<l as high as $2.'A) per skin, ami, generally speaking, as high
as $ii per skin. The reason for this is obvious to those who have inter-
ested themselves in the sealing business. A seal killed with bui'kshot
is so much pnmttnred fre(|uently that the pelt is of lesser valiu'. It is
not pnjfitable (or s«'hooiiers to engage as hunters men who miss their
chances of killing the seals and blaz«' away indiscriminately, with snuill
results. ICven tliough the huntei' is oidy paid for the skin he recovers,
the h»ss to the vessel by his failuie to kill when an oppori unity olfers
is c(|nivaleMt to t!ie prolit it would have made on the skin if secured.
For these leasonsand on account of the gt'ueral pronen«'ssof men who
ccuisider themselves experts in the use of any weapon to brag, the seal
hunters of Uritish Colundua, as a class, grossly exaggerate the percent-
age of skins they recover to the nund)ei()f sealsaimed at, wounded, or
killed. (Theo. f. Williams.)

In attem))ting toascerlain exa<tly the nundicr of .Neals kilhul and lost
by the lieringSca hunters, I t'onnd a wide divergence of statement. It
is greatly to the advantage of tin* seal hunter to have the n'putation of
losing but few seals. lie is paid by the skin, and the more lie catches
the greater his rennmeiation; but that is not all The hunter \\ith the
best reputation as a sure catcher is in the greatest tlemaiul,<'aii secure
employuM'ut in the best schooner, ami tJu' largest sum of advance
money. Ilesides self-interest, there (unnes vanity to urge the hunter
tonnike the biggest reputation i)ossible Ibr himself. To use a connnon
expression, tin* seal Ininters all brag about their snreness of aim. The
best shots use a ride ami lire at a range of from M) to 1L'."» yards. The
poorer shots (lepeiul on a shotgun loaded with bu<'ksliot. and will lire
at a. seal up to ."•«» yards away. The Indian hunters use spears, ami
paddle noiselessly up to the sleeping seal to i»lunue the spear in its
shoulder. They nevev attempt to spear a seal that is awake. An
Imliaii hunter will paddle in among a lot of ^'sleepers"* ami spear them
one alter the other, while a whit*' hunter, who uses llreaiins, alaiins
every seal in the iu'ighb(uhood at the first disclnuye. The Indianslosn
about one third of all they speai', either from failiMe to kill wlien they
striki^ or beca'i.-e the dea«l seal sitd;s too (piickly Ibc them to secure it.
The white hunters do not gel on«' half of all they shoot. Some hunters
are very i'areful shots and will not lire ui-less the seal is well within
range, but the seal is likely t«) sink before the boat can get to it, or if
woumled, will divelike a ilash t() getaway. A numlierol liuntershave
boasted that they secuie {>."» seals for inn siKtts, and some ha\e made
nllidavits of even moie wonderful expl' its. They presinn*' too much
on public ignorance an<l ci'ednlity. (Tlieu. T. Williams.)

F«)rtunately, itis not lu'cessary to dei»end on the statements of the seal
hunters. I secured ai'cess t<i the ship accounts (»f several seah-rs. and
f«»und that in every case the ctuisumptiou of ;!inmuiiition showe<l more
than ten cartridges used foi t'veiyseal skin captiiied. I sp'.nt consid-
erable tinu' annuig the Siwash hniian scalers, and, wiiile they brag of
their individual prowess, they admitted a loss of ;{(> per cent at lea^t.

SEAL MFK ON THK I'UIIUI.or ISLANDS.

263

On tliin subject I appeiHl a statiMiieiit made by Captain Olsen, of the
aetiling bark licssie Ktiter. at \'i(!toria.

Captain, Dlseii, of the Anieiiran schooner ll<:iHif h'litt'r, of Astoria,
reached Viitoria Se|)teinber L'7. 188t». In the ollice of the American
consul. Col. Ji. Stevens, he sai<l: " I took r»5(» skins in lleiiny Sea. Of
these 27 were pups,r)20 females, and .{ male seals, which 1 killed otVthe
islatid of Kadiak. Most of the female s<;als were with yoiin^'. 1 had
a green crew and j;reen hunters. They used sh<>t};iuis and sonu'timea
the rille. They got al)out one 8«'i'.l for every three they aimed at. Some
they missed alt«»<j;etlier, and some of the wounded ones got away. There
is great risk of losing a traveling seal. The .sleeping .seals blow up an
air bladder that keeps them from sinking, but the seals when awake sink
easily. I looks are used to grapple them, but if the iioat is.sonu' distaut^e
from the seal when it is killed it does not often get it. l-'or that it-ason
rille shooting at long rang*' hardly pays. 1 will get about i*7.7."i for some
of my skins and ^.S for otiiers. My voyage will pay, be "ause I ran the
boat on the cheap. I otdy had tvo men to tiie boat, and only ])aid my
hunters $1 perski!) instj-ad of ^'J, whieli is paid to lirst class liunters.
Some very skillful liunters do not lose nniiiy skins. Tiiey will never
tire unless a seal is at close rang**, and they generally k II. Of course
they lo.se some from sinking. .\II the hunters brag al>ou* how \i'\y they
lose, l)ecause thev M-jmt the rei'Utation of being good luinters. The
better reputation tlu'y have the Itetter rhiuiee they get.

If liering Sea were open many new men would come in.o the busim>ss
and the loss would lie gieater. Only a few men make succ<'ssful hunt-
ers. It is like being a clever rille shot. If the best hunters lose ten
or iiftceii in a hundred, the other kind lo.se ten times as nmny, if not
more, (ireen hands will throw away a lot of ammunition, shoi»ting at
cerything they .sc«', whether it is in range or not. Von can not stop
tliju'i. They will wouml more than they kill. (T. T. Williams.)

DESTItUCTION OF MUSING 1 r.MALKb*.

We entered IJering Sea through the Muckawa I'iiss the 1st of duly,
ami commenced hunting seals wJuMcver we i-ould lind them, annuig
which were a great many cows giving milk, which we killed from .'{0 to
loU miles from the islands. j<'h:ii'les Adair.)

1 have no exact information as to the proportion of male and fennde
Kcals killed by pelagic hunters, hmt it is m> linn conviction, from my
knowledge of the h.il»itsof the m;iiles in not leaving the islands during
til!' breed.iiig season, .ind the well .>!iown fact that niothei' seals go gieat
<listanees in .search of food wliih- nuising tlieii young, tliat the females
are slaughtcied in great niiiiiliers cinring their jouneys to and IVom the
islands l)y pelagic hunters. ((Jeoi^e If. .\(lams. i

And when in Bering Si-a we take seals iViMii 10 to 12(» miles from the
seal islands. (William Keiidt.i

.\iid the larger pro|iortioii of those killed in liering Sea are also cows.
Have killed cow seals, with milk in thei'i. <»."» miles iVoiii the IMibilof
Islands. • • • A few mule ><'als are taken, ages ranging from t to
r» years. Once in a while we catch an <»ld hnP in the I'acilic Ocean.
(.Martin llen.son.)

We came out of liering Stsi the latter part <tf August and had caught
about 1,700 seals between the I'riltilof Islands and Cnalaska. We
<auglit them from 10 t<» 100 «»r more mile.s oil St. tJeorgi' Islaiul. (Niels
Honde.)

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264

SEAL LIFE ON THE PBIHILOF ISLANDS.

Wu entered Bering Sea the middle of May and eaptiired MM wliile
in tiiere. Must of these were niotlier seals with their breaHts full of
milk. (Thonnis lliadley.)

I hunted in Herini; Sea in 188!) (that bein^ the only year I ever went
to that sea) and hunted seitls with spears alxiut 70 miles southwest oiV
the islands, and our eat<-h was nearly all cows that had given birth to
their young and ha<I milk in their teats. (Peter Uiown.)

Have killed rows with milk about (»t) miles olf the Pribilof Islands.
A few «dd bulls were killed by me last season. (Clmrles Campbell.)

At least seven out of eight seals esiught in Mering Si-a were mothers
ill milk. (ChiirlesChallall.)

We entered the sea through the (nimak Pass, and (■:iptured therein
about M) seals, most all of which had milk in their breasts. (Louis
Culler.)

The wnters weie full of tln'in at thiit time. \\v ciiught them from 50
to (iO miles oft' th(> seal isliinds. (.lohn haltoii.)

Ibit the seals I caught in llering Sea were most all cows in milk.
(Frank Davis.)

Th<> proportion of female seals killed in liering Sea is e<pially large,
but the destrut;ti<»n to seal lif«' is much ;^r»'atcr, owing to the fact that
when a nntther seal Ih killed her suckling pup left iit the rookery also
perishes, impregnation having also taken place before she left the
rookery in sean-h of food, the fetus of the next year's birth is likewise
de8troy«>d. (.lames II. Douglass.)

We left San Francisco and llshed \\\\ the coast until we entered Bering
Sea, in July, iumI sealed about the sea until we were driven of!" by the
revenue <'utter Conrin. l-'nun there we went to the ('oi>i>er Islands.
Our whole catch amounted to !H)0 skins, and we killetl most of them with
ritles. We only got alMiut on«' out of eight tlnit we simt at,iunl they
were most all females giving Ukilk <>r in pup, VN'lien we cut tlit hide oft'
you could see the milk running from th(^ breasts of the seals. The
8econ<l year we got <»ver )..'WM> skins; scnnc of tlicm were cows wiMi pups
in them, and most all the rest were cows giving milk, and stane of the
latter we killed as far from tliemokcricsas rnimak Pass. (Peter Dulfy.)

We entered Mering Sea aixait Apiil an«l we got T!)."* in there, the
largest part of which were motlo-r seals in milk. Wlien we were skin-
ning them the milk would run on the deck. (John I'Vfe.)

I kn«nv that tally ""» per cent ot tliost' wc caught in I5«'ring S«'a were
cows in milk. (Thomas (iibson

My observation ami the infoi ntation <>4)itaiiied fiom seal hunters con-
vince nu' that fully !•<► per ccor oi ihc mmN Ibund swimming In llering
Sea during tlu' breeding Hea>«>ii are lemaU-s in s<*arcli of food, and tlieir
slaughter results in the destructitm of lier young bv starvation. (M. A.
Healy.)

While in liering Sea we cruised aioiind tln» Pril>ilof Islands in all
directicms. oft<'n comiiig within vi<>\v ot I hem lint never landing oi' umk-
ing any atteinpt to do so. The proportion ot females taken to males
was about 70 per cent, more than two tiiirds of these being nursing
cows, while the renmin«ler were 1' year olds ami yearlings. On first
entering the sea an occasional luegmint cow w<udd be taken, but this
was um;ommon. Of the nmles taken in Bering Sea the nund)ers of

8KAL LIFE ON THK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

265-

yearliii};s and very youiiK baulielors was about equal; no bulls were
ever taken. (Norman IIo«lf;Hon.)

Those that I secured in Bering Sea were nearly all feniales and had
Ifiven birth t<t their youn^ and were in milk. Our vessel eaptured
about 4<>0 seaJH at a distance of about KK) miles from the I'ribilof
Islands, most all of which were cows in milk. (Alfred Irvinfj;.)

We entered the sen and caught about a thousand there. We sealed
all over <»n this side of Herin;; Hea, sometimes bein^ over liii) miles otl
the seal islands, and sometimes we were chtser. 1 did. not pay any
attention to the proportion of females, but I know we skinned a ;;reat
nnu that were ^iviu}; milk, becan>e the milk would run frinn their
breasts onto the deck when they were beinj* skinned. We killed mother
seals in milk over 1(N> miles from the seal islands. VN'e p'uerally shoot
them when they are asleep on the water. • • • We cau{;ht between
3(M> and 4(MI seals on the coast and (»0b in lierinj; Sea. We sealed ou
the American side o*' Bering Sea ai'onnd the I'ribilof Islands, any-
where troll) 10 to l."M miles otf. The capture of ISIMI was about the
same in proportion to sex as the year before, (.lames Keaii.)

We entered Berinj,' 8(>a about the lattt-r part of , Inly and captured
L'OO seals from 2(t to KKI miles off the settl ishinds. A lar^'e i>roportion
of them were females nursing their yonnj; and their teats were large
and full of milk (.lames Kennedy.)

I have observed that tln»se killed in the North Pacifi*; were mostly
fenmles carryinjr their young and were generally caught while asleep
on the water, (.lames Kiernan.)

The same day after a chase of an hour we were seized by the t'. S. S.
Moliiriiii. The total cat<'h of seals at the time of seizure was 4H, and
at least L'O were teniales, the majority of which were in milk. All the
seals were taken from 1LM> to 180 miles from St. (Jeorge Island. ( Krancig
K. King- Hall. I

When in Ueriiig Sea we are usually from TiO to loO miles from the
Pribilof Islands. (An<lrew Laiiig.)

I have killed females in milk in irnimak Pnss, and even out in the
Tacilic Ocean, L'OO miles from the land. (I-'. N. Lawson.)

In Bering Sea. where wj* obtained about 40(> skins, males and females
in about eciual nnmbeis were taken. The femah s were mostly nursing
cows, while the males were young ones, lietwei-n the ages of U and 5
years, (.lames K. licunan.)

Another fact in connectloji with o|»eii sea sealing is that the great
majority of seals killed are females, and tliat ;i great pjirt of tlie females
are pregnant, or i>i iiiilU. The inilkiiig females iire most all killed
while visiting the feeding grounds, which are distant 4(» or «»0 miles, or
ev<'n farther from the islnnds. The I'einale necessarily feeds so thiit she
can sn|)ply nonrishment for her yoiiiig, while tlie males during the siun-
iiier st'ldom h-avt' the islands. Tliis acc(»niits for the large number of
temales killed in Bering Sea. (A. I', liond.)

if. I)i<l you ever kill any seals later in the season that were giving
milk? — A. Ves, sir. (Alexander Mcliran.)

Those we caught in Bering Sea were mostly all females with milk in
their breasts. ♦ • * 'I'he next season, 18!>o, we got on the way up
between 100 and '_'0() seals, and then we entere<l Bering Sea about the

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26f;

8KAL LIKE ON TIIK PRIItll.OF ISLANDS.

18th or 19th of July, and I caiii^hMlO sealH, mostly all feiiiali's. • • •
WliiMi we were in Heriiit; Sea we hunted t'roiu 40 to L'0() miles oft' the
seal islands. (I'atrii'k Maroney.)

About two-thirds of those caught in Itering Sea were females that
had bij; teats and were giving milk. We eould tell tiiat when we were
skinning them, because the milk would run out on the decks. ( Wil-
liam Mason.)

Wo sealed around I'nalaska, but did not go toward the Pribilof
Islands. VVe caught l,1>Un seals, all of which were captured in tlie sea,
close to llnaliiska; most idl of them were cows in milk; but when we first
entered the sea we kille«l a few <'ows that hiid pups in them. • • •
Tlmt year wv sesded east of the ishind and caught iii»ont sun seals. I
do iu)t km)w linw far we were from the islands, for we cmild n(»t see
them. The seals we caught were nn)stly cows with milk. (Moses.)

I was sealing in Hering Sea during .Iidy, August, and Septend)er,
lS.s."i and l.ssri. I was cruising in HeringSea aroumi alMtnt the I'nbilof
Islands, and fmni loo to •SOU mil(>s otV. The principal portion of tlu>
cruising was between tin' Aleutian and I'rlMlof islands. Ouv of the
principal sealing grounds is otf ISogslof. (Mies Nelson.)

After i'ntcring tlu' sea we got one female with a very large pup, which
I took out alive ami kept it for three or four days, when it died, as it
would not eat anything. All the others had given biitli to their young,
and their lueasts were full of milk, (.lolin Olson.)

The seals tak 'ii in liering Sea are neaily all grown. We g<'t but very
few young seals. I think we catch in liering S(>a more mah's in ]U'o-
portion to fenndes than wc do on the coast. We catch a good many
females in Hering Sea that have given birth to th<>ir young on the
islands and are in milk. 1 have caught plenty of (;ow seals in milk
1(10 miles or more from the islands, but seldom gel any that have a pup
in them in those wati'is. (William Taikcr.)

We(>ntered Hering Sea about the l.~»th of August through the I'ninnik
Pass and captured therein 1,101 seals, most of which were cows in milk.
On that voyage we caught fcnnile seals in milk over SO miles from the
rooki'ries where they had left their young. ((!harles IVterstm.)

The seals captured In IJcring St-a were fully S(» per cent fenndes that
ha»l given birth to their young. A fact that I often noticed was that
their teats would be full of milk when I skinned them, ami I haveseen
them killed (nun JO to KH) mdes from the seal islands. ( ICdwin V. Porter.)

Q. How do you know thi;t the marauders kill females princi])ally ? —
A. I know that the fenmlcs, after giving birth to their young on the
rookeries, troquent the open sea in sear«'h of tbotl. whereas tlie nudes
fre(pient the Imnling grcuinds or waters immediately aiound it. At
various tinu's I have seen skins which were sei/e«l by the cutters fr<un
the poachers.ami they were substantially female skins. (.1. (<. K'edpath.)

I have been in Mehring Sea but a part of one season. Of the seals
taken, about one-third were males, one third females with young, one-
third barren and yearlings. (W. Roberts.)

I have taken nursing females when as much as 100 ndles from I'rib-
ilof Islamls. I estimate that the seals killed by pelagic hunters are at
least *M) |)er cent fenndes; this estimate is based on tlu' great number
•of motherless pups I have observed on the rookeries, ami also <»ii state-

SEAL LIFE ON THE FKIHILOF ISLANDS.

267

n^^iitH made to ni» by iiiivny en;;aj;;(Ml in ]M>hi);ic sealing whom 1 met and
conversed witli at Tnalaska. (T. F. Kyaii.)

We cau^'ht lUl seals in Ilerin;; Sea that year (1.S84) from 'M) to 1 »0
miles oil' the seal ishiiids. 'Die most of them were females, tor the
reason tiiat they are not as cntc as males. A ^reat many of the t'enmles
had their breasts t'nil of milk, which wonid run ont on the dtM'k when
we skinned tliem. • • • .My tliird vnyajie was in 1S.SJ>. 1 sailed
from Yokohama on tlie Atrfir, aliont the latter pait of .laiiiiary. We
eleared uniler the Anieriean tla^'. • • • \v,. entered Herinjj Sea
about the 17th of May and eaiijrht about !M»o seals, the most of them
aroutul the fisliiiij^- banks Just north of tlie Aleutian Islands. The
majority of them wen- mother seals, (.lames Sloan.)

The majority of st-als tak«'n in Ih-rin;,' Sea are cows with milk. Hut
a very few yearlin;;'s are taken, and once in a while an old bull is taken.
The inah' seals taken are between "J and I years old. • • • i luive
taken female s«'als so miles i»lV the Pribilof Islands that were full of
milk. ( Fred Sinitii.)

Have killed cow seals that were fid! of ndlk over 40 miles from the
Pribilof Islands, (.loslina Stickland.)

I have never <'a|»tured any emvs in milk alony the coast, but when
in Ih'rin;; .Sea in ISSO I sealed rdV alnnit !>0 ndh's fr<»ni tiie seal islands
ami caii^'ht cows in ndlk there, (.lohn Tysnni.j

The majority of seals killed in the water are females, and all the
fenndes killed in lierin^' Sea are mothers who have lett I heir ]mi|is on
the rookeries and pine some distance from the island in seareh of food.
( Daniel VV«d>ster.)

Ninetv-rtve per eent of all the seals killed in llerin;; Sea are females.
(Theo. t. Williams.)

Thousands of the female seals were captured by the pelagic hunters
in Heriii;*' Sea durin^^ the season of 1S*M, the most of wjiicli had to be
secured quite a distance fri>;n the rookeries, (twin<«' to the pres«'iice of
arnu'd vessels pa troll in;;' the sea for miles around the islands. That I lie
slaufjhter of the seals was mostly of females was eonfirnnMl by the
thousands of d<'ad pups lyiny on tiie rookeries, starved to death l>y the
destruction of their moiluMs. (W. II. Williams.)

Wi' cau^iht a W'w seals in there ( I'.erin;;' S<'a). When we llrst went in
we did not see nniny, but altei- we were there awhile we saw plenty of
them that had hwar bi'easts that were full of milk, and our catch were

most all female;

The aveiaue would lie about one male to ten females.

We killed cows in milk b'lO mdes tVom the seal islands, (.lohn
WoodrulV.)

DKSTlirCTION OK FKMAl.K SKALS.

Ti'Htiiitonti of juUnfir Hi (tiers.

My experience in seal huntinf; is that a nnich greater number of
fenndes are taken at sei» than males of the fur seal species; and of the
fenndes ihe majority arc; prcjjjnant ov milkint;. (Andrew Amlerson.)

i). Do yon know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the I'acillcaud IJerinn Sea * — A. Yes; I have taken both male ami fennde
seals, but 1 suppose the jjri'ater per cent that I have taken would be
abiMit 1M» per cent, or even more.

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SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILoF ISLANDS.

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Q. What perceiitajjiJ of tlie Kkins you have taken wore cows? — A.
About IN) per cent, tor the simple reason that the hulls are not niigra
tory. ((ieorge Ball.)

Most all the seals taken by me have been cows. 1 think cows sleep
more and are more ensily a])proache(l. Never killed but seven ohl bulls
on the coast ot Washiiifjton in my life, but have taken a few pups every
year. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

Think the mii.jority of the seals taken are cows. Never killed but
two old bulls in my life. Have killed (piite a number of yearling seals
and some young males li or .'( years old. (Kdward Menson.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the I'ai'iHc and Bering Sea? — A. Mostly femiilcs.

Q. What percenfiige of the skins you have taken were cows? — A.
About Hi) per cent. (Daniel Claussen.)

From n«y experience, observation, and conversation with seal hunters
I am ot the opinion that fully To per cent of their catch are feniales.
(Leander Cox.)

I saw one stdiooner's catch examined at Unalaska in 1S8'.), and there
were found a liirge percentage of fenuile seals among them. (M.U.
Erskine.)

Of those taken probably four out of five are fenmles. (F. F. l-'eeny.)

The seals taken by them (the (J. II. White and the Kate Manning)
were nearly all fenniles. ((Jeorge Fogel.)

Have never killed an old bull in my life, nor have seen one the Inst
few years. (Luke Frank.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the st'als were that you have taken in
the I'acilic and Bering Sea? — A. The mnjority of them are females.
Last year I killed 72, and out of the 72 there was only 3 nniles.

Q. What percentiige of the skins ycai have taken were cows? — A.
About J>0 to y."> per cent. (Luther T. Franklin.)

Ot!" Cape Flattery there is hardly a dozen large nniles taken out of
every thousnnd large senls whose skins are called (irst class; all the
males taken here are snmll ones. (Thomas Frazer.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Tacitic and Bering Seaf — A. About '.K) per cent of them were
females.

Q. What iK'rcentage of the skins you havf« taken were cows ? — A.
About '.M» per cent. (E<lward W. Funcke.)

We canght alxtut !(»(► seals before entering the sea. Over 100 of them
were cows, (.lohn I'yfc.)

Caught 1,."»(K> seals on that v<)yage. We caught some a little ways
from Yictoriii, and on tin* way up to Bering Sea, but the most of them,
about 1.2(K». we caught in IJeringSca. 1 was told by the men that they
were nearly all females, and 1 tlionght so, too, from the milk that 1 saw
in their bn'asts when they were on the deck. I saw over a hundred
little jMips taken from the seals, which they threw overboard. ((Icorge
Grady.)

To the best of my knowledge and belief about seven of every ten
seals killed in pelagic sealing are females. (W. P. (hiftith.)

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SKAL LIFE ON TlIK rUlHILOl' ISLANDS.

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Q. What Hex aru tlie seal.s taken by you or usually killiMl l>y liuutiiig
vessels in the North Pacific or Heriii); SealF — A. Mostly temaU's. The
biggest perrentajir, I think, are females.

Q. VViiat pereentage of theni are cowsf — A. I couhln't tell you.

Q. Out of 100 seals that you wouhl cateli oidinarily what part of
them would bcuowsf — A. I am under «)ath, and I e«Mild not tell you
exactly. All 1 can say is the greater jiortiun of them. (Charles II.
Uogman.)

Think the seals taken by me have been about equally divided between
females and males. Have taken a nundter of yearlings and sonu; L' and
3 year old males. Have never killed an old bull. (Henry Haldaiie.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pacific antl HeringSea? — A. Twothinis of them are lemales.

Q. What percentage of the skins you have taken were cowsf — A.
Two-thirds, 1 Hliould say. ( William Henson.)

i). Do you know of what sex that you have taken in the Parillcand
Uering Sea f — A. The seals that I have taken were principally females.

Q. Wliat percentage of them are lemales* — A. It is very seldom that
you ever get hold of a male, ((iustave Isaaeman.)

My experience has been that tin- sex of the st'als usually killed by
hunters emphiyed on vessels under my command, both in the ocean and
Bering Sea, were cows. 1 should say that not less than so per rent of
those caught each year wen- of that sex. (.lames Kiernan.)

We caught about 400 or .'lOO seals before we got to Hering Sea. I
don't know the precise number. They were bulls and females mixed
in, but the general run of them w<>re tenuiles. (William Isaac.)

Q. Of what sex are the seals taken by you or usually killed by hunt-
ing vessels in the North Pacillc or Hering Sea ? — A. l'rin<'ipally females.

<^. What would be your Judgment as to the percentage? Out of UM)
that yt)U kill, how nnmy of them would be females? — A. Say I would
bring L>,000 seals in here, 1 nmy have probably about 100 unties; that
is a large average. (Alexander McLean.)

Q. What percentage of them are cows? Suppose you catch 100 seals,
how many mah's would you have among them? — A. About H». The
seals killed by me werealiout half malesand half females; have killed
but one old bull in my life. 1 have killetl quite a number of yearling
seals, Imt lu'ver examiiu'd them as to sex. (Frederick. Mason.)

Q. Do you know of what sex the seals were that you have taken in
the Pa<'illc and Hering Sea? — A. Mostly females.

<J. Wlmt percentage oi the skins yon have taken were cows?— A. 1
should Jiulg*' about 00 per c«'iit. (Frank Moiean.)

I i^an not give the exact t'stimate of the sex, but 1 know that a large
portion of them arc females. (Niles Nelson.)

Ingoing up the coast lo Fnimak Pass w(> caught about too seals,
nmstly females with young, and put their skins on boaiil the Ihoiuhv,
an ICnglish stejimboat, at Alatack Hay, and after we got into Hering
Sea we cau,;li> :' '0. We had 'JOO at the tinw the lii'utenant ordered us
out of the 8 'a, tin remainder we caught after. (John Olscn.)

We begab seal ng ot!' Cape Flattery and captured about itOO seals
along the coR.;t, most all of which were fennilesand yearlings. We did
not capture over 50 nuiles all told on this voyage. About \M per cent

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270

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

of all the seals we captured in the water were female seals. We canglit
350 seals along the coast, all of whicli were females excepting L'O.
(Charles Peterson.)

The majority of seal killed by me have been cows; have killed a few
small iiiiiles. (Showoosch.)

From what I have been able to learn, the majority of seals taken
around Kodiak are females. (J<>hn C Tolnian.)

In my conversation with men engaged in seal hunting in the open
water of the ^'orth I'acilic and J-ering Sea, I have not been able to get
SafHcieiit information to form a reliable estimate of the average number
saved out of the total nund)er shot nor of the percentage of females
killed. As a rule, t'.ie hunteis are extremely reticent about giving
information on the subject to officers of the Government, but from the
well-known fact that the female seal is mu(!h more easily approached
than the male, and sleeps more freciuently on the water, and is less
active when carrying her young, 1 have no doubt that the female is the
one that is being killed by the hunter. (Francis Tuttle.)

I believe the number they seizure is small as compared with the num-
ber they destroy. Were it males oidy that they killed the damage
would be temporary, but it is mostly females that they kill in the oi)en
■waters. (Daniel Webster.)

I never jiaid any particular attention as to the exact number of or
pro])ortion of each sex killed in Bering Sea, but I do know that the
larger i)ortion of them were females, and were mothers giving milk.
(Michael White.)

DECREASE OF SEALS.

Opinions of lohite scalers.

I have noticed a perceptible and gradual decrease in seal life for the
past few years, and attribute it to the large number of vessels engaged
in hunting them at sea. (Andrew Anderson.)

In the sea, seals are much more timid and make off as fast as possible
at the approach of a vessel, while formerly they were usually quite
curious and would sport and play about the vessel when come up with.
I believe this decrease and timidity is due to the indiscriminate slaughter
of the seals by pelagic sealers. (C. F. Anderson.)

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? — A. I attribute the decrease
to the indiscriminate slaughter of the seals. (George Ball.)

T believe that the decrease in fur-seal life, which has been constant of
late years, is due i)rincipally to the number of vessels engaged in hunt-
ing them at sea. (J. A. Bradley.)

Seven or eight years ago, when seals were hunted almost wholly by
Indians with spears, a vessel hunting in the vicinity of Cape Flattery
was sure of getting several hundred skins in about three months, from
March to the end of May, but at the present time a vessel is doing well
if she gets a much smaller number, because the skins bring much higher
prices. The records of "catches" in the last three or four years will
confirm any person who examines them in the belief that the seals are
decreasing in the Pacific Ocean on the American side. I have no reason
to doubt that it is the same on the Kussian side. At present they are
hunted vigorously and with better methods than formerly. The hunters

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

271

have had more experience and nnderstaud their habits better, but
liotwithstaudiug this, the catches are decreasing ott" the coast. (William
Breunan.)

Seals were not as numerous in 1887 as they were in 1877, and it is my
belief that the decrease in numbers is due to the hunting and killing of
female seals in the water. (James L. Carthcut.)

Have noticed that seals are becoming \ery scarce on the coast the
last few years. Tiie cause of the scarcity of tlie seals, I think, is too
many schooners in the North Pacific; Ocean and Uering Sea and the
indiscriminate killing of females with pup in the water. ( Peter Church.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
to the previous years? — A. 1 think there has. ^I3aniel Claussen.)

Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. To the
killing and hunting of them by seal hunters. I think the indiscriminate
killing of seals in Uering Sea is the cause of their scarcity along the
coast. (John C. Clement.)

There were not nearly as many seals to be found in 1889 as there
were in 1888. I think the decrease is caused by the great destruction of
females killed in the sea by the hunters. (Peter Collins.)

I attribute this decrease [of the seals] to the terrible slaughter now
going on in the sea. (Leander Cox.)

There can be but one cause for the scarcity of seals, aiul that is the
indiscriminate killing of them in the water, and unless that is stopped
the seals must soon be exterminated. The sea otter, which were plenty
on this coast at one time, are now scarcely seen at all, and the indis-
criminate slaughter of them in the water has almost entirely extermi-
nated the animal. Some few remain in the far north, but they are very
hard to secure. (William Duncan.)

Until hunting and killing were commenced by hunters in the open
sea, I observed no appreciable decrease in the number arriving, which
was about 1884. In my opinion the chasing of the seals and the shoot-
ing of them has a tendency to frighten them and disturb them, and
prevents their increasing as they would if they were left undisturbed
in the waters. (M. C. Erskine.)

The large decrease of seals in the waters of the ocean and sea must
unquestionably be caused by the indiscrimi.iate killing now going on by
poaching schooners, and if not discontinued it will most certainly be a
matter of a very few years before the seals will be exterminated. (M.
C. Erskine.)

The seals have most decidedly decreased in number, caused by the
continual hunting and killing in the open sea. (P. F. Feeny.)

I give them four years more, and if they keep on hunting them as
they do now there will be no more seals left worth going after. I
attribute the decrease in numbers to their being hunted so much. My
experience is that the seal herds in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
have been greatly dejdeted within the last few years by the constant
pursuit and killing of them in the water by hunters. (George Fogel.)

In my opinion, seals and all other fur-bearing animals are decreasing,
and the cause is pelagic hunting. (William Foster.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared

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SEAL lifp: on the pribilof islands.

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with previous years? — A. I liave not been on the islands in tlie last few
years, but I should imagine there has l>een a ftieat decrease.

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? — A. To the number of
vessels that are up there engaged in killing seals, nearly all of which
are females. Last year there were 72 vessels fitted out from Victoria
alone, to say nothing of vessels that are titted out at other places.
(Luther T. Franklin.)

The seals are not so numerous off Cape Flattery as they used to be
some years ago, and it is my opinion it is owing to the constant hunting
by so many schooners. (Thomas Frazer.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
with previous years? — A. There is a decrease of about 20 or 'M) per
cent.

Q. To what do j'ou attribute the decrease 1 — A. 1 attribute it to their
being overhunted. (Edward W. Funcke.)

I am decidedly of the opinion that fur-seal life has considerably
<lecreased of late years, and believe it is due principally to pelagic
sealing. (A. J.dould.)

While at anchor off St. Paul Fsland, the pui)s playing about the vessel
were very few, and while making a ]>assage between Unalaska and
Pribilof Islands, during the breeding season, did not see a d(>zen in the
open sea dnring the whole trip, where formerly I met hundreds. In
^oing from Unalaska to Atka and returning, during the last of May
and the tirst part of .lune of this year (181)2), I did not see a single fur
seal in the water. 1 attribute this great decrease to the indiscriminate
slaughter of the species by pelagic sealers an»l their wastetul methods
of securing skins. (Charles J. Hague.)

Q. To what do you attribute this decrease? — A. Too many in the
business, I suppose; too many after them.

Q. Woijld you attribute it to the killing of the females, and thereby
there are not nearly as many born? — A, Certainly; it has got all to do
with it.

Q. Then really you attribute the decrease to the killing of the fe-
males? — A. Yes, sir. (H. Harmsen.)

1 am decidedly of the opinion that the decrease in numbers of seals
in the North Pacific and liering Sea is owing to i)elagic hunting, and
that unless discontinued they will soon become iso nearly extinct as to
be worthless for commercial purposes. (J. M. Hays.s

I think the seals are not near as plenty as a few years ago, and they
are nuich more shy and harder to catch now than they were when I
first went out sealing. I think this is caused by hunting them so much
with guns. (James Hay ward.)

Q. W there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. To the
amount of seal hunters and hunting that is actually going on. (Andrew
J. Hoffman.)

Seals have decreased very fast the last three years. The decrease is
caused, I think, by the indiscriminate killing of seals in the water.
(E. Hofstad.)

Q. To what do you attribute the cause! — A. Killing off" the females.
Whale killers and sharks kill a good many. (Gustave Isaacson.)

Q. To what do you attribute the cause of this decrease? — A. The
increase of the fleet and killing off' all the females. (Frank Johnson.)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIMIUJF ISLANDS.

273

■ the fe-

iiease is
water.

My knowledge, being from long experience, is that the seals are
becoming gradually scarcer in the northern waters, particnlarly so iu
later years. The cause of this decrease I believe to be tiie indiscriniri-
nate slaughter of the mother seals. They are hunted too much, and
hence mother seals are becoming scarcer, which, if not checked, will
lead to their early extermination, (.lames Kiernan.)

He also told uic, from his own knowledge, that the rdiuckelset Indi-
ans had a few years ago caught ott" the coast l,(iO() seals in a season,
and that now they could catch hardly any; that the white men's guns
were not only destroying the seals, but driving them farther from the
coast. (Francis R. King- Hall.)

In my opinion, fur-seal life has not only enormously decreased in
numbers since 188(J. but it has become greatly scattered and grown
wilder and more timid, forsaking many jdaces where they were formerly
to be found at certain seasons of the year engaged in feeding. This I
attribute to the large nuniber of vessels engaged in killing fur seals
indiscriminately at sea. (James E. Lennan.)

If they keep on hunting them in Bering Sea and the North Pacific in
the same way they have done in the last few years, they will exterminate
them in the same way, because most all the seals killed are females.
The young ones will all die, and every female seal \ ou shoot makes the
killing of two, because after the seal has given birth to her young the
pup will starve to dejith on the land, or when you shoot them in the
water they may have a pup inside. (Caleb Lindahl.)

I have observed a very great de»!rease in fur-seal life since 188."), and
believe it is almost entirely due to the Lirge numbers of vessels engaged
in pelagic sealing. (E. VV. Littlejohn.)

The seals are nmch less plentifnl the last year 1 sealed than the first.
I attribute this decrease to the hunting of them iu the water and the
increased number of boats and men engaged in the business iu the last
few years. (William H. Long.)

Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as compared
to previous years?— A. There has been a decrease.

Q. To what do you attribute the decrease? — A. To the hunting of
the seals iu Bering Sea. (Charles Lutjens.)

There can be but one rer.son for the decrease, and that is they are
hunted too much in the open waters. (J. D. McDonald.)

There were not as many seals in 1890 as there were in 188!). I think
there are t,o many boats and hunters out after them that they are being
killed off. They are hunted too much. (William iMcIsaac.)

There were not as many seals as formerly. Have noticed the decrease
in the hist three years; caused, I think, by the indiscriminate killing of
female seal. (James McKeen.)

I was also cod fishing in 1884. There were a great many more seals
in the water then than there were in 1889. In 1884, when we were cod
Ashing, we met the steam whaler Thrasher, and I heard the captain
remark that it was a damned shame the way they were killing the female
seals in Bering Sea. (William McLaughlin.)

Q. To what do you attribute this decrease? — A. I think this is on
account of killing those female seals when they have pups, and the
business is getting so that so many vessels are going into it, and they

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274

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'lilBILOF ISLANDS.

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are killing those pups off. A seal lias not got a cliance to go to work
and iiKiease.

Q. The mother seals? — A. Yes, sir. (Alexander McLean.)

Q. Have you noticed any decrease in the (juantity of animals in the
last few years? — A. Yes, sir.

Q. To what do you attribiite tiie cause? — A. Killing off the females.
(Daniel McLean.)

I have given up tiie sealing business because the slaughtering of the
female seals is unikiug them so scarce that it does not pay. (James
Maloy.)

I think seals .are not as plentiful as they used to be; caused, I think,
by the indiscriminate killing of females with pup. (G. E. Miner.)

Q. To what do you attribute that decrease? — A. From the kilUng of
seals, both by liunters and others. (Frank Morreau.)

Deponent further says that he thinks that the decrease in tlie num-
ber of seals found in the rookeries and the increase in the number of
dead pui)s are caused directly by the open sealing in the sea, commonly
called poaching. (T. F. Morgan.)

I am not able to say wliethcr the seal herd is decreasing, but it is
reasonable to suppose that where they are hunted and harassed at all
times by so many hunters they arc sure to be driven from their usual
haunts, if not totally destroyed. (Nelson T. Oliver.)

Seals were not as plentiful in 188() as they were in 188.1. I think the
prhicipal cause of that decrease is on account of killing the females in
the water, and also through their getting shy by being chased by the
boats. (Nilcs Nelson.)

Since the use of rifles and shotguns has become common seals are
miich less in numbers and are more shy and timid. (William Parker.)

Seals are not near as plentiful as when I went out in 1888, and I
believe the decrease is due to their being hunted so much with shot-
guns and rides. (Edwin P. Porter.)

I know that the seals are rapidly decreasing, and I believe it is causea
by killing fcmjiles in the water. (Adolphus Sayers.)

I took very great interest in the seals, because I used to hunt them
myself, and 1 noticed a great decrease in the number of seals from what
there was formerly, when 1 was on sealing voyages. It was, in fact, so
marked that I called the captain's attention to it, saying that we had
seen very few seals. They have been getting scarcer every year since
I have been going to Bering Sea, and if something is not done right
away to protect them there will be no more seals in these waters. I
know as a fact that they are killing them indiscriminately, and all the
hunters care about it is to get a skin. 1 know something about it, as I
have been sailing from this coast up along those waters for nineteen
years, and, as I said before, I paid particular attention to them, and I
firmly believe if they allow the killing in the sea to go on as they are
now doing it will only be a question of a few years before there will not
be enough to i)ay anyone to hunt them. (James Sloan.)

I think the seals are decreasing in number all the time, because there
are more vessels out hunting after them and are killing off the female
seals. (Cyrus Stepherns.)

arker.)

36 there
female

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

275

Q. If there is ii decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. On
aceouut of so much extermination and hunting by tlie seal hunters.
(Gustave Sundvall.)

[have heard that seal have been decreasing the last tew years; caused,
1 think, by pelagic sealing. (W. Thomas.)

The decrease, i tiiink, is caused by the indiscriminate killing of
female seals. (Rudolph VValson.)

Fnmi what 1 kiinw seals liave l)een decreasing very fast in recent
years. Think the decrease is caused by tlie indiscriminate killing in
the North Pacific Ocean and IJering Sea. (l\ S. Weittenheller.)

My exi)erience is that tlie seals have been decreasing in numbers tor
the last six or seven j-cars, and within tiie past two or three years very
rapidly, owing to the indiscriminate killing of tliem by pelagic hunters
and vessels engaged in that business in the waters of the Nortli Pacific
and Bering Sea. (Michael White.)

INOKEASK OF SEALING FLEET.

Pelagic sealing as an industry is of recent origin and niijy be said to
date from 1870. In 1880, according to the official report of the Cana-
dian minister of marine and lisheries, 7 vessels and 213 men were
engaged in pelagic sealing in the Noith Pacific, securing 13,000 skins,
valued at 8103,200. The same authority states that in 18S(! 20 vessels
and 459 men secured 38,007 skins, valued at $380,070. In 1801 the
number of United States and Canadian vessels had increased to over
100; upward of 2,000 men were engaged, and more than 02,000 skins
were secured. (Report of American conimissioners.)

The number of seal skins actually recorded as sold ^as a result of
pelagic sealing is shown in the following table:

War.

Nuiiiber.

Vcar.

1877

NiiinliPr.

5, 700
9, .■.9:t

12, .'pOO

13, (illU

i;),54i

Year.

1882

188:;

1884 . .

Xuniber.

Year.

1,^87

Number.

1872

1 (12!)

. . 17. 700

9, 195

n 14, Olio

'Xi 800

1871!

'.'. "'4,' 949
1,640
2. 042

1878

1888

:t7 789

1871

1K79

18811

1881

1889

1 890

40, 098
48 'ilO

187.'j .

XHsr,

\Sii\

i;t, (100

;18, 907

1870

1891

62, 500

(( yiimber estimati'd t'rnm value yivcii.

One reason for deponent's opinion that the total nund)er of .seals in
the Pacific and Bering Sea has diminished very rapidly is the fact —
which deponent knows from the lact that he buys so large a portion of
the poacher.s' catch — that there are now engaged in what is called
•'poaching" about 80 vessels, and that about live years ago not more
than 10 vessels were engaged in i)oaching; that tlie total number of
skins brought in by the whole 80 vessels is now^ not very much greater
than the number brought in five years by 10 vessels. The poaching
vessels a few years ago have been known to get as many as 3,000 or
4,000 skins, and deponent has bought 4,000 skins from one vessel,
whereas no poaching vessel now gets more than a few hundred with
the same size crew. One vessel last year sailing from Victoria made
a catch of 1,900 skins, but this is now an altogether exceptional catch,
and this vessel had a crew twice as large as poaching vessels for-
merly carried, and was equipped with from 12 to 15 boats instead of 5

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276

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

or (i. One or two other poaeliiiifjj vessels al.so inside liir;>e(,'atclie.s — that
is, over 1,LJ()0 skins — but the averaj^e catch of the |)oa('hiiig vessels is
uot more than a lew huiulrod each. This is true, aUhough the poaeli-
iug vessels are now equii>pe(l with much more exp.rieneed shooters,
with better ritles. and with better boats than any of the vessels liad
five years ago. Many of the poaciiing v<'ssels now have boats pointed
at both ends, so that th<'y can go backward and forward with equal
ease; the old i)oacher only had ordinary ships' boats. Deponent
knows this to be true because he has seen the boats and talked with
the captains of the schooners about them. (Herman Liebes.)

1 never saw many sealing schooners before 1884, but they have been
coming more and more every year since, and i notice that as the schoon-
ers multiply in the sea the seals decrease on the rookeries. (Aggei
Kushen.)

From 1885 to the present time the tleet of ])redatory vessels has con-
stantly increased in proportion as the seal herd has decreased on the
rookeries. * * * A very noticeable decrease in the herd commenced,
as 1 have already pointed out, in 188«i, and was coincident in time and
proportionate in extent with tlie nund)er of seals destroyed in the water.
The business ot pelagic sealing in IJering !Sea tirst assumed consider-
able proportions in 1884, and in that year dead pup seals tirst became
numerous enough upon the rookeries to excite remark upon the islands.
As the sealing tJcet increased the starved anlnuils became more numer-
ous. In 1887 fourteen vessels were seized for illegal sealing, and the
efleet was seen in the following year, when a much less number engaged
in the business and the Bering Sea catch amounted, as I am informed,
to about ;?4,000 skins against about I!),(HH) or 20,000 in 1888. The lailure
of the United (States Government to vigorously pursue in 1888 and the
following ye.ars the repressive policy so auspiciously begun in 1887, led
to a large inerq^se of the sealing lleet and corresponding destruction of
the herd, but the luohibition of pelagic sealing nevertheless continued,
and the usual proclamation was published by the Government warning
all parties not to kill seals in Bering Sea or waters adjacent to the
Alaskan coast. (H. II. Mclntyre.)

Up to 1883 and 1884 it was only an occasional venturesome vessel
that came ai'ound and secured a few hundred skins and thought itself
lucky and cleared out, but since that time not even the smallest craft
is satisfied unless it secures its thousands of pelts regardless of sex.
(W. S. Hereford.)

While in Bering Sea during the summer of 1809 I never saw a vessel
sealing about the islands or anywhere in the sea, nor did I hear any
report of the presence of such sealing vessels in those waters. (J. A.
Henriques.)

I do not know of any sealing schooner that went to Bering Sea until
Captain McLean went there about nine years ago in the Favorite.
(William Parker.)

Q. What effect, in your opinion, does the increase in the number of
poaching vessels in Bering Sea have upon seal life? — A. Since the
number of sealing vessels has increased the number of seals coming to
the islands has correspondingly decreased. * * * In 1884 the seal-
ing schooners became numerous. I believe there were about 30 in the
sea that year, and they have increased very rapidly every year since,
until now there are said to be about 120. (J. O. Redpath.)

SEAL LIFK ON I'lIE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

277

I first went out in 1885, in the sciiooiier Cify of San Dicyo^ cliartored
by myself and others, and my cateh tor that year was between U,.">(I0
and -',400 seals. Of that number about 1,0(M) weie cau^iht in Bering
Sea. Tliere were but very fe- vessels sealing' ;it that time. (Michael
White.)

DECREASE OF SEALS — PELAGIC SEALING THE SOLE CAUSE.

ili»

^87, led

Opinions of Indian hunters.

Fur seals were formerly much more plentiful, however, but of late
years are beeominy constantly scarcer. This is, we think, owinj-' to the
number of vessels enyafted in hunting them at sea. (.lohn AlexandrolT.)

Fur seals were formerly observed in this neighborhood in great num-
bers, but of late years tliey have been constantly diminishing, owing
to the large number of sealing vessels engaged in hunting and killing
them. (Nicoli Apokchee.)

I have noticed that seal have decreased very rapidly in the last three

years,

owing

the

to too many schooners engaged in sealing alonj
coast of Alaska and liering Sea. (Adam Ayonkee.)

The seal .are not near as plentiful as they used to be. The cause of
the decrease is, I tiiink, to<> many scliooners hunting them off Prince
of Wales Island and around Dixons Entiance. (Maurice Bates.)

Seal are not as plentiful on the coast as they used to be. They have
been decreasing very fast the last few years. I tiiink this is caused by
the indiscriminate killing in the water. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

Seal are getting very scarce. I think the cause of the scarcity is too
many people hunting seal. (Edward Benson.)

Seals were very plenty in tlie straits and around the cape until about
six years ago, when the white hunters came in schooners and with shot-
guns and commenced to kill them all off, and now there is none in the
straits and we can not get but one oi- two where we used to get eight or
ten. They are very shy and wild, and are decreasing very rapidly.
(Bowachup.)

White hunters came here about live or six years ago and commenced
shooting the seals witii guns, since which time they have been rapidly
decreasing and are becondng very wild. Wlien we hunt seals with
spears we creep upon them while asleep on the water and spear them.
A few years ago my people would catch from 8,000 to 10,000 each year;
now we get only about 1,000 or less. * * » Seals used to be very
numerous along the coast about Cape Flattery, and no decrease was
ever noticed in their numbers until soon after the white hunters came
around here — about seven yeai's ago — and commence<l shooting them.
Since that time they have decreased fast and have become very shy.
(Peter Brown.)

They were formerly much more plentiful than now, which is owing,
we believe, to the number of vessels engaged in killing them at sea.
(Ivan Canetak.)

Years ago seals were very plentiful from 5 to 10 miles from the shore.
I could see them all around in bunches of from 10 to 20 each, but since
the white man has commenced to kill them with the rifle and shotgun
(in the last five or six years) they have decreased very rapidly. (Charlie.)

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278

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Fur st'jils have (Un'reast'd very rapidly duriiiK" tlie last five years, and
we believe it is due to tlie larj^e number of vessels engaged in bunting
them at sea. (Vussili Chichinot!'.)

Have noticed the seiil are decreasing very fast the last four years;
too many sehooners are hunting them in the open waters of the Pacilic
Ocean and Bering Sea, (Chinkootin.)

The last tive years fur seal has been growing very scarce, and it is
hard to get any now. There are too many white men with scihooners
bunting tliem off Dixons Entrance, and unless it is stopped the seal
will be all gone. (William Clark.)

Seals are now very scarce and wild along tlie <'oast. I believe the
cause of this is that white hunters have been hunting them so much
with guns. (James Claplanhoo.)

Seals used to be very i)lentiful, an<l 1 never noticetl any dectrease in
their number until white hunters commenced coming here and killing
them with guns, about six or seven years ago; since tliat they have
decreased very rapidly and have got very shy. Our tribe used to
have no diflficulty in catching 8,<KM) to l(>,0()() seals and now we can

not get a thousand. (Circus Jim.)

I have been out sealing on the coast this sjjring in a schooner that
carried 10 canoes, with two hunters to each canoe. We were cmt three
days and caught 5 seals. If we had l)een <nit that long six or eight
years ago with the same crew we would have taken between (50 and 100
seals. Seals are wild and shy now, and have be<*ome very scarce. I
think the reason for this is that thej' have been hunted so much by
white hunters who use firearms. (Jett". Davis.)

Some years ago the fur seal were plenty off the islands, but since the
schooners have liunted them they are nearly all gone, and it is hard for
the Indians of this village to get any. (Eshon.)

Seals are not so i)lentiful as they were a few years ago. They began
to decrease about five or six years ago. A good many years ago 1 used
to capture seals in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, but of late years,
since so many schooners and white men have come around here shoot-
ing with guns, only a few come in here and we do not hunt in the
Straits any more. I used to catch 40 or 50 seals in one day, and now
if I get () or 7 1 would have great luck. I have to go a long distance
to get seals now. Seals are wild and afraid of an Indian. They have
become so since the white men and the trader began to slu)ot them with
shotguns and ritles. In a short time there will be no seals left for the
Indian to kill with a spear. (Ellabush.)

Fur seals were formerly much more numerous than of late years, and
are each year becoming constantly scarcer. 1 believe this decrease is
due to the number of vessels which are engaged in hunting them at
sea. (Vassili Feodor.)

When 1 was a young man there were h)ts of seals around Queen
Charlotte Islands, but now they have become scarce. The last few
times I was out after them I did not see a seal. They have been grow-
ing scarcer every year since the white man began hunting them in
schooners. ^ Frank.)

Fur seal are not as plenty as they used to be, and it is hard for the
Indians to catch any. I think there are too many white men in
schooners hunting seals around Dixons Entrance. (Chief Frank.)

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

279

Since the white men have been huntiii}'' the seal with schooners they
have become very scarce, and it is hard for the Indians to get any ia
their canoes. (Luke Frank.)

Seal have decreased on the coast very fast the last four years. The
reason of the decrease is too much hunting and indiscriminate killing.
(Chad George.)

The seal are becMiming very scarce, caused, I think, by the white men
hunting them too much. (Charles Gibson.)

Seal are becoming very scarce this last three or four years, and Iiulian
hunters can hardly kill them now. Too many schooners are hunting
seal, and Indian Imnters have to go a long way in their caiioci in order
to get any, and they seldom kill one. (Gonastut.)

Have noticed that seals are dectreasing the last four years, caused, I
think, by too many white men hunting seal in the waters of the Pacific
Ocean aiul l>ering Sea. (James Gondowen.)

Fur seals have decreased in numbers of late years, and we believe it
is due i)rincii>ally to the large number of vessels hunting them at sea.
(Nicoli Gregoroff.)

The seal are not nearly as plentiful as they once were, and I think
they are hunted too much by schooners. (Henry llaldane.)

Seals are not as plentiful now as they were before whiie men com-
menced hunting them with guns around here some six or seven years
ago. They are more shy now and it is much more difficult for the hunt-
ers to creep uj) and spear them tlian it was a few years ago. (Alfred
Irving.)

Years ago we could see seals all over the water. They are not so
plentiful now. They have been growing less and less ever since the
white man came in and began to hunt them with guns, about six or
seven years ago, and so many vessels went into the business. (Ishka.)

My idea is that there are too many camp fires iiround on the coast of
Alaska that scare the seals out to sea. The seal smell the smoke and
wont come near the laiul ; and there are a large number of people shoot-
ing seal, which scares them away also. (Jack Johnson.)

There are too many schooners hunting seal ott Prince of Wales
Island, aiul it is hard for Indians to get any in canoes. (Johnnie
Johnton.)

Have noticed that seal are decreasing very fast the last few years
along the coast, caused, I think, l)y pelagic sealing. * * * Think
the seals are most all killed by the pelagic; seal hunters in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean so far from the land that the Indians have no
chance to get any in canoes, as they only go a short distance from the
shore. (P. Kahiliday.)

Do not know why the munber of the fur seal seen about these islands
are now less than in former years. (Samuel Kahoorotl'.)

I think the seal are about as plentiful along this coast, but much more
scarce farther west. The cause of this scarcity is too much pelagic
hunting. (Philip Kashevaroff.)

When I was a young man the seal were very plentiful around here,
but since the schooners began hunting them they have become very
scarce. The white hunter destroyed the sea otter and will soon destroy

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280

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILUF ISLANDS.

the Meal. 1 don't like to see the schooners around here hunting; seal,
for they kill everythinff they see, and unless they are stopped the seal
will soon be gone. The sea otter is already gone. (King Kashwa.)

Heals have been growing scarcer the last Hve years, since the wliite
man began hunting them with schttonors, and it' they are not stopjied
the seal will soon be all gone. (Jim Kasooh).

Seals have de(Meased very rapidly along this coast in the last three
or four years. The decrease is caused 1 think, by schooners using
shotguns and rides and killing mostly feni; i* seals. (Mike Kethusduck.)

Tlie reason of the scarcity is, I think, that there are too many white
hunters sealing in the open waters. (Kinkooga.)

Seal are becoming very scarce on the t-oast. The reason they are
becoming so scarce is that hunters shoot them with guns and kill cows
with pup. ((). Klananeck.)

Seal used to be plentiful, but now they are nearly all gone. They
are too much hunted by the white men with s,!hooners. (James Klo-
racket.)

Seal have beconu! very scarce the last three years, and what few there
are are very wild and hard to get at. 1 think the reason that seal have
become seance is that they are hunted too nuich, and too nmny feniales
killed with pup. (Robert Kooko.)

Have noticed that seal are decreasing very fast the last few years.
I think the cause of the decrease is tlnat there ar" too niany schooners
hunting seal in Bering Sea an<l along the North Pacitic Coast. (John
Kowineet.)

Seal are not as plentiful as in former years; have noticed the decrease
in the last three or four years. Think the cause of the decrease is the
great number of schooners sealing in the North Pacilic Ocean and Ber-
ing Sea. (George Lacheek.)

Seals are not nearly so plentiful now as they used to be. About seven
years ago white men commenced to hunt seals in this vicinity with guns,
since which time they have been decreasing in numbers, and liave
become wild and hard to catch. * * * Seals are not so plentiful
and are more shy than they used to be, and are more ditlicult to catch,
because they have been hunted so nuich for the last five or six years
M'ith guns. (James Lighthouse.)

White hunters in numbers commenced to hunt them around Cape
Flattery with guns about six years agt>, and since that time the seals
havr decreased very rapidly. (Thomas Lowe.)

Since the white man with schooners has been hunting seal they have
been growing scarcer every year, and unless they are stopped the seal
will soon be all gone. The hulians now have to go a long way and
suffer great hardships in order to get any. (Charles Martin.)

After careful inquiry among our oldest people and weighing my own
experience and observations, 1 believe the decrease of the Alaskan fur
seal is due altogether to pelagic hunting. (S. Melovidov.)

Since the schooners have conunenced to hunt seal they are becoming
very scarce, and the Indians have to go a long ways to get the few that
they do. (Matthew Morris.)

Years ago seals were much more plentiful than they are now, and I

SEAL LIFK ON THE nUHILOF ISLANDS.

281

They

aud I

could see them all around in bunclu'S on the water, but since the white
man came here and commenced to kill them with the riHe and the shot-
gun, within the last five or six years, they have rapidly decreased in
number. (Moses.)

When I was a youii}? man seals were very ])lentiful of!" Prince of
Wales Island and IJixous Entrance, but since the schooners have
begun hunting seals they have become very scarce, and Indians now are
obliged to go a long ways to kill any, and sometimes they will hunt for
days without getting a seal. (Nashtou.) •

Since the white men with schooners began to hunt seals, the last live
or six years, seals have become very scarce, and it is hard for the 1 iidians
to get any now. They have to go a long way and hunt a long time in
order to get one or two seals. (Smith Natch.)

The last four or live years seals have been growing s(!arcer every
year, owing, I think, to too many white men hunting seals in schooners
ort" Queen (Jliarlotte Islands and in JMxous. (Dan Nathlan.)

I think the reasiui of the seal be(;omiiig so scarce every year is that
there are too many white men hunting seal in I>ering Sea ami the Pacitic
Ocean and it should be stoj)ped. (Nechantake.)

Seals are not near as plenty as they used to be; too many ininters are
catching them and indiscriminately killing them. (James Neishkaitk.)

When I was a young nmn seals were much more j)le'i{.ful than tliey
are now. The last three years, since the schooners began hunti :ig seals,
they have becom. , f^^y scarce, and it is hard lor the Indians tv g< t any
now. This year they have killed but two. (Nikla ah.)

The Indian fur-seal hunters of my people all tell me that tlie fur seal
are becoming very scarce; too nniny white men are killing them all the
time, and they kill cows with pup, as well as other kinds. 1 am the
chief of my peoi)le,and they all tell me what they know. (Peter Olsen.)

Seal are getting very scarce along the coast; cans*' of the scarcity
is, 1 think, too many schooners hunting them off Prince of Wales Island.
(Abel Ryan.)

Since the schooners have hunted seal ott" the Priuce of Wales Island
the seals have bei^ome scarce, and it is hard for the Indians to get any
in canoes. In former times they used to get plenty. (Jack Shnoky.)

The disapi)earance of the fur seal is due to the killing by pelagic
seal hunters, who appear in large numbers off this ])art of the coast;
and the scarcity of the fur seals is in proportion to the number of ves-
sels engaged iu seal hunting. (Alex. Shyha.)

Seal have become very scarce the last few years. Too many white
men are engaged in killing seal. (Martin Singay.)

Have noticed a large decrease in seal in the last three years, caused,
I think, by pelagic sealing in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
(Jack Sitka.)

Since the white men have been hunting with schooners they have
become very scarce, and Indians are obliged to go a long way and stop
away from home a long time in order to get any, and after being away
there four or five days they frequently return without killing one seal,
they have become so scarce. (Thomas Showl.)

There are no seal left now ; they are most all killed off. The last ten

1 :■:'■■

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282

SEAL LIFE ON THE PUIRILOF ISLANDS.

years the seal have been decreasing very fast — ever since the white men
with schooners began to hunt them. (George Skultka.)

Seal have been growing scarce along the coast the last four years.
Think there are too many schooners engaged in sealing in the North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. (M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Have noti(!ed a large decrease the last four years. I think tliat
pelagic sealing in Bering Sea is the cause of the seal becoming scarce
along the coast. (Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Have heard all the Indians of different tribes say that seal nrebe<'om-
ing very scarce in the last three or four years. They also say that unless
the schooners are stoi)ped from sealing in Mering Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean the seal will all be gone, and none will be left tor the
Indians or anyone else. The seal have become so scarce of late years
that I don't know much about them. (Twongkwak,)

During the last five or six years seals have decreased in numbers
very rapidly. A great many of the white men are i)Oor hunters and
lose a great many of the seals that they shoot. They shoot, .and shoot,
and shoot, and don't get any seals, and that makes them wild, so that
an Indian cjin't get near them with a spear. (.lohn Tysum.)

Have noticed the seal have been decreasing along the coast the last
four years. Think the cause of the de<;rease is that tliere are too many
schooners engaged in pelagic sealing in Bering Sea. (James irnat.ojim.)

Last year was a very bad season. The Indians think scarcity of seals
is due to the method of hunting them adopted by the whites, by which
the seals are scared away. (Francis Verbeke.)

Have noticed the seal are decreasing very fast, particularly the last
four years, caused by the indiscriminate killing of seal in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. (Charlie Wank.)

So many schooners and white men are hunting them with guns all
along the coast that tiiey are getting all killed off. (VVatklns.)

Formerly the Indians hunted them for food, but nowadays white men
and Indians hunt them for their fur, and they are rapidly dinnnishing
in number. (Weckenunesch.)

Seals were always plenty in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca and
along the coast until the white hunter came here and commenced slioot-
'ing them some six or eight years ago; since that time they have
decreased very rapidly. (Charley White.)

Seals are becoming very scarce since the white men began hunting
them in schooners, (liilly Williams.)

Seals have become scarce the last three or four years, and the cause
of it is, I think, the indiscriminate killing of seals in the water. (Fred
Wilson.)

Seals are not near so plenty as they were seven or eight years ago.
I think the cause of this is that they have been hunted so much by
white hunters, who use shotguns and rifles. (Wispoo.)

Have noticed the seal are decreasing very fast, owing to so many
schooners hunting seals in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean and
Bering Sea. (Michael Wooskort.)

The seal, like the sea otter, are becoming very scarce. I think if the
schooners were prohibited from taking seal in Bering Sea and along the

SEAL LIFE ON THK PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

283

coast of Alaska the seal would become plentiful au<l tbe Indians could
kill then) once more in canoes. (Yahkah.)

Since the white men witli schooners began to hunt seal off I'rince of
Wales Island the seal have become very scarce, and unless they are
stopped from hunting seal they will soon be all ^one. If the white men
are permitted to hunt seal mucli longer the fur seal will become as
scarce as the sea ottei*, which were quite plenty around Dixons
Entrance when I was a boy. Tlie Indians are obliged to go a long way
for seal now and often return after two or three day>' hunt without
taking any. (Hastings Yethnow.)

Seal have been decreasing very rapidly the last few years, and it is
hard for our jieople to get them. There are too many white men hunt-
ing then) witl) scl)oo))ers off i'rince of Wales Island. (Paul Young.)

Since the white n)an began to hunt seal they are bccoujing very
scarce. (Walter Young.)

Within the last live or six years seals have decreased in )iuinber very
fast and a)'e becoming very shy, and it is diflictUt to creep u])on them
and hit then) with the s])ear. Years ago the heads of seals along the
coast would stick up out of the water almost as thick as the staivi in
the heavens, but since the white n)en with so many schooners have
come and began to shoot and kill then) with the guns they have become
very scarce. (Ilish Yulla.)

If so n)any white hunters keep hunting the seal with shotguns as
they do now it will be but a short tin)e before they will be all gone.
(Thomas Zolnoks.)

DECREASE <»K SEALS — RESULTS OF INDISCUIMINATE SLAU(JHTER.

1.!

I » I

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of a seal in the water, unless
it is an old b)dl. 1 am unable to .state anything as to the ju-oportion
of females takoi, but the seal hunter shoots evei'V kind of seal he sees.
(0. A. Abbey.)

I can not tell the difference between the male and female seal while
in the water, except it be an old bull. (I'eter Brown.)

I shoot all seal ti)atcome iiea)'ti)e canoe and use no (liscrimi nation, as I
can not distinguish a young bull fi-ou) a cow iu tiie water. All hunters
shoot everythijig tliat <'omes near thei)- boats. (Akatoo.)

No discrin)ii)atiou is or can be used; everything is gaine that comes
within range of the hunter's weapon. (A. li. Alexiimler.)

It is impossible to distinguish the male fiom the fen)ale at a distance
in the water. (II. Andricius.)

It is impossible to distingJiish sex who) the seals are swin)n)ing, and
killing is indiscriini))a^e. (Charles Avo-y.)

The sex of seal can not be told in the water. I shoot everything that
comes near the boat. (Adau) Ayonk'ee.)

1 used no discrimii)ation, but killed everything that can)e near the
boat in shape of a sea). Never stopped to ask if it is female or not. A
few ohl bulls have been taken by me. (Johnny Barouovitch.)

Everything that comes near the boat in the shape of a seal is shot,
rega)<lles8 of sex. (Maurice liates.)

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284

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP LSLANDS.

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water; I shoot everything
that comes near the boat. (Wilton C. Bennett.)

We kill everything that comes near the boat, and use no discrimina-
tion, but shoot them regardless of sex. (Edward Benson.)

We kill everything regardless of sex; the sex of the seal can not be
told in the waters. (Martin Benson.)

It is almost impossible to distinguish the female seals from the male
in the water unless it is an old bull. (Bernhardt Blcidner.)

It is not possible to make any distinction between males (other than
large bulls) and females of the fur-seal species at sea and there is none
attempted. Full-powered bulls are, however, readily recognized at sea
by their nuich larger size and darker fur; they are seldom taken, their
pelts being comparatively valueless. The slaughter is therefore indis-
criminate, the object being to secure all the skins possible. (J. A.
Bradley.)

.We used to shoot at anything we ran across, and got about a third
of what we killed or wounded. 1 do not know how many miles ott" the
seal islands we were when we caught them, as 1 did not know the dis-
tances. (Thomas Bradley.)

It is not easy to tell a bull from a cow or either from a year-old pup
when they are in the water, and tlie hunters must shoot at all the seals
they see. If they get them they are fortunate, for at the best numy
are lost. Some hunters rarely miss a seal they fire at. but many are
wounded, and a seal with a i'harge of bullets and buckshot in him must
be in very vigorous health to recover. Some hunters never miss a seal
during the season, but if others get one out of four they wound they
are doing well. (William Brennan.)

It is i)ractically imi)0S8ible to distinguish the age or sex of seals in
the water while approaching them while at a reasonable gunshot dis-
tance from them, excepting in the case of old bulls. (Uenry Brown.)

Use no discrimination, but kill all seal that come near the boat.
The best way to shoot seal to secure them is to shoot them in the back
of the head when they are asleep with their noses in the water. (Peter
Brown.)

I can not distinguish male seals from female at a distance in the
water, unless it be an old bull with a long wig. (Landis Callapa.)

I can not distinguish male seals from female ii the water except in
the case of an old bull, which is told by its size. Use no discrimination,
but kill everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat.
(Charles Campbell.)

There is no way of distinguishing the sex of fur sejils (except large
bulls) in the water at sea, nor do hunters ever make any eilbrt to
do so, but, on the contrary, kill all seals they can indiscriminately.
(Vassili Chichinoff.)

Sex of the seal can not be told in the water unless it be an old bull.
All seal are shot that come near the boat, regardless of sex. (Simeon
Chin-koo-tin.)

It is imi)ossible to distinguish the sex of the fur seal in the water at
sea, and no effort was made to do so. We killed all fur seals indis-
criminately. (Julius Christiansen.)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 285

The sex of the seal can not be distinguished in the water. 1 shoot
everything that conies near enough. ( Peter Church.)

I am unable to tell a male seal from a female while in the water,
unless it be an old bull with a long wig. (James Claplanboo.)

The sex «!an not be told in the water, and all are shot that come near
the boat. No discrimination is nsed; iiunters kill everything they see.
(John C. Clement.)

In pelagic sealing no distinction is made by hunters as to the sex of
the seals, the killing being done indiscriminately. It is not possible to
distinguish between the male and female seals at sea, even if a hunter
so desired, and this is the reason why pelagic sealing will soon result
in the total extermination of the species. (M. Coh«^n.)

The hunters will kill any seals that come along, it being impossible to
tell the sex in the water. (Teter Collins.)

All seal are killed tliat come near the <'anoc, whether it is male or
female; 1 make no ditterence. In former years tliere were lots of seal,
but now there are very few. Too many s(!hoon« rs hunting them all the
time in the water, killing tlie mother seals as well as others. (Charlie
Dahtlin.)

"We tried to shoot them while asleep, but shot all that came in our
way. (Alfred Dardean.)

Use no discrimination in killing seal, but shoot everything that
comes near the boat in the shape of a seal. Hunters shoot seal in the
most exi)osed part of the body. (George Dishow.)

I can not tell the sex of the seal in the water. (Peter Dufty.)

I never examine them to know whether they are male or female seal.
I can not tell the difference in the water, and shoot everything without
knowing whether they are male or female. (Hchon.)

While there is some difference in the appearance of the female and
old male seals, I do not think it would be possible for the hunters to
tell that ditterence in the sea at any great distance. (M. C. Erskine.)

Everything in shape of seal that comes near the boat is killed.
(Chief Frank.)

I can not tell the sex of a seal in the water; use no discrimination,
but kill everything that comes near the boat. (Luke Frank.)

There is no way by which hvnters can distinguish sex while the seals
are in the water, nor do we aim to do so; the killing is always done in
an indiscriminate way. (Thomas Frazer.)

i could not tell whether a seal was a male or female while it was in
the water, unless it was an old bull. (William Frazer.)

There is no way that I know of to distinguish the sex of a seal when
it is in the water. No attempt is made to discriminate the sex so as to
kill only males. (F. F. Feeny.)

Can not distinguish the sex of seal in the water, but spear every-
thing that comes near the boat, regardless of sex. (Chad. George.)

I have never examined the seal as to sex. I shoot everything that
comes near the boat, and use no discrimination whatever. (Charles
Gibson.)

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286

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIblLOF ISLANDS.

I kill everything that cornea near the boat, and use no discriniination,
as the sex can not be told in the water, except it be an old bull, which
is told bj' its size. (Gonastut.)

Can not distinguish sex of seal in the water. Hunters use no dis-
crimination, and kill everything that comes near the boat. (James
Gondowen.)

We have no way of distinguishing fur seals in the water at sea as to
whether males or females, and do not try to do so, but kill all we can
indiscriminately. (Nicoli Gregorott".)

Every seal is shot that comes near the boat, regardless of sex; huut-
er» use no discrimination. (James Griffin.)

Among all other fur seals at sea no distinction is possible, and none is
attempted. The killing is indiscriminate, the object being to secure
all the pelts jjossible. Bulls are, however, readily recognized at sea by
their larger size and darker fur. (A. J. Gould.)

I always slioot everything that comes near the boat; cannot tell the
sex in the water. (Henry Haldane.)

I use no discrimination in sealing, but shoot everything that comes
near the boat, regardless of sex. (Martin Hannon.)

I can't tell a male from a fenuile while in the water at a distance.
(JaiiiL's Harrison.)

My experience has been that the vessels employed in hunting seals
shoot, indiscriminately, pups, male and female seals, regardless of age
or sex ; and even should sealers wish to discriminate in the killing it
would not be possible for them to do so. My study of them in a long
experience has not enabled nie to i)ositively distinguish the sex of a
seal while in the water. It is the cuMom to pay seal hunters per skins
taken; hence it is the object of the hunters to secure as many as pos-
sible, without reference to sex, age, or coiulition. While hunting they
use small rowboats, with two uv three men in each boat armed with
shotgun and riHe, chieHy the former, and it would be simply impossi-
ble for the master or owners, even should they desire it, to sujjervise
ten or a dozen hunters as to the killing of any particular sex or kind.
(M. A. Healy.)

It is difficult to tell the sex of a seal which you shoot at in the water;
but you can tell an old seal from a young seal. (William Hermann.)

It is impossible to distinguish ])ositively between females and males
(other than large bulls) in the water at sea, and no e ort is made to do
so. Full-powered bulls are readily recognized by their great bulk and
darker fur. The killing of the fur seals is therefore absolutely indis-
criminate, as the object is to secure all the skins possible, irrespective
of sex, age, or condition. (Norman Hodgson.)

Hunters use no disciimination in shooting seal, but kill evei'ything
that conies near the boat. They could not discriminate if they wanted
to, as the sex can not be told in the water. (O. Holm.)

Everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat is killed.
(Jack Johnson.)

I am unable to distinguish a male seal from a female seal at a distance
in the water. (Selwish Johnson.)

I shoot everything in the shape of a seal that comes near the boat,
and use no discrimination. (Johnnie Johntin.)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS,

•2«7

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water nnloss in tlie cnse of
an old bull, \vlii(!h is told by its size. Wv use no disciiniination in
shootiny seal. Everything is killed that comes near the boat, regard-
less of sex. (l*liilii) Kasiievarotf.)

We can n<>t tell the ditierence between a male and a female in the
water, but kill everything that comes near the boat. (King Ivnskwa.)

All killinef of seals in the water nnist of necessity be iiidiscrinunate
slaughter, as it is im|»ossible to tell the sex or tlie exact age of a seal
until it has been taken into the boat, whereas on land careful discrimi-
nation can be made. (Francis II. King-llall.)

Hunters use no discrimination in hunting seal, but shoot everything
that conies near the boat. (Kinkooga.)

lluuters always kill all seal that come near the boat, regardless of
sex. (C. Klananeck.)

1 kill everything that comes near the canoe, regardless ot sex.
(Robert Kooko.)

I always kill every seal that comes near the boat; hunters use no
discrimination. (John Kowineet.)

Have never killed but few old bulls in my life. The only seal that
can be distinguished in the water is the old bull, which can be told by
its size. Everything in shape of seal that comes near the boat is
killed if possible, regardless of sex. (George Lacheek.)

We can not distinguish between the sexes of fur seals in the water at
sea, nor do we try to. On the contrary, everything in sight is taken if
possible, except large bulls, whose skins are worthless. ( E. L. Lawson.)

It is impossible to distinguish between males and females of the fur-
seal si)ecies in the water at sea, excepting large bulls, and no effort is
made to do so. The object is to get all the marketable skins i)os8ible,
and the killing is consequently indiscriminate. The pelts of large bulls,
whose fur is coarse ami of little value, and of yearlings of both sexes,
whose skins are too small, not being strictly marketable skiii^-, they
were not taken. (James E. Lennau.)

Of late years most of the catches of J!»rorthwest skins are sold at a
certain price per skin without ])articular examinati(m. The dealers,
knowing the location from whicii the skins are obtained, make an
average price, and owners and hunters are, therefore, less particular
than they were in former years as to the class of animals they capture.
They kill everything they see without regard to age or sex, their only
object being to swell the total niimber of the catch to the highest pos-
sible iigure 'Isaac Liebes.)

But of course you could not tell when you shot a seal lying asleep
whether it was a male or female. We shoot at all the seals when we
get a chance, but it is oidy the ones that we And asleep that we catch.
(Caleb Lindahl.)

It is impossible to distinguish the sex of fur seals at sea (excepting
large bulls) and no effort is made to do so, the object being to secure
all the skins possible; hence the killing is indiscriminate. (E. W.
Littlejohn.)

It is impossible to tell the sex of a seal in the water.
Long.)

(William H.

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288

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBIhOF ISLANDS.

Everything was killed that came near the boat; we did not use any
discrimination. (George McAlpine.)

The sex can not be distinguished in the water unless it be the case
of an old bull, which is distinguished by its size. Everything is killed
in the shai)C of a seal that conies near the boat. (J. I). McDonald.)

When ^re find weather we are out in the boats killing all the seals we
can get. We can not huiit in rough weather. (William Mclsaac.)

Sex of seal can not be told in the water. We use no discrimination
and kill <all seal that come near the boat. Seal are not shot in any par-
ticular place; shoot them in the head if possible; if not, in the body.
(James McKeen.)

It makes no difference if a seal is a male or female; we shoot every-
thing that comes near euough. (Kdwanl Maitland.)

1 know it to be the custom of seal hunters to shoot seals at sea when
they are at rest upon the surface of the water, and that those generally
obtained are females, and constitute but a very small portion of those
killed and lost. (John Malowansky.)

Everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal is shot, l
can not tell the sex of a seal till after it is dead. (Frederick JVIason.)

We hunted with shotguns and shot them mostly when they were
asleep on the water, or any chance we could get. 1 was a boat puller,
and the hunters shot at everything in sight. (Henry Mason.)

We generally tried to kill them while asleep in the water, but flred at
everything that came around us. (Thorwal Mathasan.)

I use no discrimination in shooting seals ; shoot everything that comes
near the boat, and all other hunters do the same. (G. E. Miner.)

Q. If awake, do you shoot them while breaching? — A. Yes, sir; we
shoot at them anywhere, either while they are breaching or heads up,
or any way. (Frank Moreau.)

We shot at everything in sight. We killed more females than males,
and we lost a good many that we killed. (Eddie Moreliead.)

Shoot everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal, and use
no discrimination. (Matthew Morris.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. Hunters use no
discrimination, but kill everything they can. (Nashtau.)

We shoot everything that comes near the canoe in shape of a seal,
regardless of sex. The sex can not be told in the water unless it be an
old bull. (Dan Nathlan.)

Everything is killed that comes near the canoe in shape of a seal.
We can not tell a male from a female in the water. (Joseph Neishkaitk.)

I can not tell the age or sex of a seal in the water, (^^iles Nelson.)

I can not tell the difference between a male and female seal in the
water, and I shoot every seal that comes near the canoe. (Ntkla-ah.)

Sex can not be distinguished while the seals are in the water, nor do
the hunters try to do so, for they kill everything they can shoot. (Nel-
son T. Oliver.)

I am unable to tell the sex of the seal while it is in th j water, unless
it be an old bull with a long wig. (OrV*)

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

289

use no

It is impossible to distiuguish the male seal from the female wheu
they are iu the water at a reasonable gunshot distance. (Charles
Peterson.)

Yearlings are rarely taken in North Pacifii;. The age or sex of a seal
in Lie water can not be distingnished, except that when close the appar-
ent 1 i/e is an indication of age. (W. Roberts.)

I use a shotgun to hunt for seal, 1 lave lost very few seal, as I always
shoot them near the boat. Everything in shape of a seal that comes
near the boat is killed. I use no discrimination. (Rondtus.)

Everytliing in the sliape of a seal that comes near the boat is shot.
Hunters use no discrimination, but kill everything that puts its liead
above the water. (Abel Ryan.)

It is impossible to distinguish a male from a female seal in the water,
except in the case of a very old bull, when his size distinguishes him.
Therefore open-sea sealing is entirely indiscriminate as to sex or age.
(L. G. Shepard.)

All seal are killed that come near the boat. 1 never sto[) to consider
whether it is a male or female, bnt kill it oft" if I can. (Jack Shucky.)

Hunters use no discriminati(ni, but shoot everything that comes near
them. Their sex can not be told unless in the case of an old bull, which
is distinguishable by its size. (Jack Sitka.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. I kill everything
that conies near my canoe in shape of a seal, and all other hunters do
the same. (Thomas Skowl.)

Always shoot everything that comes near the boat in shape of a seal,
regardless of sex. ((ieorge Hkultka.)

Hunters use no discrimination, but shoot everything that come near
the boat. (Fred Smith.)

It is impossible to distinguish between male and female seals at sea,
even if tiie hunters so desired, except in the case of full-powered bulls,
when they are readily recognized by their greatly superior size. Large
bulls are rarely taken. Xo distinction is thought of by pelagic sealers,
and the killing is done indiscriminately, the object being to secui'e as
many skins as possible. (John W. Smith.)

I can not tell the sex of the seal in the water, unless he is an old
bull. A hunter will blaze away at anything he sees in the water. (B.
W. Soron.)

Hunters use no discrimination, but shoot everything in the shape of
a seal that comes near the boat. (Joshua Stickland.)

All seals are killed that come near the boat, regardless of their sex.
I never look to see whether I have killed a male or female seal until I
have the S'ial dead in the boat. (M. Thlkahdaynahkee.)

Hunters use no discrimination iu killing seal, but kill everything that
comes near the boat, regardless of sex. (W. Thouuis.)

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water when hunting. We
use no discrimination, but kill everything in the shape of a seal that
comes near the boat. (Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Hunters use no discrimination in taking seal, bnt kill everything that
pokes its head out of the water near the boat. (John C. Tolmau.)
S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 19

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290

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

The sex of the seal can not be told in the water. HuiiterH U8e no
discrimiiiatioQ and everythiiij^ in the shape of a seal that comes near
the boat is killed. (Peter Trearsheit.)

Sex of seal can not be distinj-uished in the water, except in the case
of an old bull, which can be told by its size. Xo discrimination is used
in taking seal; everything;; that comes near the boat is shot at. ('lames
Unatajim.)

I always shoot everythin}; that (tomes near the boat, regardless of
sex. We use no discrimination. (George Usher.)

Sex of seal can not be distinguished in the watei-. No discrimination
is used in seal hunting; all are killed that come near. (Rudolph
Walton.)

The sex of seal of same age can not be distinguished in the water.
The only seal that can be distinguished is an old bull. W^e use no dis-
crimination in seal hunting; everything is killed that comes near the
boat. Pelagic hunters have become so plentiful and seals have become
so wild that we are obliged to take long shots at them. (Charlie Wank.)

Our purpose and practice was to take all the seals we could get,
regardless of their age or sex, without any discriminatioti whatever.
(Michael White.)

Everything in the shape of seal that comes near the boat is shot. I
can't tell the difference between a young cow and a male seal. (Fred
Wilson.)

The seals are getting wild and hard to catch. There are a great
many green hands in the business. We shot at everything that came
along. We were getting ")(> cents for every skin obtained. Our boats
went 30 aiul 40 miles from tli- schooner. Sometimes they would leave
in the morning at "i and not return until the next day at 4 or 5 in the
evening. (John Woodruff.)

The sex of seal can not be told in the water. No discrimination is
used in seal hunting. All seal are killed that come near the boat. The
only seal that can be distinguished in the water is an old bull. (Michael
Wooskoot.) •

I can not distinguish the sex of a seal in the water, but kill every seal
that comes near the canoe, if possible. (Billy Yeltachy.)

I can not tell the sex of a seal in the water, and use no discrimi-
nation, but kill everything that comes near my canoe in the shape of a
seal. (Hastings Yethnow.)

We use no discrimination in killing seal, but shoot everything that
comes near the boat. What seals we have seen this year are very wild
and hard to get at. The cause of their being wild is the indiscriminate
shooting of them in the water. (Alt'. Yohansen.)

I use no discrimination, and kill everything that comes near the boat
in tlie shape of a seal. (Paul Young.)

1 can not tell the difference between a male and a female in the water;
use no discrimination, but kill everything that comes near the boat.
(Walker Young.)

We fired at all the seals we could, regardless of their sex. We got
one out of every six or seven we shot at or killed. (George Zam-
mett.)

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'RIHILOF ISLANDS.

DKSTRUCTION OF PKEGNANT FEMALES.

291

We ciiugbt about 185 seals, mostly females in young, and we killed
tliem while they were asleep on the water. (Charles Adair.)

Most of the seals killed by me have been females with puj). (.i.katoo.)

We sealed along the coast and captured ir>4. Most all of them were
pregnant females. (Charles Avery.)

Most all seals that I have killed were ])regnant eow8. Have taken a
few male seals from 1 to 4 years ohl, 1 think. Have never killed an old
hull. (Adam Ayonkee.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you liave taken were with pupf —
A. About 99 per cent of the cows taken were witli pup. There may be
one in a hundred that is either without pup or has hiid one. (George
Ball.)

Most all the seals taken are females with pup. (Johnnie Uaronvitch.)

Seventy-tive per cent of the seal taken on the coast i\n- cows with
imp. (Martin Benson.)

We left Port Town send in May and sealed south to Cape Flattery,
and then went north along the «'oast until we came to Unimak Pass,
and captured from .'i(K) to 400 seals. Most all were females and had
pui)s in them. 1 think fnlly two-thirds of all we caught were females,
and a few were bulls. * * * We secured ."lOO skins along the coast,
most all of which were pregnant f(imales. (Bernhardt IMeidner.)

1 have never killed any full-grown cows on the (!oast that did not
have jmps in them, and I have hunted all the way from the (Jolund)ia
Jliver to Barclay Bound. (Bowachup.)

We left \'ictoria about May, going north, and sealed all the way to
Uering Sea. We had about ilO before entering Bering Sea, nearly all
of which were females with young pups in them. (Thomas Bradley.)

Our last catch of seals on the coast were almost exclusively gravid
females. (Henry Brown.)

We had 2.50 seals before entering the sea, the largest i)ercentage of
which were females, most of them having young pups in them. I saw
some of the young pups taken out of tht^m. (Tliomas Brown.)

On my last sealing cruise this sjjring we caught five seals; two of
them were fenuiles and had pups in them ; three of them were young
and smaller seals and had black whiskers. None but full-grown cows
hiive white whiskers, but young cows and young bulls have black
whiskers. About half of all the seals captured along the coast have
white whiskers and are cows with pups in them. Most all full-grown
cows that are caught have pups in them. Once, late in the season, I
caught a full-grown barren cow with white whiskers. (Landis Callapa.)

Seventy-live per cent of seals shot in the North Pacific Ocean are
females heavy with young. (John C. Cantwell.)

Most of the seals we killed going up the coast were females heavy
with pup. I think nine out of every ten were females. (Charles
Ohallall.)

Not quite half of all seals caught along the coast are cows with pups
iu them. About half are young seals, both male and female, and the

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SEAL LIFK ON THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

rest (a small number) are medium-sized males. We never get any old
bulls worth speaking of, and we do not catch as many gray pui)s now
as formerly. Have not caught any gray pups this year. Do not know
what has become of them. Have never caught any full grown cows
without pups in them, and have never caught any cows in milk along
the coast. ((Charlie.)

Of those secured, the larger part by far were females, and the miijority
of these were pregnant cows. (Julius Christiansen.)

Most of the seals taken by me have been females with young. A
few male seals have been taken by me, their ages ranging from 1 to 5
years old. Killed three large bulls during my life. (Peter Church.)

A great many years iigo we used to catch about one-half cows and
one-half yonng seals. I never caught any seals along the coast that
had given birth to their young a'sd that had milk in their breasts. I
never captured any barren cows. * * * We secured ten seals in all,
five of which had ]mps in them. I know this because 1 saw the pups
when we cut the car<'asses open. * * * The other live seals were
smaller and jnobably male and female. (Circus Jim.)

About half the seals killed by me have been cows with puj). I never
shot but two old bulls in my life. Have shot a few yearling seals. The
young males 1 have killed were betweeu 2 and .» years old, I think.
(William Clark.)

The seals we catch along the coast are nearly all pregnant females.
It is seldom we capture an old bull, and what nuiles we get are usually
young ones. I have frequently seen cow seals cut open and the unborn
pups cut out of them and they would live for several days. This is a
frequent occurrence. (Christ Clausen.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you Ijave taken were with pup? — A.
About 70 per cent. (Peter Collins.)

The majority of seals taken are cows with pup; once in a while we
take an old bull. A few yearlings are taken also. (Charlie Dahtlin.)

From 75 to 80 per cent of all the seals taken were mothers in young,
and Avhen cut ©pen on deck we found the young within them. (James
Dalgarduo.)

We had between 100 and 300 seals before entering the sea. Most all
of them were females with pups in them. (John Dalton.)

Of the seals that were caught off the coa.st fully 00 out of every 100 had
young pups in them. The boats would bring the seals killed on board
the vessel and we would take the young pups out and skin them. If
the pup is a good, nice one we would skin it and keep it for ourselves.
I had eight such skins myself. Four out of five, if caught in May or
June, would be alive when we cut them out of the mothers. One of
them we kept for pretty nearly three weeks alive on deck by feeding it
on condensed milk. One of the men finally killed it because it cried so
pitifully. (Alfred Dardean.)

In all my experience in sealing on this coast I have killed but one
cow seal that had nulk in her breast, and that had given birth to her
pup. I have killed a very few barren cows along the coast. Nearly all
of the full-grown cows along the coast have pups in them. (Frank
Davis.)

We sailed from San Francisco to Queen Charlotte Island, and caught

8EAL LIFE ON THE I'HIllILOF ISLANDS.

1M)3

between 500 siud 000 seals, iieiuiy all females heavy witli yonn<;. 1
have seen a yoiiiin' live |>n|> taken out of its mother and kept alive for
three or four days. We sealed from 10 t<> 1.50 iniies off the coast.
(Joseph Dennis.)

A hnfie ])roportion of all seals taken are females with pup. A very
few yearlinjis are taken. Never examine them as to st'x. lint veiy
few old luills are taken, bnt live beiny taken out of a total of 000 steals
l)y my scrhooner. ((leorge lUshow.)

We left Victoria the latter end of -January, and went South to Cape
lllanco, sealin;;' around there two or thi«'e months, when we started
north to Herin;;' Sea, sealiuji;' all the way up. We had l)etween L'OO and
HOO seals before entering the sea, a great many of them being females
with [Mips in them. (Richard Dolan.)

The Indians left their homes in March and I'emained away until May.
Their hunting lodges were on some small islands outside of Dundas
Island. From what they tell nu^ the majority of seals taken by them
have ])een females with young. (William ])un<'an.)

We went north to liering Sea, sealing all the way nj*, and got 110
seals before enteiing the sea. Most of them were <m»ws, nearly all of
which had pups in tluMU. We took some of the pups alive cnit of the
bodies of the females, ((ieorge I'^iirchild.)

Most all of the fenndes taken are with young, or mothers. (F. F.
Feeny.)

There were <'0W seals with pup among the seals that 1 have taken,
but don't know liow nnniv. I have never taken an old bull in mv life.
(Chief Frank.)

I think the seals taken by me are about half fenniles with pup, and
the rest are 1 and L' year old nniles and yearlings: never examined the
yearlings as to sex. (Lukc^ Frank.)

Q. What ])ercentage of the cows you have taken were with pup f —
A. All that are killed in the Pacific are with pup, and those that are
killed in Jiering Sea have been delivered of pui>s on the islands and are
with milk. (Luther T. Franklin.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup? —
A. About GO ]»er cent were with imj). (Edward W. I'^mcke.)

Most all the seals taken by me were females with i)Up. INIost of the
seals killed in JJering Sea have been cows with milk. Have never
taken a bull seal off the coast of Washington, but have taken a few
farther north. A few young males are taken off the coast of Washing-
ton. (Chad George.)

I did not pay nuich attention to the sex of seals we killed in the
North Pacific, but know that a great number of them were cows that
had pups in them, and we killed most of them while they were asleep
on the water. (Thonuis (Jibson.)

Most of the seals killed are cows with pup. A few males are killed,
averaging from 1 to 4 years old. Have killed but one old bull in my
life. A few yearlings are taken, the nnijority of which are females.
(James (loudowen.)

We captured 63 seals, all of which were females, and all were preg-
nant. With regard to ])regnancy, I may note that the seals taken off
the coast of Vancouver Island were not so far advanced as those taken

I 1

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204

HEM. LIKE ON THK PRIIULOF ISLANDS.

fiirtluu' nortli. * * • lanuuquainteil witli tlic liuntersaiHi luaHtei.s
wlio sail t'roni this port, and boartl all iiicoining and <)iitg()iii;>: v('N8elN of
tliat (ilass. Tlu'st! men all acknowlrdHe that noarlj all th« s«'als taken
otl" the Pacific Cojist are females, and that they are nearly all witli
yoiuij^. {K. M. (ireenleaf.)

We bejjan sealing off the northern eoast of C'alifornia and followed
the sealing herd northward, capturing about 700 seals in the North
PaciJIc Ocean, two-thirds of which were fenndes with pup; the balance
were young seals, both male and female. We captured between 9(K)
and 1,000 on the coast, most all of which were fenuiles witii pups.
(Arthur (Jrittin.)

The catch was mostly females. Those we got in tlie North Pacitic
were females in pujt, and those taken in Ueriug Sea were cows giving
milk. (Joseph Grymes.)

Of the skins taken in this region fully nine-tenths are pregnant and
milking fenndes, but I never saw a young pup in the water. Large
bulls were never taken, theii' skins being pra<'ticallv valueless. (A. .1,
(luild.)

<^. What ])ercentage of the cows are taken with pups* — A. All the
large <mes have — all the grown ones have. Very seldom you find a
barren one. (Charles II. |!--gman.)

A large majority of seals taken are fenndes with young. Oidy two
old bulls were taken by nie last year cmt of the 100 seals taken. Hut
veiy few yearlings are taken. Paid no attention to sex. A few male
seals are taken between 2 and 4 years old, I think. (Martin Hannon.)

(}. What percentage of the cows taken are with pups? — A. You can
safely say about fonr-lifths of them. You get al>out 800 out of 1,000
seals. (11. Ilarnisen.)

I am told the white hunter kills mostly cow seals with pup. (.Saiu
Hayikahtla.)

I have often converse<l with nnisters, seamen, and hunters engaged
in hunting tlie fur seals, and their statements to me have always been
that the cai>ture of a male seal was a rarity; that nearly all of their
catch were «!<»w seals heavy with young, or those who had given birth
to their young on the islands and gone out to the fislnng bank to feed,
and that they lose a large i)roportion of those killed and wounded.
(J. M. Hays.)'

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with i»up? —
A. At least (JO per cent were with i)up. (William Ilenson.)

Of the seals secured in a season fully 70 per <!ent are females, and of
these more than GO per cent are pregnant and milking cows. The males
taken are about equally divided in numbers between yearlings and
bachehu's from the ages of 2 to •") years; bulls are seldom shot. (Nor-
man Hodgson.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pup?—
A. A bout the same amount (about 9.5 per cent) were with pup. (And. J .
Hoffman.)

Most all seals taken are females with young. * • • A few male
seal are taken. L would say they are generally 3 or 4 years old. A few
yearlings are killed, mostly females. About five bull seal are killed out
of every hundred taken. (E. Hofstad.) , . , ,

SKAI, I.IFK ON THE r'HIIULOl' ISLANDS.

2U6

About onelialf <»f tlioso csuifjlit iiloiiff the roast were fullfjrowii cows
with pups in tliein; u tVw wtMe iiiediuin sI/imI males, nnd the rest were
younger wealN of botli sexes. 1 liave never «auyht a full }j:rowii row in
the straits or ah)ii}; tiie eoast that did not luive a pup in her. (Alfred
Irviny.)

Q. What pereeiitage of the e(»WH taken are with pup? — A. In the
early part of the seiison, np to .lune, all the full-^irown cows are with
pup'.

Q. Did you ever kill any cows wh(»se younfj were born, and were
giving milk? — A. That 1 «h)n't remember tiiking' notice of. I can not
answer that <|uestioii. ((Instave Isaacson.)

The female seals };o thronjih the passes from the I'a<!itic ()<"ian into
lieriii}; Hea between June 25 and .Inly !."». Females kille«l previous to
this time I found with pups, but none with pups after that latter date.
(Victor flacobson.)

We beyan to seal when a^out 20 miles otV ( 'ape Flattery. We worked
toward the northwest, and captured between iH\ and KM) seals on the
coast, about two thirds of which were females with puj); the balance
were yearliuffs consisting of jnale and female; after which we ran into
Barclay Sound for supi)lies, from wliich phuui we worked to the north-
ward toward Hering Sea. We cajitured about 80 seals while en route
to the sea; abojit two thirds of these were females with i)up, the balance
being yearlings about one-half male and one half female, (.lames
.lamicson.)

We began sealing off Bnrclay Sound, and caught thre< skins only,
all of whicrli were females with juip. • * * In hunting along the
coast, I think about <S0 per cent of those we caught were females, and
most of them were carrying their young. We seldom caught any
bulls, but caught i few of the younger males. I have seen the unborn
young cut out ol" i lie nu)ther seal and live for a week without food. We
used to skin some, but threw most of them overboard, (.lanies
.Jamieson.)

A majority of the seal taken on the coast are cows with pup. A few
young males are taken, the ages ranging from 1 to 5 years. Once in
awhile an old bull is taken in the Xcnth Pacific Ocean. (.1. .Johnson.)

Most of the seals taken are females with jiup. Once in awhile an
old bull is killed, (.lack .Tohnson.)

A large proportion of seals killed by me were cows with puj). Have
killed a very few old bulls and some yearlings. (.Johnnie .lohntin.)

Most of the seal I have taken have been juegnantcows. But a very
few young male seal are taken by me along the coast. (I'. Kahiktday.)

The majority of seal are cows with pup. A few nniles are taken,
about 4 or 5 years old. (Philip Kashevarofl'.)

About half of the seals killed are females with pup. Have killed
some yearling seals, but never killed any old bull. The young males I
killed were between 2 and 3 years old. (.Hm Kasooh.)

We caught somewhere about 500 seals before entering the sea, of all
kinds. There were a good many females among them; there was a
good many more of them than males but the exact number I do not
know. The old females had young r ips in them. 1 saw them taken
out and a good many of them skinned. (James Kean.)

^^!

i (

296

SEAL LIFK ON THE PKIKILOF ISLANDS.

I h

Wo snihMl iVoni N'ictoriii, Hritisli Columbiii, aiul boic due north to
Jieriiiff Sen. VVlieii we iirii\e<l there we had some 7."» to SO seals, the
greater part of wliieh were females, some of which liad pups in them.
(James Kennedy.)

Most of the senls taken by me were fcmah's with pup; h;ive taken ;i,
few male seals from 1 to t years old. A very lew yearlinjis have been
killed l>y me. mostly females. (Mike Kethusduck.)

Those taken in i'.erinji' Sea were nearly all mother seals, in milk, that
had left tiieir youn.n- and were in search of food. (James Kiernan.)

Most all seals killed by me have been covs. # * » Have not
killed a bull seal for thr<'e years. 1 ha\e taken a few yearlings, mostly
fenniles. (John KowintH't.)

All the seals wiiich I have seeu killed wen^ females, and the majority
of these were prej>iiant cows. (Olaf Kvam.)

Most all seals that 1 have tak<'n were eows with pup. A few male
seals have been taken by me from 1 to 2 years old. (<Jeor;;e Lax'-heek.)

A jjood nmny have pups in them, and when the boats come aboard
loa<led with seals, i *''er they fjot throu}»h skinninji;' them they would
hav(^ a bi^ pile of pups on deck. (James liaflin.)

We had a good <'ateli, haviu}'' taken 1,4()(> skins, more than 1.000 of
which we secured on the (toast. Of the latter more than T'l per cent
were fennUe pelts, and of these about ('»(► per cent weni taken iVons
pref>iiant cows. (James Vl. Lennan.)

I have often cut a seal open and tbund a live vcuinji one inside.
(Caleb Lindahl.)

Of all the seals captured by me about (uuihalf of them, I think, were
cows with i)up8 in them, and it is very seldom that I have e\er caiifjiit
a full-finnvn cow that was barren or did not have a pup in her; nor
have I, in my lonj«' experh'uce, eauf^ht a cow that was in milk, or that
had rei'ently jiiven birth to her youufj, I seldom ever kill an ohl bull,
for there are but very few of them that miu{fle with the henl alonjj the
coast, (.lames liighthoiise.)

In the year 1885 (I0(» fur seals were eauf^ht durinji: the month of March
of!" the I'^arallon Islands (California). In subsecpient years we have had
to go farther in)rth ea<'h year in order to secure a. good 8i>ring catch.
My experience has been that fully ilO i)er cent of all seals taken were
fenmles, and of these two thirds were m(»thers in milk. {E. VV. Little
John.)

I know that a large proportioji of the, seals taken were mothers in
pup or mothers giving milk, but I paid no particular attention tu the
percentage. (William II. Long.)

On uiy last trip this year, when hunting seals off the cape, I caught
10 seals, r> of which hail pups in them; the rest of them were from I to
2 years old, part male and part female. I think that fully one half of
the seals caught along the coast are full-grown females with pups iu
them. We sometimes catch a few medium si/ed males, the rest being
younger ones, both male and female. (Thonuis Lowe.)

Q. What percentage of the cows you have taken were with pupt —
A. About 70 i)er cent, I should say. (Charh^s Lutjens.)

Most of the seals taken were females with pup. A few male seals were

SEAL LIFH ON TIIK IMillULOF ISLANDiS,

297

killed, iinesi'nn.niiij;' from 1 tooyeivrs. Oiio old bull was tiikc^n, ((leor}»e
McAlpiiic)

Most of the sciils takoti hy iiie Wave, been teinab's witli pup. The lemale
seals are ''asier killed than tin* male, and we aim to <iet tlieni. A few
yeaiiinji's liav(^ been killed by me, mostly females. (.1. I). McDonald.)

Several of the females that we eau^i'ht in the ocean weie in i)up, but
the pup laktMi out of the belly was of no use for anythinjj', and v/e would
throw it overboard. (William Mclsaac.)

We had .'?(»(> or 4(W) S(>als altojjetiier before cutcrin;;' IW'iiiij;- Sea.
They were most all females, which ha<t younj; pups in them. (William
Meiianghlin.)

Q. What percentajfeof the cows taken are witli pup ? — A. The females
are mostly all with pup — that is, up until the 1st of duly. (Daniel
McLean.)

We came down each year to tlu' coast of (>ie}j;on, tlicn went alonu up
the coast to IJeriufj' Sea. I do not recolle«'t the exact nnnd)er of seals
we caught in 18.SS, 18S!>, l.St»(>, but last year w«' «!anj;ht about ITA) ah)n};
the coast. I ilid not pay mnuh attention t(» the sex of the seals, but I
seen lots of little pups taken out of them. (Thomas Madden.)

We sailed up the coast and caught a few seals until we got to liering
Sea. We caught 1,10(» seals, nearly all of which were caught in l>er-
ing Sea. We caugiit them around St. (leorge Island. I think out of
the 1,100 we caught there wen- (iOO females. Out of that 000 Whwg
were over 400 that had pups insiil(M)f them, and we threw them all
overboard, (.lames Maloy.)

About half of the seals killed by me. I think. w«'re cows with pu|).
Have never killed an old bull, but have killed a few yearlings in my
life. Never examined the latter as to sex. (IMiarlcs Ma it in.)

The biggest part of niy year's catch oft" the coast wei'c fenmles with
l>ups in them. (Patrick Maroney.)

In IHOO 1 went sealing in the schooner ArijonnKf. She sailed from
Victoria about the <Sth of April, and sealed along the (roast uj) to the
pass in Bering Sea. We caught about 250 seals that year. Most of
the seals we (Mugiit in i1m> N(n'th I'acitic were feniales. A good many
of them also had pups inside. (Henry Mason.)

I noticed in the seals that we caught along tlu^ coast that a great
many of them were females and had pups. I think nutst of them were
females. I know that in my boat the catch w;vs most all females and
they had pu|)s in them. Tluiy were usually shot when sleeping cm the
water. (William Mason.)

We caught over 1,(>00 seals olV the coast, almost all females, and a
great nuiidter of them had i>ups in them. * * * Entered ISering
Sea in July and was chased out by the cutters. Did not catch any
seals in the Americau waters in Bering Sea, but went over across ou
the Kussiaii si«le and 8«Mile(l there. The whole catidi for that year was
about l,r»00 seals. Those that we killed on the Kussian side were abimt
in the same proportion as to females as those killed on this side. (Thor
wal Mathasai).)

Q. What perceutage of the tows you have taken were with pui»t —
A. About 75 per cent were with pup. (Frank Moreau.)

298

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

Ill

Most all the seals killed by me have been females with pup. (Amos
Mill.)

We began sealing oft' Cape Flattery; sailed and sealed to the north
ward, and captured about 800 seals along the coast. There were not
over ten males in the wliole lot. The females had pups in them, and
we cut them out of their uiothers and tlirew them overboard into the
ocean. (.John Morris. j

About half of the seals caught along the coast are cows with pups in
them. A few medium-si/ed males are also taken, and the rest are young
seals of both sexes. We scarcely ever see an old bull seal, nor can we
tell the sex of the seals in the water. 1 have never caught any full-
grown cows ahmg the coast that did not have pups in them. (Moses.)

About half the seals taken by me are cows with pup. 1 have taken
a few old bulls in my life, but not many. Have taken quite a number
of yearlings. The male seals taken are between 2 and ."» years.
(Nashtau.)

About one-half of the seals 1 have taken were females with pup.
Have taken a very few yearlings. Once in a while I take an old bull,
but not often. The Miale seals that I have killed are 2 and 3 years old,
I think. (Dan Nathlan.)

Think about half of the s'als taken by me have been cows with pup.
The rest are yearlings and young males 2 and 3 years old. Have never
seen an old bull in my life. (Joseph Neishkaitk.)

Almost every female that has arrived at the age of maturity is preg-
nant. We follow them on from there into Bering Sea, and almost all
the females taken are pregnant. (Niles Xelson.)

We sailed south as far as IManco, sealing around there for two or
three months, when we headed north into Jiering Sea, having caught
250 or 300 seals before entering the sea, of which 00 per cent of them
were females, mostly all of them having pups in them. (John O'Urien.)

In the beginning of the season we killed mostlj' yearling seals, but as
the season advanced we got almost all mothers in young in the vicinity
of Cape l^'Iattery or from the Columbia Kiver to Van(!ouver. (Nelson
T. Oliver.)

The catch along the coast for the last six or seven years, since the
rifle anil shotgun have come into use, is principally females, and the
grown ones have pups in them. The catch of young seals is much less
in proportion to the number caught than they were when Indians used
to take them by spearing. (WilUam Parker.)

We began sealing off Cape Flattery and sealed right up toward Be
ring Sea, capturing 16 seals along the coast, all of wliich were females
with pup. W(! captured 200 females with pup on the coast and then
returned to Victoria, after which we sailed again in a short time on the
same vessel with the same crew for the North I'acitic Ocean and Be-
ring Sea, capturing about 250 female seals while en route to Bering Sea,
also a few male yearlings. (Charles Peterson.)

My ex])erience in four years' sealing is that nearly all the seals taken
along the coast are pregnant females, and it is sehhmi that one of th(Mn
is caught that has not a young pup in her. (Edwin P. Porter.)

I have been out sealing this year and caught 16 seals; 5 of them were
full-grown cows that had pups in them. The rest were young seals

SEAL LIFE ON THE I'RIBILOK ISLANDS.

(Amos

299

ras

about li years old, both male and female, excepting' one, and that \.
a giay pup. (Wilson INnter.)

Most of the seals taken by me have been cows with pup. (Rondtus.)

The nuijority of sciils taken by ine have been females Avith pup. Once
in a jjreat while 1 catch an old bull. A few yearlings have been taken
and the majority of males are 2 and 3 year olds. (Abel llyan.)

While cruising along the coast our principal catch was female seals
with pup, the balance being principally yearlings, about half male and
female. (William Short.)

We had 315 skins when we arrived here. Mostly all of them were
females heavy with pup asleep on the water, and we killed them with
shotguns. (Peter Simes.)

Most of tiie seal taken by me were <'0ws with pup. (Aaron Sim-
son.)

Most of the seals taken are cows with young. (Jacl' Sitka.)

Most of the seals taken by me are females witli pup. Never killed
but one old bull in my life. Have killed but a few yearlings and never
looked to see if they were male or female. The young males killed by
me were between 1 and 3 years old. (Thonuis Skowl.)

I think .» females .vith ])up out of everj' 10 killed. I kill lots of
yesirlings, but never exannned them as to sex. Never shoot any old
bulls, although 1 have seen a good many. ((le(»rge Skultka.)

We sailed from here on the Flyimj Mist on the 17th day of April,
1871, and caught altogether on that voyage about 87r) seals, of which a
large majority were either fenniles with i)ui>s or with their bresists full
of milk. 1 saw it Howing on tlie deck when we were skinning them.
♦ * * Went to Okhotsk Sea and sealed there about two numths.
We got there some oOO seals, of which more than one half were females,
and the most of them had juips in them. (James Sloan.)

1 am informed by our Lond^m sales agent, and l>elieve, that nearly
or (juite nine-tentiis of the Victoria catch is compose«l of females.
(Leon Sloss.)

A very large majority of tlie seal taken in tlie North Pacific are cows
with pup. (Fred Smitii.)

We left San Francist-o in February, ami fished all the way up to
Kadiiik Island. We caught about 17r> seals and about 4(» otters. To
the best of my Judgment, the greatest portion of these were cows heavy
with young. We could see the milk running out of their teats when
they were skiniu'd. 1 saw pui)s inside of the seals that we cut, and we
saved some of them and fed them." (E. W. Soron.)

We left here with the ('it;/ of «V"h Picfjo in l-'ebruary, 188S. and arrived
in Bering Sea in June, 1888. As soon as we got into the ocean we
commenced shooting seals and continue<l shooting all the way up to the
Aleutian Islands. The seals became more i)lentiful as we were going
north. We (jaught about OoO during that voyage. We killed a piu'tion
in Bering Sea. We killed I large bull that 1 recollect, and the rest
were nearly all females with pup, or mothers giving milk. (Cjrus
Stephens.)

Most of the seals taken are females with pup. Out of 111 seals last
year I killed but J) bulls. A very few yearlings have been taken by me.

3 I

IHiifl

300

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

A few male seal have been taken by me from 2 to 4 years old. (Joshua
Stickland.)

We commeuciMl sealing as soon as wo ftot outside of the cape, and
captured about 270 seals alonj;' up the <'oast. Most of tiie seals cauyiit
were pre;^naiit females, and when we would skir, tbem the milk would
run out of them on the deck. We beyan sealing off the Cobunbia Itiver
and then sealed northward up the coast to r.eriiig JSea, and captured
about32() seals in the North Pacific Ocean, mostly all females, and nearly
all had young i)ups in them. (.lohn A. Swain.)

Most of the seals taken by me wer<? cows with ])up. * # # a. few
male seal have been taken from 1 to 4 years old. But very few old
bulls liave ever been taken by me. Have kllle<l a few yearlings every
year. (M. Thikalnlayuakkee.)

Most of the seals taken on this coast are (!Ows with young. (Juite
a large number of yearlings are taken, most of which are females.
(Charlie Tlaksatan.)

Most of tiie seal taken by me have been females with pup. A few
male seals have been taken by me, ages ranging from 1 to 4 years, 1
should think. Some yearlings have been taken, a majority of which
were females also. Very few old bulls have been killed by me. (James
Unatajim.)

Most of the seals taken have been cows with pup. 1 have taken but
a very few old bulls. I have killed plenty of young males, and have
taken (juite a number of yearlings, but never examined them as to sex.
((jleorge Usher.)

The nnijority of seal taken are cows. A few yearlings are 'lilled,
mostly females. (Kudolph Walton.)

In pnr<*hasing fur seals from hunters I have noticed that m)t less than
75 per cent of the catch taken previous to May 2') are female seals, and
from the development of the teat on the skin were evidently females
with pup. After that the catch is mostly young seals, and 1 paid no
attention to the sex. {M. L. Washburn.)

Most of the seals captured along the coast are cows with ])ups iu
them. I have never captured any cows in nnlk or that had given
birth to their young that year on the coast, and 1 do not recolle(;t of
ever having caught an old bull. (Watkins.)

Out of ")(> seals taken so far this season 46 are females with pup and
4 are males. Only one yearling seal has been taken this season among
the males. 1 should think the male seals taken this year were between
2 and 3 years old. (P. S. Weitteiddller.)

While out hunting this year we caught 16 seals; one-half of them
were cows with pup, the renminder were yearlings and 2-year-old8 of
both sexes. (Charley White.)

In my captures off the coast between here and 8itka !M) per cent of
my catch wore females, but off the coast of Unimak Pass there was a
Bomewhat smaller percentage of females, and nearly all the females
were cows heavy with pup, and in some instances the time of <lelivery
was so near at hand that I have fre(iuently taken the live pup from the
mother's womb. (Michael White.)

I think about one-half the seals killed by me have been females with
pup, and the balance were divided up between yearlings and 1 and 2

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOK ISLANDS.

301

year old males. Never examined the yearlinjfs as to sex; have never
killed an old bull iu my life. (Billy Williams.)

Think that most of the seals I have taken were females with pup*
Have also taken some 2 and •> year old males and some yearlings.
Never killed but one old bull in my life. (Fred Wilson.)

Most all the seals caught by me along the coast were cows that had
pups in them. I never killed a barren (!ow or one that was in milk.
(Wispoo.)

About half the seals 1 have killed were females with puj), and the
balance were yearling seals and 2 and .'» year old males. Never killed
an old bull in my life, nor have 1 ever seen one. (liilly Yeltachy.)

Some years ago there were more male seals taken than are taken
now, but now about one-half are females with pup. The rest are year-
ling seals and 1 and 2 year old males. 1 have never examined the
yearling seal to ascertain their sex. Have not killed any old bull seal
for a number of years, but used to kill them. (Vethnow.)

Most of the seals I have killed were fenuiles with ])up. (^nce in a
while an old bull is taken. (Paul Young.)

] have been out on the Pacific Ocean this year seal hunting and
caught three seals. They were large cow seals, and had pups in theni.
One and 2 vear old seals are about equally male and female. (Uish
Yulla.)

Almost half the seals I now catch are cow seals, and have little pups
in them. (Hish Yulla.)

About one-third of all the cows 1 caught along the coast were cows
with pups in them; never caught any old bulls, and used to catch njore
gray pups than I do now. Most all the rest of the seals I caught have
been 1 and 2 years old, and are about equally male and fenuile. (Thos.
Zolnoks.)

Office Special Agent Treasury Department,

Washington, D. C, December 30, 1892.

Sir: I have the honor to hand you herewith a series of tables setting
forth the number of fur seals killed on the Pribilof Islands, for all
causes whatsoever, during the term of the lease of the Alaska Com-
mercial Company — that is, from 1870 to 1889, both inclusive.

These tables have been compiled by me with great care from the offi-
cial records of the Pribilof Islands, and are correct, careful compari-
sons having been made. They include every seal killed from any cause,
intentional or accidental, incident to the taking of seal skins on the
islands of St. Paul and St. George.

Joseph Murray,
Firtit AMiHtant Special Atjent.

Hon. Charles Foster,

Secretary of the Treasury.

¥T¥

302

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Tablen nhowitij) in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the I'ribilof
Islands durimj the tei-m of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1SS9, both incluHtve.

Note.— Tliei'u Ih a iiiisuppreheiiMiuu in regard to tin- naiiiun of tlu; Huverul rookeries and liaiilio);
grounds, and tliey are often confounded by people who are nut thorou);hly acquainted with tliem.
Zoltui and (iarl>otoli are local HulHliviHions ot the Keef Hookery and are treatetl as rookerieH by Honie
of the Treai4ury a;;entH, while otliern ignore thein altojiethor. /Capadnie and Southwest ISay are one.
I'olivina and Il'alt'wav I'oint areoiie; soueuien UHiugtlie UuHsi.'tn while others umc the English uaineM.
En|;liHli liav and Middle Hill are separate and distinct rooki'ries, and yet tlicy are often spoken of as
though they were one. Near is a local subdivision of North Kookery. Little Kast is a subdivision
of East Kookery. Sea Lion Kock. Southwest I'oint, and Kocky I'oint are neither rookeries uov haul-
ing grounds in the strict sense of the term ; tlie seals eouie and go at will, fur it is only under the most
favorable londitimis of wind and water they can be reached, and it is but seldom there arc mauv of
them. Ky keeping these facts in mind it will be seen that seals were driven from all of the hauliii!;
grounds on Imtli islands from 1870 to date.

ST. I'AUL ISLAND.

1 No record of daily killings for ls70. |

Date.

Hooke

Total
kiUe.l
for all

pur-
poses.

187(1.

Jnly

1871.
May 16
24
June 1 '

2 i
i

8 !
10

16 '

20 I
22 I

2;i

24
24 1

2it !

28 I

31 ;
11

18
24
29
4
il
18
26
29
2
9
10
13
14
10
17
17
10
21
21
25
27
28
28

Not indicated in tlie records of i
this year \ 15,314

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Tolstoi

Reef....

Tolstoi

Keef

Knglisb Hay

Southwest Hay

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Knglisb liav-.

Zoltoi ."...

Southwest Hay

Lukannon

Zidtoi

Keef

Northeast Point

Zoltoi and K<«f

Tolstoi and English Bay.

Lukannon. ■

Nortlieasl I'oint

Lukannon and Zoltoi.. .

Reef

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Knglisb Hay

Ketova

Northeast I'oint

Zoltoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Tolstoi

Xortlieast l'(dnt.

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Ketova

i^ukannon

Zoltoi

Ketova

T<dstoi

Ketova

Halfway Point . .

Ketova

Tolstoi

Keef

Northeast Point.

Ketova

Rei>f

Tolstoi

English Bay

Northeast Point.

186

246

579

222

917

1,682

2, "01

871

1,107

1.39H

1,071

1, 283

518

706

2, 654

1,014

2,401

1,133

2, 038

3, 623

1,189

756

1,010

1,940

801

3,404

1,179

1,807

1.418

2, 845

657

205

150

118

193

178

105

130

1,250

1,308

5,083

896

506

633

683

1,158

3,150

3,666

2,181

2,142

3,042

679

495

Date.

June

1871.

Oct. 30

Nov. 7

Dee. 19

1872.

Mav 11

July

Aug. 1

Sept. 7

Oct.

K(Hik«'ry.

Tolst4>i

English Bay.

Reef

Total
killed
for ail
pur
poses.

2, Wi

720

647

3,i<77

Total 81,801!

Northeast Point.

Reef

Tolstoi

liecf.

Tolstoi and Knglisb Hay . .
I Southwest Bay

Zoltoi and Keef

Tolstoi and Knglisb Bay . .
do

Keef and Northeast I'oint.

Zoltoi

English Hay

R<ef.

Lukannon

Northeast I'oint and Ketova .. ,

lieef and Zoltoi ,

English Hay

Tolstoi and Northeast I'oint

Ketova and Lukannon

Zoltoi

Knglisb Bay

Zoltoi and Northeast Point

English Bay

Zoltoi and Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

English' Bay, Lukannon, and
Northeast Point

Zoltoi

English Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

English Bay

ZoRoi......

Ketova

227

455

759

278

293

20il

1,616

002

l.C)-

1,730

4,714

395

2, 828

1,169

1,705

5,547

9111

4,618

6, 427

1.151

1.841

3,265

6,765

3,139

2,071

2,329

1,116

1,064

7,388

1,384

2,080

638

119

114

161

122

118

490

127

m:imii

on the I'nbilof
y — that is, from

series and hatilin);
iiiiitfd with tbeiii.
rookerleN by some
iwt'st Hay art^ one.
he Enuliith uameH.
)fteii s)>ok<>ii of a.s
<t is a Hubdivisiou
ixikurieH uor liniil-
ily iindi^r the luoat
there are iiiauy of
all (if the haiiiiii!;

Total

killRd

for all

pur-

, |MI808.

2, '.m

729

647

3,»77

81. 80;i

Hay

iay

I'oint.

Kutova

5
227
455
759
278
29',!
20!t

1.616
«B2

1,0.57

i,7;io

4.714

395

2, 828

1,169

1,705

5,547

910

4,618

t I'oint....! 6, "IS?

1.151

1.841

3,265

I'oint j 6,765

3,139
2,071
2,329
1,116
1,664

7,388

1,384

2,080

638

119

114

161

122

118

490

127

inon, and

SEAL LIFE ON THE FRIBILOF ISLANDS.

303

Tables ahowing in detail all killinij of fur Meals, for whatsoever purpose, on the I'ribilof
hlands during the term of the lease of the Alaika Comrrf-zial Company — that is, from
1S70 to 1SS9, both imlusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND-! 'ontin lied.

Date.

1872.
Oct. 29
Nov. 20
30
30

Dec.

Nov.

1873.

May 23

June 3

If.

Aug. 4

Sept. 1

J4ookery.

/olloi, Uee(, and Liikannon..

Tolstoi

Xi)iihi-ast I'oint

Keef

/oltoi

Total

killed

for all

pur-

pOHCH.

1,284
753
724

1,286
112
420

5, 121

Total 81,819

J Illy

Keef

Southwest Hay

Kcttf and Tol8t<ii

Sent li west Bay

Het'f and Tolstoi

Soutli west JJay and Kni^lisli Bay

Keef and Zoltoi

Tolstiii and EiikHhIi Bay

Norf lieast I'oint

T(dMtoi

Lukannou

Keef

Southwest Bay and Kuglish Bay

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi and English Bay

English Hay

Beef and Tolstoi

/Coltoi and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Lukannon and /oltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

Oct.

Nov.
Dec.

29
30
8
16
21

9
30

Zoltoi and Tolstoi

....do

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

... do

i Knglish Bay

Zoltoi

Lukannon, Ketova, and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Ba.y

Lukannon and Ketova

....do

Northeast I'oint

Zoltoi

...do

....do

Lukannon

Zoltoi

....do

Southwest Bay

Ketova

...do

Zoltoi

For natives' foo<l

Reef

Garbotch

1874.

Apr. 27

May 6

Total.

Northeast Point.
Southwest Bay..

Reef

....do

193 ;

104 '

803

703 ,;

920
2,597
1,666
2.029 'I
3,243 ij
1,770 I

677 !l

465 i
3,946 I

052 I
3, 412
1,803
3. 159
2, 210
1.147
5, 020
1,848
2, 337
1,938 ;|
2,212 ll

710 !l
1,510 11
2,494 i
6,278

925 :

1,248

1,.547 ;

1.561 I
929 1

1,047 !

5.696 '
754

1,979 J
446 '

2,727 :

179 I

168

l.->o

119 I

109

122 !

10 I

104 I

154

5,489
231
267

Date.

1874.

June 3

20 -

20 I

25 i

26 ;

81, 987

10
404
340
301
217

RcMikerv.

Total
killed
for all

piir-
potes.

.Inly

30
1
3
3
4
4
6
8

9 '
10
10
13
14
16
16
16
17 i
17 1
23
28 i

3 ;
10;
17 !
26
31

7
10
25

Nov. —

Dec. 17

1875.

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

.■^oiit hwest Hay

Keef ■

Tolstoi and Knglish Hay

Northeast I'oint

Keef and Zoltoi

Sout invest Hay and English Hay

Tolstoi !

Keef and liarliotch

Southwest May and English Hav

Tolstoi !

Northeast I'oint

Keef and Zoltoi

English Hav and Tolstoi

Zoltoi '

Southwest and EnKHsh bivys . . .,

Zoltoi and Lukannon '

Northeast Point |

Zoltoi and l.ukanium '

English l!ay

Beef and /oltoi {

Ketova and Lukannon

Nort heast Point

Zoltoi and Tolstoi

English Hay and 'Tidstoi

Keef. Tolstid, and Lukannon . . . i

Tolstoi I

Lukannon

Zoltoi !

English Bay i

English Bay and Tolstoi i

Zoltoi '.

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi ami Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi

Lukannon and Ketova

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Northeast Point

Tolstoi
Z<dtoi .

do.

do.
.do.
do.
do.

Iteef.

doi ,

Pups for natives
Keef

Jan.
Feb.

May

1
10
16
17

10
14
18
24
31
June 1

Total.

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Reef

English Bay and Southwest Bay

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Tolstoi I

2, 305
538
.-56

4,062
639

1.898
ti34
540

1.982
822

4.737
891

2.689
474

3. 419
3, 033
7. 217
3. 982
3. 270
1,021
1,321
8,172
1,212
2,209
2,621
l,5:i8

538

3,014

1,564

2, 702

1,987

1,580

432

3,367

1,664

2, 160

475

1,099

668

533

4,004

130

167

112

107

131

201

197

163

174

179

175

236

4,897

1,541

08, 139

498

143

657

492

1,201

203

692

iii ■!

304

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

Tablen showing in detail all killing of fur neali, for whatsoever purpose, on the I'ribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial <\-:>tttan)i — that is, from
1870 to 1HS9, both inclusive— Contitwied.

D»te.

1875. I
Juup 7

12
12
14
Ifl
10
17
18
19
19
22
22
24
25
26
211
28
80
2
3
6
8
9
10
10
13

15 !

16 I
16,

17
22
28 i

Aufi. 4 '
14
21

Sept. 2
12
21
30

Oct. 12

Nov. 5
17
29

Jnly

Dec.

1876.
Jan. 12
Hay 23

June 3

14 '

15 I
17 i
17 j
20 '
211
22 I
24

ST. PAUL ISI.ANU -(JoiitiuiieU.

Kookery.

/nltoi .111(1 Itorf '

Sou til went May !

NortlieiiHt I'liiiit |

KiikHhIi lluv, Soutliwt'Ht Hay, |

TolHloi ..'. (

Keef iiiul /olt«ii

XcirtlieuHt I'oiDt

Tolsf oi and KiikHhIi I'ny

Hiilfway Point

TolHtoi autl reef

Liikaniiiin |

SiiMtliwcsl Bav, Knglish Hav...

y.dltdi .' '

NortliiMi.st Point i

TolHloi

Zoitoi ;

Kncliali Buy

I.nkanniin

Nortli('a»t Point

Southwest J$ay

■• if.

Keef

Zoitoi and Kn^liHli Bay

I.iik»nnou, Ketova, /oltoi.

KortlieaHt Point

Zoitoi and Lukanuon

Kng'.isli l!ay

Tolstoi and' Kn<{liHli Bay ..

liiikannon and Ketova

Noi'tlicaHt I'oiut

Zoitoi

TolHtoi and EngliHh Bay..
Lukanuon and Ketova .". ..

KngliHli Bay

ZoU.ii '

Noi'theHMt Point

Zoitoi

Ketova

Zoitoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Piips killed for food

N orthea-st Point

Tolstoi

Total.

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Keef

Southwest Bay

Reef and Zoitoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Zoitoi

Northeast Point

Zoitoi ,

Halfway Point ,

Tolstoi.' Zoitoi, ]{oef

Sout li west Ba;v

Northeast Point

Zoitoi

Tolstoi

Zoitoi

Knglish Bay and Northeast
Point

Total
killed
for hU

pur-
poses.

711

1.560

1.45li

631

4. 065

739

2.115

707

452

3, 303

1, 363

5, 252

1,830

1,150

3. DOS)

262

7, 349

4,047

1,527

3,927

2. 534

5,024

1.248

3.370

2, 093

1, 125

5. 937

1,565

1,81U

748

2. 700

1,205

7,439

5,'i7

159

235

192

159

210

143

146

153

115

172

1,990

3,745

694

94,960

914

223
189
836
673
468
566
184
1,585
808
811

1,509

2,641 !

3, 120 '

2,942

3,101

480 ;

10, 696 1

Date.

Rookery.

I Total
I killed
! for all
I pur-
I poses.

1876.
June 26
28

.luly

Aug,

29
1

I 23

I .Sept. 1

I II

6 !

14 :

31 I

24 '

Zoitoi

Knalish Hill

Zoitoi

Tolstoi and Northeast Point.

Tolstoi and Ketova

English Bay

Lukannon .'

Northeast Point

Zoitoi

KiiUlishUill

Zoitoi .

do.

Lukannon and Zoitoi.

Zoitoi

Ketova

Oct.

Nov

Zoitoi . .

Ketova.

Zoitoi . .

do . .

do..

Dei'. 15

do..
Tolstoi .
Southwest

do.

I'ups killed for food.
Tolstoi

Hay.

Tot«l.

1877.
May 22
•June

July

Aug.

i Sept.

9
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
23
25
26
27
28
29
30
30

1 i

*
6

7 i
7 I

10
10 I
14 I
22
6

20
30 I
12 I
21 ;
29 I

Reef

...do

Southwest and English Bay

Reef

Halfway I'oint

English Bay and Southwest Bay

Tofi.toi....''. :.

Zoitoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay ,

Lukannon

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Tolstoi

Zoitoi

Halfway Point

Tolstoi

Zoitoi and Lukanuon

English Bay

Tolstoi ....'

Northeast Point

Zoitoi

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Tolstoi and English Bay

Lukannon and Ketova.' ■

Zoitoi

Northeast Point

Zoitoi

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Zolt«i

...do

.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.

862

3,017

1,442

11,4<i5

2.644

2,840

2. 2«7

2, 120

2,116

2, 113!)

1,974

1.0411

3, 677

120

134

215

179

130

133

146

133

136

120

163

636

665

.1, 958

825

83, 157

342

,'•.48

799

1,705

449

1,095

1,647

1,507

1,094

1,013

1,458

1,6.31

1,172

1,224

5,965

1,050

1,250

430

2, 020

1,401

2,106

1,917

6,449

1,849

1,534

2, .522

2,275

1.113

6,660

4»5

2,086

2,172

1,066

165

172

190

20n

196

171

163

10 Prihihf
it is, from

I Total
I killed
for nil
' pur-
I poBOH .

862

3,017

1,442

It...

11,4'.>5

2,644

2, H40

2, 2«7

1 2,120

1 2,116

2, (13!)

1,974

1.0411

3,677

120

: 134

215

179

130

133

146

133

136

; 120

163

i 636

1 665

1 .^,958

825

....

83, 157

342

548

y —

799

1,705

449

1,095

Bay

1,647

1,507

1,094

1,013

1,4!>8

1,631

1,172

1,224

5,965

1,050

1,250

430

2, 020

1,401

2,106

1,917

6,449

1,849

1,534

2, .522

2,275

1.113

B,660

495

2,086

2,172

1,066

105

172

190

200

190

171

....

163

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

305

Tablet thowini) in detail all killing of fur neals, for whatsoever purpose, on the I'rihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 18S9, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continual.

Date.

Kookery.

Total
kiUi'd
for nil

pur-

1877.

Oct. 6

Nov.

Dec.

Zoltoi

/oltoi nnd Ketova. . .
/oltoi Hiid Liiknniiou

/oltoi and Keef

Tolstoi

do
Nortbenst I'oiiit

171
157
146
2.715
1,535
757
222
1,259
383
20

1878.

May 19
30

June 8
11
12
13

14
15
17
18

19
20
21

22 !

22 :

28 ,

July 1

3 I

^i
6
6
8

9
10
10
12
13
16
17
18
18
30

Aug. 10
22

Sept. 2
14
24

Oct. 2
10

Nov. 1
4
6

8 ;

26
28
Aug. to^
Dec. J

Sea Liuii Kock

.SouthwBHt Hay

Keef

Tolstoi and English liny

lieef and Zultoi

Southwest 13av nnd English

Buy .'

Tolstoi

Kttova, Keef, Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bnv and English

Buy .'

Luknnnon, Ketova, Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Southwest Bay and English

Ray .'

Zoltoi. Luknnnon, Ketova......

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Tolstoi

Zoltoi. Ketova, Lukannon

English Bay

Zoltoi and Ketova

Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Zoltoi and Ketova

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfwny I'oint, Lukannon,

Ketova

Zoltoi

Northea.st Point

Tolstoi and Jllddle Hill

Zoltoi

Middlellill

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

do.;

Lukannon

Reef

...do

Tolstoi and Reef .
do

Northeast Point (watchmen) .

1.099

887

1, 2«3

1,501

2,278

098

1,731

1,4,57
1.309
5,900
1, 473

1, .552
1,890

2, 672
1,661
1,131
6, 375
2,237

3, 903
701

2,010
2,622

1, cm

7,231

1,369
910
2.288
3, 322
3, 600

2, 101
1, 988
2.337
1.549

272

404

294

173

211

156

144

148

140

1,380

2,000

1,255

571

1,144

853

133

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 20

Date.

Total 88,519

1879.
Mnv 19
26
June 2

9
10
11

12
13
14
IB
17
18
19
20
21
10
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
20

27
28
21!
24
25
26
27
30
July 1

' I

June 30

I 10

Aug. 2

I 20

! 27

Sept. 5

i 9

Rookery.

SouthwcHtand English bays...

Reef

....do

English and Southwest hnys,

'l(ll8tol

Reef

Halfwny Point

Soutliwest and English hays ...

Tolstoi

Reef, Zoltoi. Ketova

Southwt'Bt Bav nnd Middle Hill.

Halfway IVdn't

Southwest Bay and Aliddle Hill.

Reef, Ketova, Zoltoi

Southwest Bavcind English Bay.

Tolstoi and .M iddle Hill

Reef. Ketova, Lukannon

Northeast I'oint

Tolstoi and .Middle Hill

Soutliwest anil English bays...

Reef. Zoltoi, Ketova

Tolstoi. Middle Hill, English

Bny, Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Ketova, Reef. Lukannon, Zoltoi

Northeast I'oint

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

.do.
.do.

Tolstoi and Middle Hill.

English Bay

Lukannon and Zoltoi

Zoltoi anil Middle Hill..

Enulish Ray

Lukannon and Ketova..

Northeast Point

.do

July

.do.
.do.
do

Zoltoi and Middle Hill....

Zoltoi, Ketova, Luknnnon .

Zoltoi and Ketova

Northeast Point

.do

Z(dtoi

Zoltoi iuid Ketova

Middle Hill, Lukannon, Tolstoi
.do

Zoltoi

Northeast Point.

Zoltoi

Oct,

Specimens

Zoltoi

Southwest Bay..

Zoltoi

Northeast I'oint.

Zoltoi

Halfway Point . .
Southwest Bay .
Northeast Point.

Zoltoi

Southwest Bay..
Northeast Point.
Ketova

278
525
162

1,627

434

1,18(1

1,462

498

730

997

522

1,331

1,110

1,176

1,053

1,528

066

1,860

1,746

1.289

2,300

1,H22

1.995

1,542
1,940
1,206
1,550
1,414
1,339
1.074
1.665
2, 617
2, 148
1.885
1,032
2,106
1,168
2. 524
1, 62fc

866
1.088
2,077
1,528
1,920

983

948
2,418
1,264
1,519

398
2, 6.52
1,233
2,882

157

278
13

273

195

206
18

203
1

184
16

174
2
5
4

108

109

I f

« 1$

:t y

306

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Table$ $howing in detail all killinn of fur seah, for whalnoever piir/ione, on the I'ribihf
Islands during the term of the leane of the AUmka Commercial Companjf—that ii, from
1870 to 1S89, both i«t7H«ire— Continued.

Date.

1879.
Oct. 20
29
3U
31
31
3

)!:■■ f.

Nov

Deo.

1880. I
May 14 I

22 I

22 j

8 ;

9 I

" i

14 !

15 j

16 '

17 :
18
19 1

June

14/
19S

July

21^

26^

6-10

Aug. 11

Sept. 8

ST. PAUL rSLAND-Coiitlnued.

KtiokiTV.

Liiknnnoii

do
ill)

Ki'tova

... ilo

Liikaiinon

ili>

Ciarbutvli

ill)

Uful'

ilo

Oarliotcli

Ueet'

Nortlieast I'oiiit

South wi'«t Uav

TntHl
killed
for all

|IIU'-

posea.

263
544

;i35

909

107

1,153

1,466

356

260

17'J

1.20H

1,30H

Date.

1880.
Oit. 12
2.')
Nov. 2./
3.5,6s
Die. (i
9

Nov

24
11
29

Total 88,221

Soiilliwi'.>tt Hay

Koof ."

NortlieaHt I'oiiit

Keef

Southwest Uav

Reef .'

Eiiglirtli liay, Tolstoi

Southwest anil Kii;i;lmli bay.s. .

Halfway I'oint

Reef aiid Zoltoi

Za)iadiiii' ami KiiKlixh Hay

Ketova, /oltoi, lii-cf

TolHtoi and Kiiglish Itav

KiiKliHh Day and Aliddle Hill..

Northeast I'oint

1H81.
■Iaii.l-:t
May 4

20
.luuc 6

Halfway Point

Ketova, Zoltoi, Roef

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Reef, Zoltoi, Ketova

English Bay and Middle Hill.
Ketova, Zoltoi, Reof

Northeast Point

Hrlfway Point

Ketova, Lukannon, Zol toi

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

English Bay and Middle Hill . .

Ketova, Zoltoi, Reef

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Lnkannon and Ketova

Tolstoi

Tclstoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi, Reef, Lukannon, Ketova.
Tolstoi, Lukannon, Middle Hill

Zoltoi, Ket4>va, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Zoltoi. Ketova, Lnkannon

Tolstoi and English Bay.

Reef, Zoltoi, LiiKonnon, Ketova.

English Bay

Middle Hill and Lukannon

Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Zoltoi

.do.
.do.
.do.
do.
.do.
.do.

209

225

216

1,497

15 i

926

889 ;

16 1

7«3

1,204

705

990

1,619

802

5,279

1,459

1, (135

1, 702

1.437

2,582

1,062

6,202

1,516

1,743

2,297

1,622

July 1

2,374

1,386

7,167

789

651

1,577

1,654

2,221

1,428

1,221

7,073

817

1,763

2,640

1.834

2,461

534

228

218

263

160

189

195

239

{ 20

227

Hookerv.

Total
killiil
for all
pur-

pOHI'i.

Liikaunou 200

Kn^'lish Bay I9:i

Lukannon, liret. Ki'tova 4, 410

Reef

Southwest Uiiy

Northeast Point

MiddlelMIl

English Bay

I'otal 84,779

Tolstoi anil ri'of

Aililitioiial sivins found on re-
rount

Additional skins found in salt..

R.if

Ill rf and Zoltoi

Soiithwi'si :inil I'n^lish Imys,
I'olstoi

Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Zoltoi

Soutliwrst anil English Imys,
Tolstoi '. ...

Zoltoi, Keef, l.ukannon

Halfway Point

ToUtoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Tolstoi. .Middle lliU, Northoast
I'oint

English Bay, Midilli' Hill, Tol-
stoi. Northeast I'oint

Ri'i'f aiul Tolstoi

Halfway I'oint. Middle Hill,
English liav, 'I'olstoi

Miildli; Hill, t^ukannon, Zoltoi,
Reef

Middli' Hill, English Bay, Tol-
stoi, Northeast I'oint

English Bay, Southwest Bay,
Northeast Point

Lukannon, Zoltoi, Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Tolstoi and Lukannon

Halfway Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi, Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Ketova. Northeast Point

Southwest Boy, English Bay,
Northeast Point

Zoltoi, Tolstoi, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Halfway Point, Northeast
Point

English Bay. Middle HiU, Tol-
stoi

Zoltoi, Tolstoi. Lukannon

English Bay, Middle Hill

English ana Southwest bay* . . .

English Bay, Middle HiU, Tol-
stoi, Zoltoi Ketova, Lukan-
non

Zoltoi, Ketova (711), North-
east Point, food (16)

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Zoltoi,
Ketova, Lukannon

English Bay, Middle HiU, Tol-
stoi

Tolstoi, Zoltoi, Ketova, Lnkan-
non

1.038

8
■i

4-J3

1,250
127
474
196

2.387

724

539

1,229

1,014

4,103

3, 049
1,104

3,082

1,275

2,043

3,318

2,967

4.596

3,358

943

3,758
1,949

4,853

3,421

2,269

2,631
3,075
1,782
1,473

3,561
727
2,455
2,301
2,536

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF LSLAND.S.

307

Tablet ihowing in detail all killing of fur teah, for whalnoever purpose, on the I'rihilof
Iilands during the term of the leane of the Alaska Commercial Company — that i», fr'^m
1S70 to 1)^89, both inclu«tt<e— Continued.

ST. PAUL ISLANU-Continuea.

Date.

Rookery.

1881.
July 27
18-29

/oltol

NtirtlicaHt Point

Aug. 5
10

/oltoi

(1,1

NortlieiiNt Point

)|,i

Zdltol

Ni)rtJu'iiKt Point

Sept. 6
17

Zciltoi

Nortlitast Point ,

Oct. 10

•JS

Nov. 5

Dec. 7

))

1882.
Jan. 12
Feb. «
10
May 22
;)i
June 2

8
10
12

13
13
14
16
17
19

July

/oltoi

/ollol (20H), Northeiist Point (.'>),

/oltoi(2ll). Nortlioa.st I'oint(5)

Zdltoi, Xortlicnst Point

Tolstoi

Midilln Hill

TolHtoi

.Middle Hill

South west Hay

KllL'f ,

Total.

Kccf

...do

'I'ol.xtoi

Kct'f

Southwoat Bay, Middh^ Hill,
Tolstoi ."

SoiitliHOst Ita.v

Zoltoi and Heiif ,

Tolstoi and Koef

Southwest Itav and Northeast
Point '.

Hallway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Hny and Tolstoi

Halfway Point, Hecf, Tol.ftoi ..

Southwest Bay and Tolstoi

KetovB, lleef, Zoltoi, North-
cast Point

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Tolstoi, North-
east Point

Ketflva, Keef, Zoltoi, North-
east Point

Halfway Point and Northeast
Point

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Northeast
Point

Southwest Bay aiid Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Reef, Tolstoi, Northeast Point.

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Northeast
Point

Halfway Point, Lukannon,
Nortlieast Point

Northeast Point and Reef

Southwest Bay and Northeast
Point

English Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Zoltoi and Northeast Point

Middle Hill, Zoltoi, Northeast
Point

Enelish Bay, Middle Hill,
Northeast Point

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

202

:i8

•J24

276

210

240

205

213

21U

227

2«1»

6h;i

494

402
1,022
1, 204

8.'), 774

103

126

246

400
849

428
488

2,223

217

306

803

1.458

1,070

1, 829 :

3,060

1,617

2, 811

2,S28

Date.

1883.
July 8

12
13

18
10
20
25

AuK.

Sept.

Oct.

Rookerv.

15
27
3(1
6
17
30
30

Nov. 17
28
30

Dec. 4

1883. '
May 26
June 4 !

6 '

1?'

12 i
13
14 <

15 ;

18 '

19 :

Halfway Point and Northeast

Point

Heel', Ketova, Lukanuon,

Northeast Point

.... do

Southwest Bay and NortlieuMt

Point

EuKlisli Hay, Middle Hill. T(d-

stoi, Noi'tlieast Point

Knulish Hay. Middle Hill,

Northeast Point ,

Zoltoi ,

Zoltoi, I.ukannon, Kotovu

Southwest Hay

Zolldi ,

Northeast I'oiiit ,

Zoltoi

do ,

....do

Noi tlieast Point

Ziiltoi

Reef

Northeast Point

Middlu Hill and Tol.stoi

Keef

Tolstoi

Reef

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

2,4:54

3,291
2,833

3,420

3,087

.?, 593

1,012

1 278

727

204

252

226

234

191

237

227

201

261

16S

248

383

429

408

388

400

Total 79,834

1,560

3,164

3,226

4,270

18-23

2,239

2,469

1,601

3,805

2,576

25-30

3,034

Jnly 2

1,540

2,673

South west Bay

Southwest anil English bays,
Tolstoi

Halfway Point

Reef...".

Southwest Hay, Mi.ldle Hill,
Tolstoi ."

Reef and Zoltoi

Halfway Point

Sonthwestiind Ens:liah bays...

Kuiflish Bay and Tolstoi

Reef and Zoltoi

Southwest Hay

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Halfwav Point ami Lukannon .

Reef and Tolstoi

English Bay. Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukanuon

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
sToi

Zoltoi Rud Lukanuon

Southwest and English bays . . .

Zoltoi, Tolstoi. Reef, I.ukannon.

English Bay, Middle Hill, Zol-
toi

Lukanuon, Reef, Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Southwest Bay

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

Zoltoi and Lukannon

Zoltoi, Middle Hill, Tolstoi ....

230

592
:i54
177

405
352
252
490
440
341
417

735
908
972

1,401
1,078
3,279

1,428

838

1,640

1,612

1,519
1,191
5,012
1,700
2,151
1,494
2,34S
1,765

III

' :t|

fTTfrr

808

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Tablet ihowinfi in (htail all killin;i of fur leah, for whalHoerer piirpoie, on the I'ribUnf
Itlands during the ta-m of Ihf lease of the .Haika Commercial Company — that i»,fritm
1870 to ISSU, both inclimre — Continued.

ST. I'Al'L ISLAND-Coiitiniied.

D«t«.

1R83.
July 7
8

^-o

13
14

16
X7
18
19

Aug. 1
10
20

Sept. 1
12
24

Oct. 6
20
29

Nov. 1
2
5
15
2«
27
27

Dec. 12
19

1884
Jim. 2

May 15
21
24
27

June 3
6

9
10
11

12
13
14
16
17

18
19
20
21
21
23
24
25
26

July

Itoiikciv.

/iiltiii. Ht'i't', I.iikiiiiiiou

Middle Hill

NorllidiiHt rniiit ,

Knglish ltiiv,Miil<llc Hill Tols-
toi, /olli.i

HnUwav I'oint, l.iikniiiion,
/.oltol

S(iiitli\vt>Ht hny

EiiKliHli liiiv, Middle Hill, /.ol-

toi

llalfwny I'niiit and /idtoi

Southwest Hiiy

Middle Hill, Lukaunou, /oltol

Zoltoi

...do

lieef

Ketova

Ueef

Tol8t(d

Norl licatit I'oint (to date)

Koef

TotHl
killed
lor all
pur-
]i08eii,

039
1,164
fi, 066

1,923

l,6n9
2,444

'J, 136

2. 1160

1,116

1,H76

8, 183

101

250

102

278

123

286

2U0

200

1,502

336

884

119

134

155

420

421

sKccf

^Nortlu'iiat Point (to date)

do :

Hnlfwiiy I'oint and Reef i

Northeast I'oint (to date) i

Southwest Bay and Keef I

He.f I

Southwest and Knglish hays, I

Zoltoi I

Iioef and Halfway Point i

Ketova and ToLstoi

Sonthwe.st Pay and Halfway i

Point I

Zoltoi, Ketova English Bay 1

Zoltoi and Reef

Halfway Point ,

Southwest Bay ,

£n<!lish Bay, Tolstoi, Reef,

Zoltoi

Halfwav I'oint

English' Rayand Tolstoi

Southwest Bay

Zoltoi and Reef

Northeast Point

Halfwav Point and Zoltoi

Zoltoi, iieef, Lukannon, Ketova

Southwest Bav

English Bay,:MiddIe Hill.Tol-

Zoltoi, Reef, Ketova

Northeast Point

Tolstoi. Middle Hill, Lukannon

Zoltoi and Halfway Point ,

Zoltoi, Reef, Tolstoi, Lukannon
English Bay and Middle Hill.
Southwest Bay, Zoltoi, Middle

Hill, Lukannon

English Bay and Tolstoi

Pate.

Total 63,296

177
36
20

187
15

427

318

767

1,230

426

304
865

771

7-10
12

1.1
16

17
18

14-18
19

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov

Deo.

3()

1885.

Mav 10

June 3

Ko(diery.

Northeast Point,

Zoltoi. Heef. Ketova

Halfway Point.

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon,

Southwest Bav

English Hay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast I'oint . . .

Middle Hill, Tolstoi, Lukan-
non, /(dt(d, lieef

Halfway I'oint and /oIt(d

Southwest Bav

English Bay, '.Middle Hill, Ke-
tova

Zidtiil and l.ukiinuon

English Bay, Tolstoi, Middle
Hill .■

Northeast I'oint

jMiddle Hill, Tolstoi, L\iknnnou,
Ketova, Zoltoi. Keef

Middle Hill, Zidtoi, Tolstoi,
Ketova . .

Zoltoi

....do

-...do

....do

Lukannon. ..

Reef

English Bay.
Reef.

Tolstoi

Reef

....do

En;;lisli Bay.
Reef

Total.

Sea Lion Rock .
Reef.

838
1,424

!3 i
15 ,

16 1

1,266 '

v: .

912 ,

487

1,793

1,117

3,992

2,163

1,729

1,197

2,546

1,830

5,134

1,500

1,662

1,826

1,888

1,340

1,622 i

Zoltoi

/ ...li-. ; and Reef

....do

To'stii and English Baj-.

Halfway I'oint

■tiilU.iaud Reef

So jvhwest Bay

Lnglish Bay, Middle HiU, Zol-
toi.

Lukannon and Halfway Point. . [

Zoltoi and Reef :

Zoltoi, Reef. Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Zultoi

Northeast Point '

English Bav, Southwest Bay, ,

Middle Hill

Reef and Lukannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Lukannon, Zoltoi, Reef

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English Bay and Middle HiU. . . ;

Total
kiUed
foruU

pur-

pOgVH.

5,791)
1,251
1,935
2, (171
1,966

1,920
3,0<l3

3,(167
2, ,M5

2, (1,52

1.526

1,782

1,872
5,089

2,529

1,011

1118

160

147

131

150

142

144

115

179

1,956

785

182

153

495

265

244

88, 861

181

141

125

587

741

973

1,700

617
1. 309

986

789
1,532
1.143

847

1,733
1,681
1,051
1,373

667
1,328

539
1,602

ii53
2,681

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOK ISLANDS.

309

the I'ribihf
that i«, /rum

Total

killod

foruU

I>iir-

poat'H.

5,799

1,251

1,935

2, (171

1,966

1, Tol.

1,»20

3,0<I3

^iikuii-

;i,ii67

2, r>15

2, 11,52

11, Ke-

l.,')26

1,782

Mltlille

1,872

5,089

anDuu,

2,529

'olBtoi,

l.flll

1!I8

160

147

131

150

142

144

115

179

1,956

785

182

153

495

205

244

88, 801

181

141

125

587

741

973

1.700

1, Zol-

017

'oint..

1. 309

1 986

' 789

1,532

1,143

847

Bay,

' 1,733

1,681

1,051

1,373

667

1,328

539

1,602

.'-.53

UU...

2,681

Tablet thawing in detail all killing of fur seals, fo: whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilaf
Islands during the term of the lease of the Jlaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1SS9, both inclusive — C'ontiuued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND-Contluued.

Dat«.

i)
10
10
13
13
14
U
15
15
1«
1«
17
17
18
18
20
20
21

21 ;

22 ,
22 ,

23 I

24 !

25 I

27 i
Aug. 3 i

12 I

21 I
Sept. 5

12 i

25 I
Oct. 7 I

26 I
Nov. 2

4 I
7

9 I
21 I

Dec.

31 ,

1886.
Jan. 21
29
5
8
17
10-17

Rookery.

Nurtlii'URt Point

Uuef, Lukannon, /oltot, Kutovn

NurtlieuHt I'oliit

TolHtoi, Middle UiU, Kntcliwh

Hay :

N'ortooiiHt Point

Halfway I'oint anil /.oltoi

NortlioHxt Point

I.ukanuon nnd /oltoi

NorthetiHt I'oint

South wmt Uny

Northt-a8t Point

Middlft Hill, SoiithweHt Bay,

TolHtoi

Nortliuiwt Point

Zoltoi, Lukannon, Ketova

XortlieuHt Point

Middle Hill and ToUtoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

NorMieast Point

South went liny

NorthoiiHt I'oint

KukHhIi Hay and Tolstoi

N'ortheast Point

Zoltoi

Nortliengt Point

Halfway I'oint and Lukannon. .

NortheaHt Point.

Zoltoi

NortlivaHt Point

Kt-ef, TVlstci. .MiddlKHill

Nortlieaat Point

Southwest Hay

NortheaHt Point

Middle Hill and Englinh Itay...

Nortlieant Point

Zoltoi and Lukannon

NortlieoMt Point

Middle Hill, EngliHh Bay,

Zoltoi .:.-

Northeast Point 1

Halfway Point, Middle Hill, !

Ketova i

EngliHh Bay, Zoltoi, Ketova, •

Middle Hill Lukannon, Heef..

Zoltoi, Keef, Midille Hill

Zoltoi I

Zoltoi and Reef

Zoltoi I

<lo !

do :

Total

killed

toraU

pnr-

POSM.

' Date.

.do.
.do.
do.

Reef.

....do

...do

Middle Hill.
Reef

1,053 [

1,777 '
1,096 I

1,465 ll

631 i
2, 134

658

976

161
1,271

522

2, 604
1, 1K4
2,.')50 ■

74(1
1.204 ,

703 t
2,304 !i

671 II
2,134 '

822 i|
2,f.'j <:

b53 ;{
2,130 1 1

3ti3 1 1
2,137 il

757
2,203 '

«47 i!
1,552 il

616 I
1,591

828 I
2,723 i

474 ;,
2,743

687

1,603
631

2,408

2,215
983
147
179
185
135
155
152

78
122

85
1,524
064
300
332
148

1886.
May 20
June 4 I

10 1

11 I

14
14
K,
15
16

16
17
17
13
18
19

19
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
25

July 1

10
12

13 I

12 I

14 I

May

...do

Northeaot Point.

Total

Sea Lion Rock

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay and Reef.
Northeast Point

1,096

48'

88,880 '■

49 ;

7 '

300

49 :

20 1

Rookery.

Reef

TolHtoi, Knglisli Bay, South-
west Buj'

Halfway Point

Reef and Zoltoi

Knulish Hay

Lukannon Iteef

Northeast Point

Sout h went Bay

Nortlieast Point

English Hay, .Middle Hill, Tol-
Htoi

NortheaHt Point

Hiilfway Point

NortheaHt Point

Reef anti Zoltoi

NortheaHt Point

English ll;iy, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Southwest Hay

Nortlieast Point

English Hav and Tolstoi

Nortlieast i'oint

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

NortheaHt I'oint

Reef, Zoltoi, English Hay, Mid-
dle Hill, Tolstoi

Northeast I'oint

South went Hay

NortheiiHt Point

English Hav, Tolntoi, Zoltoi

Nortlieast I'oint

Halfway Point

NortheaHt Point

English ISav and Tolstoi

Northeast I'oint

Southwest Hav

Northeast P.dnt

Reef and /oltoi

Englisli Bay i>''d Tolstoi

Nortlieast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast I'oint

Zoltoi, Heef, Lukannon

Northeast Point

Southwest Bay

Northeast Point

English liav, liiddle Hill,
Tolstoi

Nort lieast Point

Reef. Zoltoi, Ketova, Lukannon.

Halfway Point

Southwest Hav and Southwest
Point .'

Northeast I'oint

English Bav and Middle Hill. ..

Northeast f *oint

Zoltoi, Reef, Ketova, Lukannon.

Nort lieast Point

Halfway I'oint

Northeast Point

Southwest Bav and Southwest
Point

Northeast I'oint

Reef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

English Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Noitheast Point

Total
killed
for all
ptkr-
poMi.

153
592

1,323

299

634

214

427

1,343

1,160

1,118

850
585
833
761
651
37B

1,064

371
1,891
1,161
1,007

659
1,770

955
1,555

498

2,158

581

441

1,070

926

1,503

794

490

1,056

1,819

1,202

856

566

1,263

1,163

1,180

942

860

1,969

1,187

1,460

952

1,563

636

1,133

1,044

1,442

1,501

1,074

602

1,957

899

937

1,013

2,057
407

2,312
753

3,140
801

1,1

1 3

:«; i

.:■ t

hi'

310

REAL LIFE ON THE PBIBILOF ISLANDS.

Tables Bhoivinfl in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Jlaska Commercial Company— that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Coutiuned.

8T.PAUL ISLAND-Continued.

Date.

1888.
July 21
21
22

22
2;i
2;t
24
24
26

Riiokerv.

Aug.

»ept.

Oct.
Nov.

Vw.

ir-i

.i i;

■':;!■

1887.

Hay 24

Jane 1

i:t

Halfway Point

Nortlioiist I'uiiit

Southwest liav aud Southwext

I'oiiit

Northenirt Point

Keef. /oltoi, Lnkunnon, Ketova.

Nortlu'iiNt Point

Kn^liah liav and Middle Hill. . .

Nortlii'ant Point.

Halfway Point, Soiithwi'st liny,

Liikiiiinun, /oltoi

/-ol'oi

...do

....do

...do

Reof

...do

Keef and Liikannon

Heef

Tolstoi

Keef

Tolstoi

Total.

July

8 I

Het'f mill Soutliwest Hay

Nortliea.st I'oiut

Tolstoi

Keef and Zoltoi

TfdKloi

South weBt Hay

Keef and Zoltoi

Halfway Point

I<>n}!liHli liav mill ToUtoi

Southwest IJay

Northeast I'oint

Heel'

Northeast I'oint

EnKlish Ha V.Tolstoi, Lukannon

Nort liea.-ft I'oint

Halfway I'oint

Norl hwist I'oint

Keef and /oltoi

Northeast I'oiiit

Tolstoi, Middle Hill. Knglish

Bay

West I'oint and Southwest Itav

NorlliiTst I'ldnt

Keef /oltoi. Ketova, Lukannon.

Northeast I'oint

Middle Hill nud Tolstoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Northeast I'oint ..

Eu);lish ll:iv

Northeast t'oint

Keef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Tolstoi ^nd Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Keef, Zol oi, 1 ukaniion

Norl heast Point

Halfway I'oint

Northeast Point

Kniclish Hay and Tolstoi

Northeast I'oint

Keef and Zoltoi

Total

killed

for all

pur-

)H)Se8.

1.476
312

2,015
023

3,147
739

1, 025
658

1, 003

152

i:t4

06
148
146
148
144
152
708
445
ilOO
711
379
280
3SU
101

Date.

1887.
July 8
9
9
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
10
16
17
18
18
10

20
20
21
21

88. 085

138

419

315

501

407

526

750

705

523

1,809

1,641

4.')2

1. 004

1,172

1,314

521

1, 165

709

1. 1)61
1.180

1. 205

2, 964
691

1.805
i, 144
1,604
1, 203
1,162
1,201
1.616

624
1, 703
1.106
2,023
1, 056

090
1,247
1, 622

094
I,12S

Kookery.

22
23

24
31
Aujr. 1
8
10
24
5
6
15
23
6
17
20
1
3
4

7
25
20

Sept

Oct.

Nv)v

Dec.

1888.

.Tan. 25

Mav 10

June 2

Northeast Point

Southwest Hay

N ortheast I'oint

Knglish Hav, Tolstoi, Lukannon

Northeast t'oint

Keef, Zoltoi. Ketova

Northeast Point

Halfw ay Point

Northea.st Point

Tolstoi aud Lukannon

Northeast Point

Keef and /oltoi

Northeast I'oint

West Point

Southwest Hay

Northeast Point

KoKlish Hay, Mtddle Hill, Tol-
stoi

Northeast Point

Reef, Zoltoi, Lukannon. Ketova.

Northeast Point

llalfwuy Point niul Lagoon

Northeast I'oint

Kntilish Hav, Tolstoi, Middle
Iflll .'

Northeast I'oint

Siuthwest Hay, Keef. Zoltoi,
liukannon ..'.

Tolst

Total
killed
for all

pur-
posed.

795

2,065

429

2,505

2,219

3, 029

1,930

1,2U1

826

1, 2'.18

803

986

546

617

2,108

1,671

2.038

922

3. 209

11,1192

1.397

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

....do

Keef and Lukannon.

KuLlisli Hay

Middle Hill

Ku;;ll8h Hav

Zoltoi .....'

....do

...do

Keef

...do

.lo

Zoltoi

MlddleHill

Keef

Middle Hill and Tolstoi

....do

Sea Lion Koek nud Southwest

1,877
1,082

2;i2

39
137
113
209
5'JI
403
356
192
10(1
116
108

76
1,011)
1, 132

05
Oil

82
185
450

16»

Total i 89.092

Xortlu'ast I'oint

Tolstoi. Keef, .Sea Lion Koek.

Keef

Northeast Point

Keef

Keef and /oltoi

Tolstoi

.Southwest Hay

Knclish Hay

Halfway Point

Keef and '■Coltoi ...

Soul h w.'st Hay

Northeast I'oiut

Tolstoi

Northeast I'oint

Keef and /olt<d

Northeast I'oiut

Halfway I'oint

545

IDI

113

121

175

342

543

587

42S

789

764

1,490

490

930

1.400

1,604

811

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIIHLOF ISLANDS.

311

the Prihihf
that ia, from

Tables showing in detail all killintj of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 18S9, both inclusive — Coutinued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Total

killid

lor aU

pur-

posea.

795

2, 065

429

cannon

2,595

2,219

:i, 029

1,930

1,201

826

1,208

803

986

546

617

2, 108

1,671

1, Tol-

2.038

922

fi'tova.

3, 209

11,092

1.397

798

Jiddle

1,877

1,082

Zoltui,

2. 226

137

113

209

521

403

356

192

10(1

116

108

:,oi3

1, 132

611

185

450

liweHt

109

89. 092

345

Jock...

131

113

121

175

342

543

587

42S

789

764

1,4110

490

930

1.400

1.604

811

Date.

1888.

June 23
23
22
25
25
26

27
2H
28
29
29
30

July 2

o
4
4

6
6

7
7

a
»

10
10
12

12
13
111
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
18
It)
10
20
20
21
21
21
23
23
24
24
25

25
26
26
27
Aug. 2
8
16
23
24
24

Kookery

EnKlLih Bav.Tolstni.Middle Hill
Nortlieaot Point

...do

Southwcf} Buy

Nortlienst Point

EnKliHh liav. .Middle Hill, Tol

Htoi

NortlicaHl Point

Reef, Zidtoi, Kctova, Lukan

non

Northeast Point

KalCwny Point

Northeast Point

Soutliwi'st liav

Norllicast Point

Middle Hill, Knglish Hill, I'ol

«toi

Northeast Point

Keel' and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Halfway Point

Nortlieast Point

Southwest liay

Northeast Point

Eniilish Hay, Tiilstoi, Lukan

non .'

Northeast Point

Keef and Znltoi

Nortlieast Point

Halfway Point

NortliraBt Point

Kn^lisli i'av I'olstoi, Lukan

lion. Middle Hill

Northeast Point

Heef and Zoltoi

Nortlieast Point

Kn^llsh Uav. Middle HiP, Tol

stoi

Northeast Point
Southwest Itay
Nortlieast Point
Halfway P-ini .
Northt'ast Point

Wrsl Point

Ueef and Zidtoi
Northeast Point
Knjj;lish Itay and Tols.'oi

Northeast f'oiiit

Southwest Hay
Nortlieast Point
Halfway Point
Northeast Point
Ueef and Zoltoi
Northeast Point
Kntrlisli Itay and Tolstoi

LaiiooT

Northeast Poin

Ueef. Liikr'»ion, Zoltoi

Nortl.eiiF.t Point

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Knulish Bav, Tidstoi, Middle

Hill ;

Northeast Point

Ueef, Zoltoi, l.iikaniion

Northeast Point

Southwest llav and Zoltoi

Zoltoi '

Middle Hill and Liikiinnon

Zoltoi

I i

■I ■ "

312

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS,

ill

Tables 'howing in detail all killing of fur seals, for u'hatsoever purpose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the hase of the Alaska Comm^cial Company— that is, from
1S70 to 1889, both inclusive — Cuntiuued.

ST. PAUL ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1889.
July 13
13
15
15
16

17
17
18

18
10
19
20
20
22

22
23

2;i

24
24
25
25
26

Kookery.

Sou tliweat Kay

Northeast Point ,

EngliHh Kay and Middle Hill..

Nortlmast Point ,

Keef, Zoltoi. Liikannon

Northeast Point

Halfway Point and Liikunnon.

Northeast Point

Lugoou. En}{liali .Hay, Middle

Nortlieast I'oint

Soutli west Kay

NorthfiHHt Point -

Heef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point

Kuglish Bay, Middle Hill, Lu-

kannon

Northeast I'oint

Keef. Zoltoi, Ketova

Xortheast Point ,

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Kn^'lish l!ay and Middle Hill.

Northeast Point ,

.Soiitli west Kay

Nort heast Point ,

Total
i killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,006

7U3 ,
3.085
1, 838
1,911
1,156
1,931
948

2, 046
1,282
2,017

834
1,913

243

1,943

350
1, 122

740
1,384

616

1,756

68U
1,483

Date.

1880.

July 27
29
29
30
30
31
31

Aug. 6
14
22
31

Sept. 9
18

Oct.

Nov.

Rookery.

25
5
15
26
4 '
19 i
21 '
27
27
30 I
Dee. 11 '

Zoltoi and Lnkannon

English Jiay and Middle Hill. . .

Northeast Point

Ha) fway Point

Southwest Kay

Northeast Point

Zoltoi

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Zoltoi

....do

Lukannon

Zoltoi

Tolstoi

Keef

/apadnie

Keef

Znpadnie

ST. GEORGE ISLAND.

1870.

! i

July

. 1871.

June 4

Not indieated in tlie records ,
of this yeiir.
A!askaCoiiiiuercial(.'o., Huteli- i 1,200

iiison. Kohl Jc Co <; 473

( 8,786

Total 8, 459

Near

Nortlieiist

Near

.Southwest Kay. ..

StaiTy Arteel'

Southwest Kay...

Northern

■Southwest Kay

Northeast........

Starry A rtee'.

Southwest liay...

Northeast

Starry Arteel

Northern

.Southwest Kay.. .

Starry A rteel

Soutliwest Kay.. .

Northern ."

Southwest Kay . . .

Northern "

Southwest Kay...

Northern

Southwest Hay...

Northern

....do

Starry Arteel

Southwest Kny...

N;>rtheru .'

Taken in October.
Pups for food

123
98
69
277
322
301
434
172
518
594
208
462
571
875
303
518
612

1,769

1,021
481

1,038

1,264
484
045
542
792

1,054
730

1,270
8U3
237

2,000

1872.
June 3

July

Total 21,167

12
14
16
15
17
18

' Southwest Bay.

Nortli

East

Southwest Kav.

North

Starry Arteel . .

Southwest Kay.

East

Starrv Arteel ..

North

East

North

.Starry Arteel ..

Souillwest Bay.

East .". .

North

Starry Arteel...

Soutliwest Kay.

Kast

Starry Arteel. ..

North

i Starrv Arteel...
; Nortfi

.Starry Arteel...
I Soutliwest Kay.

I East

I Not til

i .Starry Arteel. ..

Soutliwest Hay.

East

Starry Arteel...

Southwest Kav.

Nortli .'..

East

Starry Arteel. ..

North

East

Smith'vest Kav.

North

East

.Starry Arteel...

North

East

Starry Arteel . . .

Total
kiUed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,105

1,643

1,624

973

615

538

160

163

131

141

179

141

110

107

12U

103

132

1,169

1,460

347

192

240

243

Totuil 73,982

140
26
49
162
81
175
98
61
140
188
405
300
212
261
860
349
701
261
629
500
237
805
400
560
64:i
081
454
431
245
641
300
574
274
718
367
3(10
6)0
1,4.2
482
1,332
600
583
770
57J

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1.105
1,643

i,6:;4

973
615
538
160
163
131
141
179
141
110
107
120
103
132
1,169
1,460
347
192
10
240
243

73. 982

140

162

175

140

18g

405

300

212

261

. . . .

860

349

■ > . .

701

....

261

■ ■•.

629

500

....

237

....

805

....

400

....

580

....

643

....

981

454

....

431

....

245

641

300

....

674

....

274

718

367

....

3(11)

....

610

....

1,4.2

....

482

....

1,332

600

....

583

770

57J

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

313

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for nhatsoerer purpose, on the I'ribxlof
Islands durintj the term of the lease of the Alaska Commer<nal Company — that is, from
1S70 to hSH9, both (n<7«»u'e— Coiitiiiued.

ST. GEOKGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1872.
July 19

20
22
22
23
25
25
25
27
27
27

July

17
19
21
21
23
24
25
26
27
28
3U
30

18
20
21
23
23
25
26
28
28

Rookery.

Sdutliwfst Bav

East ."

StaiTv Arteel

Nortli

East

Starry A rteel

EaHt '

North

East

North

Starry Arteel

Soutli west lia^v

Killed for uativos' food.

1S73. '
June 4 !

5 I

i» '

Total .

North

Starry Arteel

South wi<nt Hay

East and Starry Arteel

Southwest Hay

North

Soutli woHt Hiiy

Xortli and Starry Arteel

Soutliwest Hay

East .'

Starry Arteel and NorUi

Southwest Hay

East

Soutliwest Hay

Starrv Arteel and North

East

South we^t Bay

Starry Arteel itnd North

Southwest Hftv

East .'

Starry Arteel

Southwest Biiy

Eiist ."

Starry Arteel

Sout I'lwest Bav

East '

Starry Arteel and North

East

South \. Or,: Buy

Stari V .A.if eel and North

En i

SviifliWPit Hay

.y ,.,,,. . \ riot 1 and North

Eh ■

■^or^ir,'- ; Ivy

Mtwi^, .S 'to.'! and North

East

South wi."* !'

Starrv A n .'ei

East

Southwest Bay

Starrv Arteel'

East

Pups killed for foml.

Total.

1874.

June 1 North

8 do

]( East

IV itarry Arteel and North

Ti .-iCiiliwest Bav

i!i E.-'r '

18 , .Si.ii. .4 : e*,' und North

83 : S.->:!

23 ' Stairy Arteel and North
27 Southwest Buy

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

1,171
400
000
320

703 I

:ioo ;

400 >
252
.(50 '
85
2110
227
2, 000 I

27. 000 j

198 :

240

285

19U

275

300

521

378

174

313

506

870 ■

180

40!)

105

241

301

403

310

168

332

564

592

517

743

616

600

974

602

474

345

337

480

1,097
913

1,3.50 '

1,810
r)I3
889

1,710
600
588

1, 528

2. UK)

Date.

1874.

June 29

July 1

Kookerv.

Starry Artral and North.

East

Starry Arteel and North .

East

East ami North

East

Starry Artet'l

Southwest Bay

East '

East and North

East

North

Pups killed for food

Total.

Ib?^
June

Starrv Arteel and North.
!l dii

11 East

14 .Starrv .\rleel and North .

10 \ East.'

18 Stiirrv .\rteel and North .
lit Soutliwest Hiiv

23 ; East .'

24 .Starrv Arteel and North .

28 1 Ea.st"

30 Starry Arteel and North .

I uly 5 East

7 I Starrv Arteel and North .

12 East'

14 North

17 do

i Killed for rood

1876.
.June I i North .

July

8 Stiiny Artetd and North .
12 East

14 Southwest Bay

15 I Starrv Arteel and North .

22 East '

25 Starrv .\ rteel and North .

27 East '

29 Starrv Arteel nnd North .

3 Eiist"

fi Starry Arteel

7 East

I Pups for food

Total.

1877,
•lunt

July

North

rust

.So ithwost Hay •

Noi'h and Starrv' Arteel .

East

Xorth

East

>,'orth and Starry Arteel .

East

North and Starrv Arteel .

Eiist ■.

North

East

Killed (or food

Total
killed
fur all

pur-
poses.

800
792
641
548
263
534
568
411
871
778
640
156
2.446

12,446

302
25«
177
307
358
334

1.204
666
540
692

1,412
717

1,019

1.073
076
177

1,500

Total 11,500

1 1, .500

198

702

,57«

1,380

1,154

838

871

552

1,860

1,580

1.660

2,164

300

880

256

.do 1,500

41.'i
372
388
S'.ig
7H4
.581
067
168
023
259
027
317
500

Total 16,500

I (I

i .

IWmTf

314

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

■i.

ri lli

Tables showing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpose, on the Prihilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1S89, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND-Continued.

I V

Rookery

1878.
Jnne 10
14
17
19
22
25
27
28

July

North

Soutbw'Mt Bay.

North, Starry Arteel, East.

South west Bay.

North and Starry Arttel.

Eu«t

Southwest Bvy.
d<>

Killed for food to date.

East.

North aiid Starry Arteel .

Southwest Bay.

East

North and Starry Arti-el .

Southwest Hay.
do.

East

East and North

North and St«rry Arteel

East

Killed for food to May 19, 1870.

Rookerv.

East

Southwest Bav

....do

North and Starry Arteel.

East

Southwest Bay

North iind Starry Arteel.

Southwest Buy

East

South wt'st Bay

North and Starry Arteel.

East

South\ ay

Starry — jel

Nortfi

ElLSt

Southwest Bay

North and Starrj" Arteel.

East

Southwest Bay

East

Diirinju; season x>erished on tlie

drives

North

/a))Hdnie

Nortli

....do

Xortli and East

Nortli

Ziipadnie

North

/apadnie

East

Zapadnie

Total.

Total
kUled
for all
pur-
poses.

352

738

254

559

. 599

223

1,183

518

814

839

1,322

1,770

846

808

392

966

961

515

1,483

1,814

949

226

501

765

20,939

Nonh .

Starry

Nortli .

East .

North and Starry Arteel .

North

Starry Arteel, East, North

/aimdnie

Starry Arteel, North, East

di)

East and Zajtadnie

Starry Arteel, North, /upadnie.

East

Stariy Arteel and North

East and /apadnie

>:ai>adiiie. Starry Arteel, North.

East '.

Starry Arteel and North

/apailnie

East

Starry Arteel and North

EaBt.'

Stiirrv Arteel

/apadnie

East.

Ziijiadnie

East , North, Starry Arteel

North

612

920

408

622

445

1,030

518

553

815

1,119

1,034

1,378

1,182

476

1,356

363

1,310

498

771

1,716

692

1,639

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

315

Tablet thowing in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever > •pose, on the Pribilof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company— that is, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Continued.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

1881.
Sept. 13

24
Oct. 3

22
Nov. 2

1882.

May 22
29

June 6
12
16
19
22
24
27
29

July 1

Aug. 5

Sept. 15

Nov. 22

1883.

May 26

Juno 4

July 2

Rookery.

North

East

North

East

North

Starry Arteel

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

559

472

113

Total I 21,289

North

<lo

Starry Arteel. North, East,
.do

.do.
.do.
.do.
.do.
-do.

...do 1

East

iNtiirrv Arteel

East .'

Starry Arteel and North

East.'

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and Nortli

North

East

iind North.

Starry Arteel.
East.'

do.

Starry Arteel.
...do

Total.

North

....do

Starry Arteel and East

Starry Arteel

East and Starry Arteel

Ea.st. North, Starry Arteel..

Za|)adnie

Little East und East

/apaduie

North ami Starry Arteel

Little East and East

Nortli and Starry Arteel...

Little East and East

/apadnie

Starry Arteel and North

Little East and East

Zapadnie

Little East and East

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel .

East

Starry Arteel, North, East .
do

509

8!)0

927

847

195

044

273

065

911

384

955

371

115

070

527

649

022

U8fi

655

119

19, 978

78
136
287

61
380
684
443
611
340
200
647
336
307
507
263
546
321
775
017
130
467
216
281
150
766

78
606
505

-;, I

Date.

1883.
July 31

Aug. 13
21
31

Sept. 14

Oct. 19
29

Nov. 2
19

1884
May 21
26
June 4
10
12
10
18
21
23
26
2«
I
1
3
7
10
12
14
l->
16
18
19
23
24
25
26
30
4
4
14
21
2
15
3
5
12
26

JuU

Aug.

Sept.
Nov.

1885.

May 18

Juno 1
U
16
18
17
15
22
27
29

July 3
7

10
13
17
20
25

Aug. 3

Rookery.

Starry Arteel, Nortli, East

During theseason, perished on

drives

East

Nep T

Little East

East

Near

Near and North

Norlh

Nortli and Starry Arteel

Total.

Eiist ..
North .
Ea.st . .

Zaiiadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zn|).'>ttnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, Eaxt .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

/ajiiidnic

Starry Arteel, Nortli, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Atteel, North, East .

Zapaunie

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North . .

Zapadnie

East and Little East

.Starry Arteel and North ...

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and Nortli . . .

East and Little East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .
East.

North

East

Near

North

....do

Starry Arteel

Total...

North

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . . .

E.ast

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapa<lnio

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East .

Zapadnie

North

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

473

16. 214

119

1,222

694

585

572

592

603

578

48»

289

1, 26»

973

302

465

726

996

506

797

744

597

573

640

225

1»

515

482

503

16, 573

760

698

802

825

414

1,775

401

2.287

789

2,168

1,011

2,222

483

316

SEAL LIPS ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

Tables ahoiring in detail all killing of fur setU, for ivhataoerer purpose, on ike Pribilof
Islands during the term of the .ease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that t$, from
1870 to 1889, both inclusive — Coutinued .

ST. GKORGE ISLANO-Continued.

Date.

1885.

Aug. 6

* 21

Nov. 4

1886.

May 18
28

Juno 8
14
10
14
17
21
22
23
24
28
29

July 1

Aug. 2

Sept. (!

Oct. 2H
28

Kov. 8
13

1887.

May 20
28

June 9
14
15
20
21
25
27
28
30

July 1
4

12
14
18
19
21
22

RooKery.

North

East

North

Near

North

Starry Arteel

Perished on drives daring year.

Total
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

250

70O

120

Date.

Kookery.

Total 16,144

East

North

Captured skins

Zai)ailnie food skins

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, Eaat.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Artoel and North . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

Starry Arteel and North ..

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel am' North . .

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . .

East

East and North

Near North

East

North

East

North

East

North

East

Perished on drive

North

North and East

North. East, Starry Arteel . .

Zapadnie

...do

Starry Arteel, North, East..

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

East, North, Starrv Arteel. . .

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, Near, North. .

East

Zapadnie

Near, North, Starry Arteel..

East

Starry Arteel and North

390

465

427

261

974

533

599

847

410

100

883

1,321

421

701

1,296

1,509

1.077

894

1,130

489

102

1, 430

779

1,438

843

742

343

306

2H8

632

482

620

503

650

867

745

888

712

663

853

527

295

'.u

759

527

Total 1 16,436

1887. I
Aug. 3 I Near .
6 I East.

22
Sept. 5

19
Oct. 24
Nov. 1

July

1888.
June
11
12
16
18
19
22
25

26
27
29
2
3
4
6
9
10
12
13
16
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
26
27
27
9
9
15
20
28
Sept. 5
27
20
1
5
Aug. 20

do....

Near

Zapadnie .

East

Near

do....

Total
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

126

766

614

Aug,

Oct.
Nov.

1889.
May 22
June 4
10
17
18
21
22
24
25
27
29
1
2
5

ToUvl ! 16.688

North

Za])adnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North...

East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North...

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North . . . .

East

Starry Arteel and North. . . .

Zapadnie

North

Starry Arteel and East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East..

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North. East..

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East..

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East. .

Near

North

...do

East

Starry Arteel and North . . .

East and Starry Arteel

North

North and East

North

Zapadnie (forwatchnieu)...

Total.

July

North and East

East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel, North, East.

East

North and Starry Arteel . . .

Zapadnie

East ana North

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and East

Zapadnie

North, East, Starry Arteel.
do

121
272
455
227
427
324
764
911
895
438
343
343
532
503
650
389
1,170
820
518
705
410
692
366
554
179
405
159
521
144
410
39
39
37
191
444
4'':.
«0
73
610
368

17, 034

60
156
207
244
773
176
284
596
496
223
429
167
275
418

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

317

Tables nhotving in detail all killing of fur seals, for whatsoever purpone, on the I'riHlof
Islands during the term of the lease of the Alaska Commercial Company — that is, from
1870 to 1SS9, both inc/Msire— Coutinued.

ST. GEOKGE ISLAND— Continued.

Date.

Kookcry.

Total
killed
ior uU
pur-
poses.

1880. I
July 8 I /apadnje

10
12
13
15
16
18
19
22
23
24
25
27
28

229
270
102
667
371

North, KuMt. Starry Arteel

Zapitdnie .•

North, Kant, Starry Arteel

/apadnic ,

Nortli, Kast, Starry Arteel 1, 028

/apadnie 439

North, Kast, Starry Arteel 1. 140

/apadnie '. 500

North, East, .Starry Arteel 628

Zapadnie '. 279

North, East, Starry Arteel 1, 430

do 942

Zapadnie 568

North, East, Starry Arteel 515

Date.

Rookery.

1880.

Au-:. 10
19
30

Sept. 7
21

Oct.

Nov,

North .

... d(».

....do.

Kast...

- , <lo.

30 I North ,
11
21
31
6
12
25

Starr V Arteel.

North

Starry Art«el.

Total
killed
loi- all
piir>
poaea.

606

477

Total 15,225

Fur seals killed on the island of St. Paul, for all purposes, from 1870 to 1SS9, both inclusive.
[Compiled from tables en tile in the Treasury Department.]

Year.

1870.
1871 .
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880 .
1881.
1882 .
1883.
1884.
1885.
1880.
1887 .
1888.
1889.

Seals killed for natives' food.

Pups.

2,800
2,877
5, 121
5,489

4. m^

3. 745
3,958
5,007
5, 200
5,071
4,4];)

2, 982
2, 741
2,788
2,824
2,177
2,178
2,280

Total. 67,554

bach-
elors.

6.449

2,341
6,916
2,090
4,874
6,282
5,061
4,041
4,718
5,070
4,466
7,538
5,175
3, 168
3, 9117
3,184
3,081
4,207
3, 762
3,400

Skins Skins

ao re-

cepted. jected.

2,290
5, 365
1,198
4.225
5,784
3,004

2, 853

3, o:;2
3,898
3,408
6,068
3, 362
2. 194
2, 582

2, 508
2,480
3,975

3, 700
2,570

Seals killed for skins for
lessees.

Bach- I SWn8
«''"^'^- cepted.

6, 440

1,551

892

649

498

1,997 i

1,188 <

1,080 1

2,072

1,418

1,470

1,813

074

1, ,325

676

601

232

830

6,065
75, 585
69, 782
74, 408
88, 368
84,933
74,138
58,762 I
78,595
77,280
75,000 '
76,236 :
74,659 :
57, 145 I
82,213 '
82,908 i
82, 180 ,
82,708 I
80,330 '
81,712

6,017
74, 628
69, 576

73, 884
88, 258
84,860
71,137
5H, 732
78. 570
77, 280
75, 872
76, 169

74, 581
57, 070
82. 086
82, 866
82, 150
82, 679
80, 314
81, 698

Skins

re-
jected.

48
057
206
524
110

73
1

'"28
67
78
75
127
42
30
29
16
14

Total of bachelors killed, Grand
accepted and rejected, total of
seals

Skins Skins' )^^^f^
ao- re- : '"y*"

cepted. jected.: ^^^^^

}$ach-
elors.

12.514

77, 920
7r, 698
76, 498
93. 242
91,215
79, 199
62, 803
83, 313

83, 2.')0
80. 366
83, 774
79, 834
60. 313
80, 120
86, 092
8!i,261
86, 915

84. 092
85,112

6,017

76. 018
74,041
75, 082
92, 483
90. 644

77, 201
61.585
82, 202
81,178
78, 920
82, 226
77, 943
59, 264
84, 668

85, 374
84, 630

86, 654
84, 014
84, 208

I 6,497

1,008

1,757

1,416

i 759

I 571

! 1,998

1,218

1,111

2, 072

1,446

1,.W7

1, 891

1, 049

1,452

718

: 631

> 261

844

15,314

81 , 803
81 819
81, 987
98, 139
04, 960
83, 157
07,810
88, 519
88, 321
84,779
83, 774
70, 834
63, 295
88, 861
88,880

88, 085

89, 092
KO, 270
87, 392

90,630 64,796 25,834 1,463,907 1.461,427 2,480 1,554,537 1,526,212 28,314 1,622,091

Note.— Theabovestatementincludes all sealskilled from all causes, either intentional or accidental,
incident to the taking of seal skins on the island of St, Paul.

! I

f !' ■

ii > ■'!

.1'

..-. ^ i

;i'

318

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Fur seals killed on the island of St, (ieorge, for all purposes, from 1S70 to 1889, both

inclusive,

[Compiled from tableit on tile In the Treasury Department.]

Tear.

i| '^

J870....
1871....
1872....
1873....
1874....
1876....
1876....
1877 . . . .
1878....
1879....
1880....
1881....
1882....
1883....
1884....
1885 . . . .
1880....
1887....
1888....
1889....

u„„i. niioj «•„_ ..«»i...>„i f„„j Sfalu killed for HicinH i Total of baohelorH killed, ' Grand
Seals killed for natives food. ,.„, y^^^^^ , ac.-epted .md rejotted. ! total of

sealH
I I killed

SkinH jj»„],. Skins Skins [ b„cj,. I Skins Skins

Pups.

1,200
2,090
2,000
2,190
2,446
1,500
1.500
1,500
1,500
1,506
1. :i30
1,031

Bach- Ski.«
«»»"• cepted.

237

Total.

1,000
1,500
1,080
1.286
1, :t58
978
1,071

256
1,532
843
702
812
483
475
345
319
544
585
1,409
512

28,064 9,054

256
1,216
564
565
509
371
46ri
223
304
413
471
1,321
280

jeoted.

316

270
137
303
112
7
122

15
131
114

«8
2:i2

elors.

7,259
18,830
25,000
25,000
10,000
10. 000
10, 000
14,744
17, 772
19. 841
18,9117
19,446
19, 495
14, 739
14, 728
14,745
14,606
14, 727
14, 647
13,642

cepted. .tected.

el"." I ac- I re-
"°"- I cepted. jected,

7,250
18, 830
25, 000
25, UOO
10, OUO
10, 000
10, 000
14. 744

7,259
19, 067
25, 000
25, 000 '
10. 000
10,000
10,000
15. 000

7,198 1,856 318,128

17. 772

19, 304

19. 768

20,684

18. 830

12, 609

19, 360

20, 258

19, 440

19,978

14, 675

15,214

14, 620

108

15,073

14, 686

15, 084

14,578

15,150

14, 725

1.5,312

14, 582

16, 056

13,641

14,154

317, 500

028

327, 182

7,259
19,067 '
25, 000
25,000
10,000
10,000
10, 000
15,000
18. 988
20, 322
19, 395
19, 809
19,811
15, 143
14,843
14, 900
14,991
15, 106
15, 903
!3,921

310
362
214
389
167

71
230

74
159
116
153
233

324, G98 2, 484

for all
pur-
poses.

8,459
21,167
27,000
27,190
12, 446
11,500
11,500
16,500
20, 804
22, 190
20, 939
21, 289
19, 978
16,214
16, 573
16, 144
16,436
16, 068
17, 034
16, 225

355, 246

KOTE. — The above statement incliulcaall seals killed from all causes, either intentional or accidental,
incident to the taking of seal skins on the ishuid of St. George.

Fur seals killed on the islands of St. Paul and St. (ieorge, for all purposes, from 1870

to 1889, both inclusive.

Seals killed for natives' food.

SeaLs killed for skins Total of bachelors killed,
for lessees. accepted and rciJected. i

St. Paul Island..
St. George Island.

Total.

67, 554
28,064

95, 628

.a §■ I .s s

t/2 11

"3
.s

OJts
03

I a o

o
%

90, 630 64, 706 25, 834 1, 463, 907 1, 461, 427 2, 480 1, 554, 537
9,054 7,108 1,856| 318,128 317,500 628; 327,182

99,684

71, 994 27, 790 1, 782, 035:1, 778, 927 3, 1081, 881, 719

•I

1,526,212
324, 698

1, 850, 910

a o
.1-, ff>

Grand
total ot
seals
killed
for all
pur-
poses.

28,3141,622,091
2, 484 355, 246

30,7981,977,337

Orand
total of

flpalH
kiUed
for all

pur-
poses.

8,45»
21,157
27,000
27,190
12, 446
11,500
11,5U0
16, 500
20, 804
22, 190
20, 9H9
21,289
19, 978
10, 214
16, 573
16, 144
16, 436
16, 668
17, 034
15, 225

355, 246

Grand
total of

seals
killed
for all

pur-
poses.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.
Seals taken on St. Paul laland in ISOO.

319

Date.

May
June

July

Kookery,

Total. ! Date.

Kookory. Total.

Soiitliwost Buy

Kt'isf

Tolstoi

Reef

Nortlienst Point

Halfway Poi..t

Tolstoi and Middle Hill

Northi'ast Point

Keef and Lukannon

Xortlirast Point

Sout Invest Hiiy

Xoitlicast Point

English Kav and Liikannon

Northeast ^oint

Keef and Zoltoi

Northeast Point ,

Halfway Point

Northeast Point

Southwest Hav

Knglisli l<:!y and Middle Hill. .

Northeast I'oint

Keef

Nortlieast. Point

Tolstoi. Middle Hill, Knglish

Bay, Kctova

Nortliea.st Point

Keef

Nort heast Point

Halfway Point

Nort heast Point

Southwest Kay

Northeast Point ,

119 July 4 Tolstoi, English Bay.Middle Hill 494

116 4 Northeast Point 321

574 5 Reef 528

182 5 Northeast Point 74

317 7 English Hay, Middh- Hill, Tol- I

16 stoi, LiikannoD, Ketova ' 411

167 7 Northeast Point 336

274 8 Halfway Point 261

78 H Northeast Point 379

339 9 Southwest Httv 183

438 9 Ncirthea.st Point 271

292 10 Keef 378

96 10 Northeiist Point 112

521 12 EiiKlish Bay, Middle Hill, Tol-

179 stol, Liikiinnon, Ketova 6.33

42« 13 Halfwav Point 211

205 13 Northeast Point 858

2tl« 14 licef 104

16<! 15 Knglish Hay. Middle Hill, Tol-

117 stoi, Liikannon. Ketova 315

390 15 Northeast Point 245

230 16 do 112

206 17 Polaviiia, Liikannon, Ketova... 372

79 17 Northeast Point 485

18 do 405

209 18 Zapadiiie 236

98 i 19 Reef and Zoltoi 556

246 19 Northeast Point 446

131 20 Knclisli I!hv, Middle Hill, Tol-

242 stoi, Ketova. Kooky Point 780

96 . 20 ; Northeast Poin* .....' 556

jgg !

180 1 Total 17,124

Seals taken on St. George Island in ISOO.

Date.

June 2

July 1

Kookery.

North

East

North

East and Little East

Zapadnie

Starry Arteel and North

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North

Zapadnie

Bast and Little East

Starry Arteel and North
East and Little Ea.st....
Zapadnie

Total. Date.

71
218
118
181
394
164
184
189
189
149
238
67
58

July

Kookery.

East and Little East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arieel and North

Zapadnie

East

Starry Arteel and North

East

Starry Arteel and North
Zapaiinie

Total

Total.

24
193

60
103

58
132
119

71
641
627

4,133

f :»

: <

' -

J4 .:

320 SEAL LIFE ON THE I'KIBILOF ISLANDS.

FAST AND FUTURE OF THE FUR SEAL. '

BY ,I()8KI>II 8TAN'I.I:Y-I»K0WN.

There are but two jfr()u\)s of fur seals to furnish to the world its
supply of seal skins, tlie fur seal of the north and the fur seal of the
south.

When Sir Fraiu'is Drake cirounuiavigated the globe in ITiTT-lfiSO the
Art'tovi'phahis, ov southern fur seal, was to be found at not less than
thirty localities, and their numbers aggregated millions. To-day the
contributions of these southern waters are from three resorts, and do
not usually reach 15,000 skins annually.

When Vitus Bering, in 1741, was wrecked upon the Commander
Islands, ott' the coast of Kamchatka, and Pribilof 8earche<l out, in
1780-87, the group of islands in Bering Sea that bears his name, there
were discovered, not only the chief breeding grounds of the northern
fur seal, Callorhinus ursiniis, but some of the most superb seal rookeries
the world has ever known. It is questionable if mortal vision ever
rested upon more magnificent displays of amphibian life than were to
be seen on the island of St. Paul at the time of its discovery. Today
these subarctic resorts are i»rostrate; their glory also has departed, and
they furnish a home for but a mere renniant of the seals that formerly
swarmed in myriads along their rocky shores.

For two years the hopes of thoughtful persons were hlvh, that throngii
the medium of international negotiations and tin' deliberations of wise
and able men the safety of the fur seal would be at last secured. To-day,
when the decision of the l*aris Tribunal is common propeity, we find
public opinion divided on the (juestion as to whether the pifictical ai)pli-
cation of the decision will i)reserve the fur seal as a commercial com-
modity.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEAL.

The condition of affairs thus briefly outlined is all the more deplorable
when we consider the charjicieristics of the animal with which we are
dealing. It is a creature peculiarly adapted by its habits to man's man-
agement. It occupies no territory needed, as were the buffalo's feeding
grounds, for the subsistence of more valuable domestic animals; no
herders are reciuired to prevent its being lost in the wastes of the ocean,
and no exi)ense is incurred either to protect it from the inclemency
of the weather or to ])rovide a winter food sui)ply; yet with more cer-
tainty than the ranchman's flocks and herds seek the home range do the
seals annually return to their breeding grounds where, under proper
management, they can without injury to the parent stock be made to
yield a profit equal to if not greater than that derived from the cattle
of the plains or the sheep of the mountains.

THE SOUTHERN FUR SEAL AND ITS DESTRUCTION.

Despite these characteristics, which must hsive been apparent to the
most ignorant and unobservant, what has been the course of events?
Turning first to the fur seal of the south we find that as early as 1690
some little interest was manifested in its capture, but it was not until
the close of the last century that the pursuit was begun in earnest.
Hardy mariners, stimulated by the hope of sharing in the profits of the

» From Bulletin United States Fish Commision, 1893, pp. 361-370.

i^KM. LIFK ON TIIK I'KllMLOl' ISLANDS.

321

I'lir triuU' \vhi(!li the itiissiaiis liiid dcveloin'd with tlieCliiiiesc, seiirched
out tlie irsorts of the southeni fur seal; ruviiyeil them year alter year,
ill season and out of season; slaiij-htered tlie helpless <'reatuies witli
ehibsonlaiid reH;ardiess of ajjeorsex; gathered a harvest of 1(!,()()(),0(M>
or 17,(MM»,()(K) skins, and by l.S.'JO had practically destroyed, in the south-
ern seas, this valuable fur bearing aiiiinal. If all these resorts were in
tlx'ir original eonditioii and under wise and prudent direction, they eould

ea.^ily sup]dy to the fur trade Miinually so nething like a half a niilboii
skins, V .til eorrespundiiig advantage to an army of skilled ai tisans. As
it is, iinliscriininate butchery has left only the Lobos Islands rookeries
ut tli(^ mouth of the L;i I'lata K'iver and a few insignitlcant resorts at
Cape Horn and the ('ape of (lood Mope, the total yearly yield of which
is, as before state<l. less than iri,000 skins. Siiehdestruction is left abso-
lutely without Justitication in the face of man's entire ability toniaintaiu
the fur seal rookeries at the highest possible limits permitted by the
operation of nature's restrictions, or when depleted to «leveloj) them
again. This is not idle speculation, but rests upon a firm foundation of
fact furnished by the history of the fur seal of the north.

THE NoltTIIKEN FUR SEAL

AND IT.S UELATION
INDUSTRY.

TO THE SEAL-SKIN

The two great resorts of the northern fur seal are the l*ribilof and
Commander islands in Bering Sea. liobbens IJeef, a rocky islet in the
Okhotsk Sea, has a small rookery, and a few localities of minor impor-
tance are found along the Kurile Islands. While the Russians who
first discovered these resorts prohibited all interferenc-e from outsiders,
their own treatment of the seals was similar to that practiced by the
sailors in the south. No ;:ttentioii was paid to sex, season, or period of
procreation, and it was not long before tlie end came there Just as it had
done in the south. The Russians were taught by this severe lesson
that the only way in which the rookeries could be restored and per-
petuated was to protect the females from death and the breeding
groun<ls fronj m<)Iestation. This course, a(!companied by practically a
suspension of killing during certain years, was rigidly adhered to, with
the result that when the rookeries of the Pribilof Islands were turned
over to the United States in ISd? their condition, instead of being one
of exhaustion, approximated that which existed wlien they were first
discovered. The truth of this will be more ai)parent when it is stated
that in 180S, before the United States could assume and exercise con-
trol over its newly accpiired possessions, nearly a quarter of a million
skins were improperly taken from the islands of St. Paul ai.d St. (Jeorge
by unauthorized persons without apparently producing any diminution
of the numbers which came the following year.

Although there are but four of these northern localities, an«l K'ussian
mismanagement from time to time played such havoc with them that
the catch was an uncertain (piantity, still they have contributed since
tiieir discovery between r),(M)O,00(> and (5,000,000 skins to the fur tnule,
or abiiut one-third as many as have been furnished by the sou^^iiern
resorts. From the time that the fur seal of the south ceased to be of
coiiimercial impiutance trade has relied upon these rookeries. Thanks
to the more enlightened policy employed i>y the Russians, and adopted
and improved upon by the United States, these rookeries of Bering
►Sea contributed to commerce for the twenty ye.ars ending with 18S0 a
miiforra yearly quota of nearly ir>0,000 pelts, which formed the basis
of and made possible the systematized seal-skin business of modern

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 21

822

SKAL I, IKK ON THi; FKIBILOK ISLANDS.

tiiiicH. As ii raw couiiiMHlity tliey sold for an avi'iajfe of >i<L',.")OO,00() at
the aiinnal liOiulon tiiidusaU's, and tlie Pribilof quota yielded tli(>(iov
crniucnt of tlu' Hinted States in levvnue more than tlie !!«7,LJ(K),(MI(>
origiiuilly paid for the entiii' Territory of Alaska. The valtie of raw
seal skins is now reiuesented by abont $\'t for skins taken at sea and
$30 for Pribilof skins. x\t the pi-esent levenue rate, if it were now
possible to take from tiie I'ribilof Islands the fornu'r yearly (juota. the
GoverTiment ineoine would be nearly •'j(l,(MK),0(M) annually.

IMPOIJTANCK OF TIIK SEALSKIN INDUSTRY.

The seal-skin industry is of n(. slijiht importance, and its proportions
are but roughly indicated by the tirst profit on the raw skins. These
peltries must be gatheiejl in remote regions; they form part of the
tran8i>ortation business of railroad and steamship lines; coopers must
make casks for their shipment; they must pass through the han<ls of
many laborers before they reach the 40 buyei's in London who purchase
them, and the 2,00() skilled artisans wlu) convert them into fabrics
suited to the use of trade; and when all this is done there must still be
stores maintained and clerks employe<l in order that they may find
their way to the wealthy consumers. The labor incident to the taking,
transporting, manipulating, and disposing of these peltries demaiuls
the employment of tliousamls of persons ea<!h year, ami when we recall
the prices jKiid for these skins when converted into the garments dic-
tated by fashion, it will readily be seen that it is an industry the idti
mate valiu' of which is represented by millions of d<dlars annually.
Above all it is a peculiarly worthy industrj'. in that it gives occupation
to many, while the profits conn* from the purses of thos«' best able to
piiy them.

CAUSE OF TIIK DESTUUOTION OF THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL.

Some ten years ago there was i>ut in oi)er.ition on the American side
of the I'acillc Ocean an agein-y of destruction, the growth of which, if
uninterrupted, promised to prove as eflective as diil the sailors' clubs
ui)on the southern resorts. Its pronnse has been generously kept, and
from its deadly though partially controlled effects the rookeries are
now suffering. That agency was i)elagic se;iling, or the taking of seals
at sea by means of weapons. The source of the injury is the indis-
criminate killing. Whether this is practiced on hind, as in the south,
or at sea, as in the north, the outcome is the same. No animal which
produces but a single oflspring each year can h)ng survive an attack
which involves the death of the producing class, the females. I am
aware that there is another side to this (juestion, and that two great
nations point each a finger at the other and say: "You did it." The
subject-matter of that contention is only gernnme to such a paper as
this in so far as it touches upon the career of the seal, and only to that
extent will it be referred to.

England and Canada hold the theory (which, in justice to them,
should be stated) that the decline of the northern rookeries was due to
excessive killing on the islands, pelagic sealing being a factor of oidy
secondary importance. If this tlieory meant that after i)elagic sealing
had made serious inroads upon the seal herds it was excessive killing
to continue taking the annual (|Uota of 100,000 skins, it would be a
south! one, and the United States would be culpable to that extent,
but ]3ngland and Canada would not accept this linutation; they want
it to account for much more. They fail, however, to sustain their

SKAL LIKE ON THE rUIIULOF ISLANDS.

323

tlie(»ry until they show by cloiirt'st proof that tht» <U'<*liiu' of t\w rook-
eries be^fiin prior to tho devclopinciit of pchi^ic scaling'. anW also ;;et
rid of the* awkward fart that for tin' Mrst twi'lvo or liftmen years tliere
wa8 iiodiltlrulty ill seciirin;;" the annual (piota all<»wed l>y law. Why
did this alleged deeadenee throu|;h excessive killing on land take so
Ion;; to manifest itself? Certainly the evils of indiseriiniinition is not
inherent in land killing; oi\ the <;ontrary, selection can be exercised at
the rookeries as readily as it can be at the abattoir, and there is no
more iiecressity for iindi'stinj;' the females than there would be for n
farmer to ship all of his lierd to Kansas Tity and have the selection of
the killable males n«a«le at the st<»ck yards. The briefest recital of the
facts of seal life will make this plain.

THE l''A» TS OF SKAL LIFK.

The ina-thern fur seals, unlike their southern relatives, are forced each
year by An*tic cold ami the necessity for food to leave their homes on
the approach of winter and to seek the S(»utliern waters and the abuu-
«lant lish supi)ly along the continental shores. The ini<;ration routes
of tlie Alaskan aixl Asiatic herds do not coalesce, nor do the seals
interndn^le. Late in .\[n'il or early in May, depending u|)on the char-
acter of the season, the bree<ling males, i)iills, or '• seecatchie," flrst
rettirn to their ri'sorts from this migration. About a month later tho
niatuie females or " matkie"' begin to seek the breeding grounds, and
between the tinu' of arrival of these two classes the young males or
''hollustcliikie" are swinuning in the water near the rookery fronts or
hauling out upon the hauling grounds some distance avay from tho
areas o<'(!upied by the mature seals. The young males arc not periait-
cd to gather upon the breeding grounds until, by reason of age aud

vength, they are able to maintain a position there.

Each old bull when he arrives in the spring selects and maintains,
often by desperate combat, a little area ui>on which he hopes to estab-
lish his household. The male weighs four or five times as much as his
consort, and, as is usually the case where the nuile preponderates iu
size, they are extremely polygamous. Their vitality and virility is
almost beyond belief. For eigTity or ninety days, while they are mak-
ing secure their i)osition, and while guarding and presiding over their
families or " harems," they are debarred from both food and water.
When the season of propagation is past they again betake themselves
to the sea, and the breeding grounds are given up to the intermingling
of young males, females, and pups, but during that eighty or ninety
days the immature males from 1 to -j years of age have been compelled
to consort together upon the hauling gnuinds, and thus there is given
Jin opi»ortunity without in any way interfering with the course of events
upon the breeding grouiuls, to drive away, select, and slaughter such
of these young males as will furnish desirable pelts. These are the
only skins ahipi>ed from the islands.

Can anyone successfully maintain that in the case of polygamous
animals the taking of the surplus male life and reserving the females
can destroy the herd? If this can be demonstrated, then our stock-
raisers are at fault, and the evidence derived from Russian manage-
nieiit goes for naught.

THE FACTS OF PELAGIC SEALINO.

Before the breath of life can be breathed into this theory of decadence
through excessive killing on the islands there must be removed from

. ' 1

■ I

i M^

o24

SKAIi 1,11-K ON THK I'UIIWLOF ISLANDS.

tlio rt'conl b(M»ks certain well-cstiihlislii'*! fiu ts coiurcruiii}'; pelayic seal
inji'. It will 1)1* necessary to dispose of tlie fact that while in l.S7<S tlierc
was but 1 vessel enjfajied in pelajiic sealiii;ii. the nniiii)er steadily
increased nntil in l.S'Ji' tliere were iLli t()tblN»w<Mi the nnjjration trucks
of the li(M(is, t«) ha' y tiiein eif^ht months ont of the twelve, and, if
permitted, to accompany them to and even npon their chosen resorts.
Tiiere n;ust also be a snceessful refntation ot the fact that tliere is a
loss of at least 10 per cent inherent in the methods of takinjj seals at
sea; liiat pelagic sealin}'- strikes at tin very life of the rookeries, by
killiiiju: 7") or SK per cent of the fenniles, nH)ie than half of wliiidi are
mothers wht.se death involves that of tlieir nnborn otfspring-; and that
the period of <;estation beinj;' nearly twelve months, a mother killed in
Ueriny' !Sea means that tlir«'e seal liven may i)ay the i)enaity.

It is (Mjually important to the Mniintecance of this theory that there
be an elimination of the fact that «hirinj;' the fonr season.**, endins;' with
the past one of l.S!»,», there wert' taken cm the Pribilof Ulands oidy a
total of ")(».(»(>(> skins )f younj; nnih's, wliile durinj*' that same period
there were actually marketed by the sealers over LMI(»,''>'>(> skins, which
representid only abotit half the iip- t done the seal herds, ati injury
fallinj; heaviest upon the producing- ciass, the females,. For four years
there lias been practically a closed time on t''ese isfinls, ami pelagic
sealing has had full swing in the >orth I'acific. The rookeries have
not improved uinler th«'se con<liti«>ns, and until the records of the real
cause of destruction stand impeached it is idle to ofler obscure and
improbable explanations for the present conditio'i of seal life.

Jt has oidy been ])rotttable to follow this quewt'on of the cause of the
decadence t(» indicate what might bi* expe«.:ted from pelagic sealing.
Whenever and to whatever extent carried on, its deadly etf'ects are cer-
tain and continiuMia, the amount of injury being limited only by the
magnitude of the enter|u'ise. Improprieties on land can be guarded
against, but the disastrous consequeiice/i of pelagic sealing are iriherent
to the business ami are beyoml num's vontrcd. They can be lessened,
but <n:I;' through the curtailment of the number of seals taken. The
injurious effect upon the herd, while proportionately less, remains a con-
stant factor.

In following the career of an animal possessing such capacity for
self-perpetuation and ready aiiavtability to the uses of num, the sta'l* nt
of natural history or of economics is struck by the wanton and needless
destruction which pursiu's it wiu'rever fouml. As to its future he turns,
for what condbrt he may be able to extract, to the decision of that court
of recent if not last resent — the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration.

THK PARIS TRIBUNAL OF Alf HITIJATION.

The causes which led to the arbitration are known to all. For noino
years the Alaskan fur seal, when on its migration route, had been
the eagerly sought quarry of the pelagic hunters. Tliis route, which
by reason ol its vast extent and proximity to inhabited shores nnikes
this herd espeinally vulnerable to attack, extends from the Pribilof
Islands southward through the i>asses of the Aleutian chain, expands
in the broad Pacific, but ultimately brings the seals in more com|)act
masses to the North American Coast, and tlu'iice along its shores, back
through the passes, to the Pribilof Islands again. Ueali/ing the peiil
of th«' rookeries, the <Jover..i(.ent of t'.e United States attempted U<
partially protect them by seizing sealing schooners in Mering 8ea.
Each year it was thought that nt least so far as these waters were con-

iiifj S«'a.

8EA1, I.iriC ox THI. IMtlllll.OF ISLANDS.

325

cerned tin' tlangt'r would rease. but t'arli year it iucrcased as the vessels
multiplied aud the skill and kn<>\vled};e of the sealers became ^jreiitex^
and was ultimately exteiuled to the Asiatie herd whit-h tVe(|uents the
Kuv'^sian or Commander Islands. Tlic continui'd sei/inj"' of schooners
by the I'nited States met with renu)nstranc«'s on the part of Canada
an<l Kiijfland. aud Hlually, after much irritation and heat, becauu^ the
subject of diplomatit* iieyotiiitions, tiie peaceful out(!ome of which was
the Par's Tribunal of Arbitration.

Tnree dutM*s were iutiusted to the TribMualof Arbitration: It was to
settle certain jurisdictiouid <piestions. to (U cide the (piestitui of proi)ert,\
rij^hts, and in the event of tlu' matter bein<«' left in such shape that the
concurrence of (Ireat Uritain was necessary to establish regulations for
the purpose of piotectinji' and preservin;:' the fur seal, it was to frame
such re}>ulations as would be applicable outside of the jurisdiction of
the respective Governments and to indicate the uonterritorial wiiters
over which these re;j^ulat ions should extend. As it is not im|)ortant in
tliis (ronnection to <-onsider the .iurisdi<'tionaI phases of the case tiiere
will betaken up at once the property (nicstion v.ml the refjfulr.tions — the
two points that immediately concern us; the former from the stand-
l)oint of jjeneral interest, and the latter by reason «)f their intimate
relation to the future of the s«'als.

iiiK a:iK1{I(an iMtsnioN.

The able rrprescntativi's <>f the Initcd States took the position that
the tribnr-.iii was bound l)y no |)recedents, :ind po8ses!*ed,by viitue of its
very origin, a creative as well as a Judicial function. They urj-cd upon
the tribunal the taking <tf hi^iii ground and the settlement of the (pies-
tion upon broad and comprehensive principles. They jjointed out that
nuin, by means of invention, was i-apidly extendin;; his dominion over
the water, as he had over the land. and. by employing methods which
were not even <lreamed of when many existing municipiil and inter-
national laws were ena-ted. threatened the very existence of many
creatures useful to man. Turidng fnun the citations of voiuinnu)us
authorities vindicating the Justness of their claim of property right in
the seals and in the industry, they pleaded with stunly argument and
great eIo(|uence that the tribunal would fail of its high duty did ii not
lend its aid to such an extension of the world's idea of property right as
was needed to meet the demands of the advaiu-ing age. They asked
that the narrow ground be not taken that this great tribunal was called
into existence solely foi- the purpose of settling a dispute between two
nations, but that it was given an opportunity and was vested with the
power to make a substantial contrilmtion to international law. and that
its verdict, while dis]»osing of the immediate unitttr in «lispute, sh(»uld
be such a formulation, upon broader lines, of our conception of rights of
property and of piotection as would be of value to all U' inkind. irre-
sju'ctivc of nations. They pointed out lliat the mateii li progress of
tlie wor'd was based upcui tiie funilamental piincijile of '>wiiersiiip, aud
tliiit the most etlective way of preventing tlie commcrcnd annihilation
of certain giu'at groups of creatures was by lodging in tlie nation la'st
qualified by its geographic position to pntect them a custodianship, to
be cxeniised over them for the benefit of all. It was shown that the
adoption of this principle would dispose of the cpiestion of the relation
of ther g«)verunieiits to the subject; wouhl make iM>ssible therehabili-
tai., HI of many of the seal rookeries of tin* south: that it would jtrotect
such industries as the coral aud pearl lisheries. and that it would be

* 1

•'

f ^

■ '-f ■■

326

SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

useful ill controlliug tlie rapid inroads man's iiigtMiiiity is now making
on thedeni/ens of the sea. In short, tiiat it would be a direct, naet'ul,
and coiumou-sense way of settling the whole matter.

rilE liHITISH I'OSITION.

With eijual skill of argument aiid eloquence of address tiie advo-
«',ate8 of (Ireat Britain and Canada held tliat the tribunal possessed but
one function — that its duty 'vas to declare the law and not to make it;
but tliat, whatever its function might be as an international body, it was
not vested with the i)ower to make international law, but must keep to
the straight and narrow way of settling a contention between two
nations and adjusting two conflicting methods of catciiing seals. They
asked that the tribunal provi<le for the continuation of pelagic sealing
«iid«'r tlie most favorable conditi<uis consistent with carrying out the
terms of the treaty. True, nothing was sai«l in the treaty about nreserv-
iiig the business of ])elagic sealing, but before so i)atient and generous
a court it was not ditlicnlt to ccmfuse the issue of jjreserving the seals
and continuing pelagic sealing and to take up a large share of the jno
ceedings with pleadings in behalf of the latter. They demanded that
the (picstion of pi«>perty right be settled from the standpoint that the
seals were wild animuls, whidi man could <uily reduce to jiossessioii by
destroying. They insisted that the law relating to wild animals, regard-
less of its origin, liad been accepted by nations iis the years ran on; it
was very old law and very goo«l law; but. whether yood or bad, it was
the law, and from its teachings the tribunal must not allow itself to be
enticed away by the seductive citations and insidious arguments of
learned counsel on the other side. There must be no making of laws to
suit new conditions; the ohi stand bys must be adhered to, whether
applicable or not. They urged that the seals being Mild animals, tin
United States had done nothing to encourage or develop in them the
animuni reveitendl — the inclination to return to their homes, as in the
e^ise of bees and similar creatures — and thus had lost their claim to a
property in them, and if the world or a part of it desired to turn out
in boats and to destroy the industry by shooting the seals in the water
they had a perfect riglit to dcr s«), fin- a wild animal was free to all. >'o
matter if seal mothers roaming the sea for food did fall before the gnn
or spear of the jielagic hunter and their helpless pups starve on the
rookeries, the linnd of destruction must not Ik atayid, for the liiited
States hiid no rights anyone was bound legally to respect when the
senis were .'{ miles off shore, and humanitarian c(»nsiderations had no
place in the controversy. They insisted that the tribunal liad no author
ity in hrv to declare a property riglit in the seals or in the industry, but
if the tribunal contemplated disiegaiding the law and settling this
question on lines of tlieir own crhoosing they must refrain t\'ou\ doing
HO, because it would interfere with that womlertVil inventioii, the imme
morinl rigirt on the h'gli seas, an interference iiati(.as not only would
not brook. but which they would actively resent.

THE TKIMUNAI/S I)E<nsiON.

The tribunal, true to the «roiiservatism of the Old World, accepted
thia iiiter|U'etatioii of tiieir powers, recognized the potency of venerable
legal relics, assented to the arguments of the counsel for (ireat liritain
and Canada based thereon, and contented itself with deci<ling that the
United States had no right of protection or jnoperty in the fur seals.

SEAL LIFH ON THE I'lilltlLOF ISLANDS.

TUB UKCJri.ATIONS.

3J7

Tlie next task to wiiidi the tribiuiiil suldies.sed itself wjis the fram-
ing of reguhitions. Tliese regulations furnish the hist liope for the
preservation of the fur seal as a e(unniercial eoniniodity. It is not
probable that any othei' nations having seal interests will be content
with less than the United States secured, nor is it likely they will
obtain more, and thus they lepresent the measni'e of protection all
seals are likely to re<*eive in the future.

After listening to an enormous mass of testimony — some good, some
bad, and some very indiflerent — concerning seal life, the tribunal pro-
poses to i>reserve the Alaskan branch of the northern fur seal by pro-
hibiting sealing within a zone of GO miles around the Pribilof Islands
by establishing a closed time, or time of no killing at sea, from May 1
to July 'M : by permitting only sailing vessels to engage in tho business
<»f seal hunting, and re<|uiring them to carry a distinctive flag, to take
out a special license, and to keep a daily recin-d of the catch and the sex
of the seals taken, these records to be commnnicatetl to each of the
two (iovernments at the close of the sealing season; by limiting t!,e
weapons of capture to shotguns in the North Pacific and spears in
Hering Sea, and by requiring the two (Iovernments to take sn«'li meas-
ures as will determine whether the iinnteis are tit to handh' with suffl
cient skill the weapons by means of which the seals are to be captured.
These regulations, which are tor'-main in force until they have bern in
whoh' or in part abolished or nx ditied by common agreement between
the (jovernmeatsof the I'nited States and (Jreat Uritain, are toitesub
mitted every five years to a iu*w examination, so as to eindOe both
Governments to consider whetlu'i-, in the light of past exjierience. there
is occasion for any moditication of them.

The three prime points in the ri'gtilations are: The zone arountl the
islamls; the closed time of three months injected into the middle of the
sealing season, thus breaking it U]», an<l the restriction ai' tin* use of
tirearms to the Noitli Pacific.

First as to the zone: If there was any one fact clearly <'stablislied by
the testimony of the pelagic sealers themselves and o' ial expt'rts it
was that in the summer season great numbers of seals, iumI esiiceially
feiiiales, are ftmnd at long distances from the islands of llering Soa,
distances two or thn'e times gr«'ater than that of the prot«'cting one
])rovided by the regulatitnis. Now. as the object was to jjreserve th"
fur seals, it is proi)er to assume that the tribunal, promi»te(l by a desire
to protect them, and acting in good I'aith. established suidi a zone as
they believed would luactically pndiibit the attack of the i)elagic sealer;
but if this was so, then mere amount ot distance was immaterial, and
in view of the fact that incessant fogs i>rood over tin' waters of liering
Sea during the summer season, rendering it diflitult to tell when a vessel
is within or without a zone, the limit of which can n«»t be nn«rke<l, why
not at once adopt that mitnral and well defined boumlary line, the
Aleutian chain? .lust here arises the (|Uestion: When vessels are
seized, whose word shall be ac(!e])ted as to the locality of s«'izure — the
pelagic sealer's or the seizing officer's ? Does not this uncertainty, hav-
ing as it does an important bearing on the ([uestion of conviction, weaken
the regulations restraiidng inHuence on pelagic sealing? Aside from
•juestions of protection it seems to nie that this i>art of tlie decision will
tend to in<3rease dispute and bitterness rather tlian to dindnish it.

The ado|>tion (dthe cl(»8ed time means the recognition on the part of

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SKAL l-IFE ON THK PKIItlLOF ISLANDS.

tlie tribunal that tlie destruction by the pehijjic sealer lias been exces-
sive, and the cutting ott' of one month of the sealisig season in Berinpf
Sea clearly shows that it realized the danger to the herd from allowing
sealing there. Why, then, was sealiuf; not prohibited altogether in
those waters? Is the danger less in August and a ])Grtion of Si'ptenj-
ber? The seals are still going long distances from the islands and the
sealer can continue his work until stopped by the September gales.
Bering Sea is the focal point, the great massing ground of seal life, and
the seals are more readily taken there than anywhere else. In 18IU the
catch of the Canadian Heetin the North Pacific was s; little over LM,0(M)
seals, and before the modus vivendi could be enforced a portion of the
fleet seale<l from three to five weeks on the American side of Bering Sea,
and with fewer vessels and with fewer small boats they took in that time
as many seals as they had previously secured in the racifi*;. During
the three years ending with and including 1801 the Canadian fleet (and
I only (|Uote from Canadian records, because they are so reliable) took,
in Ave months, in the North I'acihi', an average of r)(»7 skins per vessel;
with ten vessels less, they took in Bering Sea 727 skins per vessel in
about two and one-half months.

The jn-oposed regulations still allow at least live weeks' sealing in
Bering Sea; but, say the regulations, the hunters ran only use spears
in Bering Sea, therei)y intimating that spears are less effective than the
shotguns allowed in the North Pacific, and that an additional safeguard
has therefore been provitled in Bering Sea. .lust why the shotgun is
pernicious in Bering Sea and is not in the North Pacilie is iu)t indicated:
but if we turn to the testimony of the Northwest Coast Indians, who
ship (Ml the schooners and accompany them to Bering Sea, wa find that
they claim that they can <lo better work with the spear than with the
shotgun. The latter makes the uame wild, while the former does not.
The spear makes no noise, and they are thus able to take seal after seal
as they sleep on the water, and g«'t all in sight, while at the souiul of a
gun's discharge the connades of the captured or wounded seal swim
away.

It is evi<lent from an inspection of these regidations as a whole that
the tribunal, taking in to account the inten'sts of both nations, cndeaviu-ed
to frame nwasures which, while [>rotecting the seals, would permit the
continuation of pelagic scaling. This seems to ww, a task the accoiu-
plishment of whicli is an inipossil»i!ity. The evils of pelagic sealing
ai>pear to have been clesirly recognized by the tiibunal, but instea<l of
ado])ting i>rohibitive mesisures it took tlie middle course of throwing
some protection around the seals, and wliiU'at the snnn'time appearing
to ('oncede something to tlu' pelagic sealers, made tlu' coiuliti«)ns Just
sufliciently hanl as to prevent them from enga;:ing successfully in the
business. I( is admitted that these reglllatinn^ possess value in limit
ing and discouraging pelagic sealing, but tlieii inherent weakness is
that while they n«»w st-em to |)ossess some detcniiig power, ciianged
corulitions niay at anytime arise which will negative their influence
and offer inducements sullicient to enable the sealers to again engage
in this business on a large an«l injurious s<'ale. This contingency is
not so remote as nniy apjiear at first sight. In lS.Si> the average price
paid in Victoria for skins taken at sea was #ii.8.'3; in l.Sl>0 it had risen
to *I(>.7(>; in ISIM it was ^Sl"). In 1H81) the cost of each skin in wages
was from *L» to ^'.i; in 1890 and 1891 it was $3.00; in 1892 it was $+;
in other words, an advancing price for both nuister and hunter.

Now, it is evident that it will be some time before the I'ribilof Islands
can very greatly increase their annual output of skins. The maxinuuu

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIHILOF ISLANDS.

329

output of the Coniuiander iHlauds has been reache<l, and ju'obably will
have to be decrease<l in the future. There uuist be throu^jh these regu-
lations some curtaihneiit of the contribution of the sealing schooners,
and the result of all this will be that seal skins will demand a higher
price. Should that price reach a tigure which will compensate tor the
(ibstacle.s which the regulations place in tiie way of the i)elagic sealer,
then we will have the changed (conditions referred to, and i>elagic seal-
ing with its attendant evils will go on as before. If there is doubt in
the minds of anyone upon this point it is only necessary to turn to the
history of the sea otter, which, though nearly exterminated, is as
eagerly sought after to-day as it ever was, simply beciiuse the ever-
increasing price the tra'^e is willing to pay for its skin still compensates
for the small numbers now taken. There is no reason to believe that
the career of the fur seal will be ditlerent from that of the sea otter.

Another possible source of changed conditions lies in the regulations
themselves, tor they provide, as we have peen, for their own modifica-
tion every live years, and the pressure will «'ome heaviest from the
jM'lagic sealers' side of the case. Indeed, the regulations re(|uin' that
each pelagic sealer — an interested party — shall keep records which are
to be made available when the <piestion of moditictations of ihe regula-
tions arises. Now, while there never was a more fearless iind coura-
geous set of men than these pelagic sealers, it will be something entirely
new in their history if their records do not appeal in the strongest pos-
sible terms for a modification of the regulations in their favor.

The final (piesti(Ui that arises in regar<l to these regulations is, will
they, as they now stand, ever be put in operation? The inteiested
powers have yet to agree ujion nu'asures for giving effect to them. Is
it likely that, wImii a neutral tribunal found the nuiking of regulations
so tedious aiul <litti<-ult, the interested jiowers will be able without itjter-
niinably delay an<l po>sibly irn'<'<uu'ilable conflict to agree upon "•(con-
current measures" ])utting them in force? ICngland has won on the
great law p<»ints of the case, but these regulations are (»bje(rtionable to
Canada, for they bear somewhat heavily upon pelagic sealing; and these
'' concurrent nu'iisures " otter tempting fighting ground for secuiing their
modifitration in favor of the Dominion.

lender the circumstances it is only to be exjietcted tliut the arts of
diplomacy will be vig<u"ously exercised in that directi<m. There Is but
one course, however, for the United States to jiursue — permit no modi-
fications, stand s(|uarely forthe prompt carryingout of these reguliitions,
and let time reveal how nmch value they possess for i)r()tecting tl»e seal
herd. Kngland will champion no plan of greater )uotection: she has
all to gain and nothing to lose from delay, ami it will re<|uire all the
eiieigy aiul fii-mness of the Kxecutive to put ettectively in force the
regulati(His as adopted by the tribunal.

«'(>N<'Ll SIONS.

After more than two years of dose study <.r this ([uestion it is my
conviction that the only way in wiiich the world can secure the liirgest
benefit commercially fnun tlie fur seal wherever found is by taking the
surplus immature nudes upon land umler the most favorable conditions
8 iggested by experience; that securing seals by any (jther methods
iiitroducses the fatal element of indiscrimination ; that the life of the herd
is Jeopardized in proportion to the number of females killed; that the
injury inflicted on the northern herds by pelagic sealing increases from
-lanuary to August, grows greater as Bering Sea is approached, and

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SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIUILOF ISLANDS.

4;ulniiiijit«!s in those Wfiteis; that the sliotgun faiid spear are both deadly,
the hitter l>y reason of its noiseless etticieiiey, the former by reason of
its ready nsc l)y all ehisses, and that the disposition of this qnestion on
the basis of adjnsting two conHicting interests is futile and illog;icai,
but niateiial issues are not alone involved; it jiresents bioloj?ic features
as well and has to do with forces of nature beyond man's control.

IJeyulations can not be franied by human ingenuity which will pre-
serve tiie seal herds in their greatest i)ossible proportions and permit
the continuation of successful pelagic sealing. It would be reconciling
the irreconcilable. It would be accomplishing a feat equal to that of
making two bodies occupy the same space at the same tinie. Kitlier
the regulations will be prohibitive in their operation — in wliicli case it
■would be more straightforward to make them so in the lirst instance —
or, if allowing successfiil pelnp-ic sealing, they will be valueless in pre-
venting the extermination of th,^ seal. In general it may be said that
no pelagic sealing can be carried on which is not inherently and un<;on
trollably injurious to the life of the seal herd — the annniut of injury
being proportionate to the magnitude of the attack.

iiii

'WIS!

▲WASD OF THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION CONSTITUTED UNDER THE TBEATT
CONCLUDED AT WASHINGTON THE 29TH OF FEBRUARY, 1892, BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

[Kii^Iisli vcrsiiiii.]

Wheresis, by a treaty between the United 8tr tes of America and Great
JU'itain, signed at Washington, February 29, 1S!)2, the ratirtcations oi
which by the (lovernraents of the two countries were exchanged at
London on May 7, l.S!>2, it was, amongst other things, agreed and con-
■eluded that the questions which had arisen between the Government of
the United States of America and the Government of Her Hritannic
Majesty, conceridng the jurisdictional rights of the United States in
the waters of Bering Sea, aiul concerning also the preservation of the
fur seal in or habitually resorting to the said sea, and the rights of the
citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking cC fur
seals in or habitually lesorting to the said waters, should be submitted
to a tribunal of arbitration to be composed of seven arbitrators, who
should be appointed in the following manner, that is to say: Two should
be named by the I'residentof the United States; twoshoidd be named
by Her Britannic Majesty; His Excellency the President of the French
Itepublic shouhl be jointly requested by the high contracting ]>ai'ties
to name one; His Majesty the King of Italy should be so requested to
name one; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway should be
so requested to name one; the seven arbitrators to be so named should
be jurists of distinguished reputation in their respective countries, and
the selecting powers sluuild be requested to choose, if possible, jurists
who are acquainted with the English language;

And whereas it was further agreed by Article II of the sai<l treaty
that the arbitrators should meet at Paris within twenty days after the
<lelivery of the counter cases mentioned in Article IV, and should pro-
ceed impartially and carefully to exanune and decide the questions
which had been or should belaid before them as in the said treaty pro
vided on the part of the Governments of the United States and of Her
Britannic Majesty, respectively, ami that all questions considered by

SEAL LIFK ON THK PKIIULOF ISLANDS.

331

tli<^ Iribiiiiiil, iiicliuliii^' t)io final decision, sliould be deterniined by a
miijority ot :ill rlie arbitrators;

And whereas by Article VI of the said treaty, it was further i)ro-
vided as tbllows:

III (It^citliii^ till' iiiatters sroiiiittoil ti> tin- siiid :irliitrati>rs. it jh agreed that tin- tol-
lawiii^ live pointN nIuiII bt- H.iUinittetl to tluMii in order lliat tlii'ir award Hliall einbruce
a distinct deciHioii ii))iin ci.cli ol' naid live ]ioiiits, t<> wit:

1. What exclusive' Jurisdiction in the sea now iinowii as IJeriny; Sea. and wliiit
I'xi'lnsive ri<;htM in the seal lishcries therein, ilid l^nssia assert and exercise i>rior and
ii|i to tbi; time of tiie ccHsion ot Alaska to the I'liited States^

L'. How far were these claims of Jnrisdiction us to the seal lisheries iccoyni/ed and
conceded by (ireat Hritain?

.'>. Was the body of water now known a8 nurin<> Sea included in the |dirase I'acitii;
Ocean, as used in the treaty of \H2'y between (ireat [tritain and Russia; and what
rijfhts, if any, in IJeriny: Sea were held and exclusively exercised by Kussia aftersaid
treaty f

4. Did not all the ri^rbtsof KiiHsia, as to jurisdiction and as to the seal fisheries in
Herinjj; Sea east of the water boundary, in the treaty between the I'uited States and
Russia of the HOth of .March, ISitT, iiass uiiinipaired to the United States under that
treaty f

.'). Has the I'nited .states any ri^ht, and if so, what rijjht.of jroteetion or jtrop-
erty in the fnr seals frei|ueiiting the islands of the United .States in Merinn; .Sea when
such seals :ne found outside the ordinary S-tnile limit '

And whereas, by Article VII of the said treaty, it was lin tiier ayieed
as follows:

If the determination of the fore;roiii;j; ipiestions as to the exclusive ,|urisdicti<ui of
the United States shall leave the sub.Ject in such position that tin; coi:L';'.;r;'m'e of
fircat Kritain is necessary to the establishment of rejfulations for the propei' pr«.tec-
tion iind preservation of the fur seal in, or habitually resortiiif; to, lieriiiij .Sea, the
arbitrators shiill then <letermine what concurrent re;;ulatioiis, outside the Jurisdic-
tion limits of the respec^tive 4ioveinmenls, are ne<'essary. and over what wat rs sii< h
re<;ulations should esieiid:

The hi^h <'oiitraciin); ]>ai'lics furthermore a<>'rce to cooperate in securing: the aillie-
sion of other jtowers In such rc<;uliitioiis;

•Vnd when'sis, l>y Article \'!II of the said tit-aty. after n-citinyf that
the high contracting |>arties lia<l round themselves unable to agree
u)ton a reference which should include the <|uestion of the liability of
each for the injuries alleged to have lieeii sustained by the otlu'i-, or by
its <'iti/ens, in conneution with the claims pre.>«ented and urged by it,
and that '"they were .solicitions that this subtu'dinate question shoidd
not interrui>t or longer delay the submi.ssion and determination of the
main questions."' the high c<Hitracting i»arties agreed that "either <»f
them might submit to tlie aibitrators any question of faci involved in
.sai<l claims and a><k for a tinding thereon, the question of i'le liability
of either (lov«^rnment upon tin' facts found, to be the subject of fnitlier
negotiation;

And whereas the President of the United States of America nameil
the Hon. John M. Harlan, .lustice of the Supreme Court of the United
States, and the Hon..lohn T. Morgan. Senator of the United States, to
be two of the sai<l arbitrattns, an<l Her Britannii; Majesty named the
Kight Hon. Lord Hannen and the Hon. Sir .lohn Thomi)80U, minister
of Justice and attorne.v-general for ('amida, to be two of the said
arbitrators, and His Kxcellency the Pre.sideut of the French l{e]iublic
named the Baron de C«»ur<'el, senator, and)assador of France, to be
one of the said arbitrators: and His Majesty the King of Italy naiFied
the Marquis Knnlio Vi.sconti Venosta, former mini.sterof foreign att'airs
and senator of the Kingdom of Italy, to be one of the said arbitrators;
and His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway named Mr. (Iregers
< Irani, minister of state, to be one of the said arbitrators;

And whereas we, the said arbitrators so named and appointed, hav-

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332

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

in;; taken upon ourHelvo^ the burden of the said arbitration, and liavin;^
duly met at Paris, proceeded itn|>artially and caret'ully to examine an<l
decide all the questions submitted to us, the said arbitrators, under the
8aid treaty, or laid before us as provided in the said trea y on the part
of the Cloverun)ents of Her Britaunic; Majesty and the I'nited States.
resi)ectively;

Now we, the said arbitrators, having impartially and carefully exjim
Ined the said questions, do in like manner by this our award decide and
determine the said questions in the manner following; that is to sny.
we deci«le and determine as to the five points mentioned in Article \'I
as to which our award is to embrace a distinct decision upon each of
them :

As to the first of the said live i>oints, we, the said iiaron deCourcel, .Mr.
Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir .John Thompson, Marquis \"sconti
Venosta, and Mr. (Iregers Graiii, being a nuijority of tin' said arbi-
trators, do decide and determine as follows:

By the ukase of 1821 Russia claimed jurisdiction in the sea now
known as Bering Sea to the extent of 1(H) Italian nules from the coast
andislaudsbehuigingtoher; but, in thectmrseof the negotiations which
led to the cont'lusion of the treaties of I.Sl'4 with the TnitcMl Statesand
and of i82>~i with Great Britain, Russia adnutted that her jurisdiction
in the said sea should be restricted to the reach of cannon shot from
shore, and it appears that from that time u]> to the time of the cession
of Alaska to the I'nited States Russia never asserted in fact or exer-
cised any exclusive Jurisdiction in Bering Sea or any exclusive rights
in the seal fisheries therein beyond the ordinary limit of territorial
waters.

As to the secoiul of the said five points, we. the said Baron de Courcel,
Mr. Justice Harlan, Lord ilannen. Sir John Thompson, Marquis Visconti
Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Grain, being a majority of the said arbi-
trators, do decide and determin<* that Great Britain did not recognize
or concede any claim upon the part of Russia to exclusive Jurisdiction
as to the seal fisheries in Bering Sea outsi<le of onlinary territoiial
waters.

As to the tlnrd of the 8ai<l five points, as to so much thereof as re(|uires
us to decide whether the body of water now known as Bering Sea was
included in the phrase " l'acirt<; Ocean" as used in the treaty of I.SlT*
between Great Britain and Russia, we, the said arbitrators, do uuiiiii-
raously decide and determine that the body of water now known as
Bering Sea was included in the phrase '' Pacific Ocejin" as used in the
said treaty.

And as to so nuu'h of the said third point as requires us to decide
what rights, if any, in Bering Sea were held and exclusively exercised
by Russia afti'r the Siud treaty of 182o, we, the sai<l Baron de Courcel,
Mr. Justice Harlan, Lord Hannen, Sir J(din Thompson, Marquis Visconti
N'enosta, au<l Mr. Gregers Gram, being a majority of the sai<l arbitni
tors, do decide and determine that no exclusive rights of Jurisdii^tioii
in Bering Sea and no exclusive rights as to the seal fisheries therein
were held <n exercised by Russia outside <)f ordinary territoriiil wat<'rs
after the treaty of 182r».

As to the fourth of the said five points, we, the said arbitrators, do
unainmously decide and determine that all the rights of Russia as to
Jurisdiction aiul as to the seal fisheries in Bering Sea east of the water
boundary, in the treaty between the United States and Russia of the
.'iOth March, 18({7, did pass unimpaired to the United States under the
said treaty.

SKAL Lll'K ON THK I'HIItlLOF ISLANDS.

333

As to the lit'tli of tlu» said five points, we, the siiid Haroii de Conrcel,
Lord llaiineii, Sir .loliii Tlioinpsoii, Manniis Visconti Venosta, and Mr.
(irejiers Gram, beiiij; a iiiajctrity of tlie said arbitrators, do decide and
<l('t<'rniine tiiat the United States has not any rij;iit of protection or
property in the fur seals fiecpientiiifr tiie ishmds of the Inited States
in IJering: Sea when such seals are found outside the ordinary .» mile
limit.

And whereas the aforesaid deterndnation of the fore;ioin}i" questions
as to the exclusive Jurisdiction of tlu; United States, mentioned iu
Article VI, leaves the subject in such a i>ositi()ii that the concurrence
of Great IJritain is necessary to the establishment of refjul.itions for
the proper protection and jtreservation of the fur seals in or habitually
resorting: to Berinjj Sea, the tribunal havniji' decide<l by a nmjority as
to each article of the followinj; le^ulations, we, the said liaron de
Courcel, L(ud Ilannen, MarquLs Visconti N'enosta, and Mr. (lrey:ers
(iram, assenting; to the whole of the nine articles of the following; re(;u-
lations, and beiii};' a majority of the said arbitrators, do decide an<l
<letermine in the mode provided by the treaty that the followiii^j con-
current regulations outside the jurisdictional limits of the respective
(ioveininents are necessary, and that they should extend over the
waters hereinafter mentioned, that is to say:

REGULATIONS.
Artici.k 1.

The Governments of the Uiiite<l States and of Great Mritain shall
forbid their citizens and subjects, resj>ective!y, to kill, capture, or \mr
sue at any time and in any manner whatever the aninmls commoidy
<!alled fur seals within a zone of <»(» miles arouiul the Pribilof Islands,
inclusive of the teiritorial waters.

The nules mentioned in the precedin<>' itaragraph are geographical
ndles, of (•(> to a degree of latitude.

Aitru i,K 1'.

The two (rovernments shall forbid their citizens and subjects, respec-
tively, to kill, ca])ture, or pursue, in any manner whatever, during the
season extending each year from the 1st of >[ay to the 1st of July, both
inclusive, the fur seals on the high sea, in the part of the I'acitic Ocean,
inclusive of IJering Sea, which is situated to the north of the thirty-
fifth degree of north latitude and eastward of the one hundred and
eightieth degree of longitude from Greenwich, till it strikes the water
boundary described in Article I of the treaty of 18(57 between the
United States and Russia, and following that line up to Bering Straits.

Artici.k ;J.

During the period of time and in the waters in which the fur seal
fishing is allowed, oidy sailing vessels shall be permitted to carry ou
or take part in fur-seal fishing operations. They will, however, be at
liberty to avail themselves of the use of such canoes or uiuUM'ked
boats, propelled by paddles, oars, or sails as are iu common use as
fishing boats.

Aktici.k I.

Kacli sailing vessel authorized to fish for fur seals must be provided
with a special license issued for that pnrpose by its (iovernment, and
shall be required to carry a distinguishing dag, to be prescribed by its
Government. .

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iili<

334

SKAL lAVK ON TIIK PRIHILOF ISLANhS.

Aktklk 5.

The iiiiisters of the vessels eiii^af^cd in tiii'Meul lishiiig shiill ciifci
accurately in their otticial log book the date and phice of each fur-seal
fishing o])eration, and also the number and sex of the seals captured
upon each day. These entries shall be connnunicated by each of the
two (loverninents to the other at the end of each lishing season.

AUTICI-K H.

The nse of nets, lirearnis, and explosives shall be forbi<lde;i in tlie
fur-seal fishing. This restriction shall not apply to shotguns when such
fishing takes place outside of Mering Sea during the season when it
may be lawfully carried oji.

AlM'K t.K 7.

The two (Joverninents shall take measures to control the fitness (»t
the men authorized to engagj in fur seal fishing. These men shall have
been proved lit to handle with sutlicient skill the weap<ms by means of
which this fishing nuiy l)e carried on.

AUTICI.K X.

The regulati>)ns contained in the precedln.u articles shall not apply to
Jndians dwelling on the coasts of the territory of the United States or
of Cheat Britain, and carrying on fur-seal fishing iu canoes or undecked
boats not transported by paddles, osirs, or sails, and numned by uot
more than five i)ersonseach in the way hitherto i)racticed by the Indians,
provided such Imlians are not in the employment of other persons, and
provided that, when so hunting in canoes or undecked l)oats, they shall
uot huut fur seals outside of territorial waters uiuler contract for the
delivery of the skins to any persou.

This exemption shall not be construed to affect the municipal law of
either country, nor shall it extend to the waters of Bering Sea or the
waters of the Aleutian Passes.

Nothing herein contained is intended to interfere with the employ-
ment of luilians as hunters or otherwise in (Connection with fur-sealing
vessels, as heretofore.

AKTICI-K It.

The concurrent regulations hereby determined with a view to the pro-
tection and preservation of the fur seals shall remain in force until they
have been in whole or in part abolished or modified by common agree
ment between the Govarnraents of the United States and of Great
Britain.

The said concurrent regulations shall be submitted every five years
to a new exsinnnation, so as to enable both interested Governments to
consider whether in the light of past experience there is occasion for
any modificati(U) thereof.

And whereas the Government of Her Britannic Majesty did submit
to the Tribunal of Arbitration by Article VIII of the said treaty cer
tain questions of tact involved in the claims referred to in said Article
VIII, and di<l also submit to us, the said tribumil, a statement of the
said facts, as follows, that is to say:

FINDINGS OF l.A(T I'KOl'OHKK ItV THK AiJKNT (»K (iUKAT IJKITAIX AN1> ACItKKD ll>
AS I'KOVKI) l»Y TIIK Atil'.NT 1 OIJ TUK rXmCl) STATES AND SI UMITTKI) TO TIIK
TIUIU'NAL OK AKIUTUATIOX KOIJ ITS COXSIDKBAITOX.

1. That the several searches and seizures, whether of ships or ^oods, and the sev-
eral arrests of masters and crews. re8])ectively, mentioned in the schedule to the

SKAL LIFE ON THK IMMItlLOF ISLANDS.

335

KritiHli cjiKf, piip'h 1 til tin, incliisivo, uuie iiiado liy tlir antli(irit,v ut' ilin riiit«'.t
gtati->< liovcriiiiient, 'I'lii' i|iie.stiiiim us to tlie valuta of the Mai<l v«>sHt']s or tlii-ir con-
tentH, or <;itIiiT ul' tlit'iii, and the i|ii<'.Htiiiii an tn whtttlier the vi'shi-Ih nifiitidiifil in
the H('Iie<liile to tht* Mritish ('»»<■, or any of tlu'iii, wtrit wholly or in ]iart Ihr actiiiil
prii|M'rty of the I'iti/.oiis of thi- I'niti-il .Stati-8 have Item withdrawn Ironi anil huve
nut lii'<;ii ('oii-<idirrtMl hy tht- triltiinai, it lifiii;r iindrr^tooil that it is open to the I'liited
StateH to raise tln-Hi- i|iii'Btions or any of them, if they think lit, in any future ne^o-
tiations hh to the liability of the rniteil States (iovernineiit lo pay the amounts
mentioned in the Hi-hednle of the Hritish ease.

'J. That the sei/.iireH aforesaid, with the exeejition of the I'dlliUndei: Ht'i/.vi\ at Neah
Hay, were made in liering i!<>ea at the distanceH from shore mentioned in the Hchediile
annexed hereto, marked ('.

',i. That the said several searches and Hei/nresof vessels were niadi' Ity piihlir armed
vessels of the I'lnted States, the eommautlers of whieh had, at the several times wlieu
they were made, from the Kxeciitive Department of the (iovernniunt of the I'nited
States, instrnrtions. a copy of one of which is annexed hereto, marked .V, and tliat the
others were, in all substantial respects, the same; that in all the instances in which
procee<Iiii};s were had in the district courts of the I'nited .States resnltinfj in condem-
nation, such proceediiiKN were befjnn by the lilinj; of libids. a copy of one of which
is annexed tiereto. marked H. and that tlie libels in the other proceedin<;s were in all
Bubstantial res)iects the same: that the ;ille;re(l acts or oll'enses for which said several
BearchcH and sei/.nrcs were made in each case were done or eonimitted in I$eriii<j Sea
at the distances from shore aforesaid ; and that in each case in w liich sentence ot con-
demnation was i)assed. excei>t in those cases when the \essels were released after
condemnation, the sci/nre was ado])ted by the tiovernment of the I'nited States;
and in those cases in which the vessels were relcaseil the seizure was made by the
authority of the I'nited States: that the said lines ami imprison nu-iits were for alie<red
breaches of the municipal laws of the I'nited States, which ullc;.jc(l breaches were
wholly committed in Merinj: Sea at the distances from the shore aforesaid.

1. That the several orders mentioned in the schedule annexed hereto and nuirked
(i, warning vessels to leave or not to enter lierinj; Sea, were made by public armed
vessels of the I'nited St.ites, the coramanilers of which had, at the several times
when tht-y were )?iven, like instructions as mentioned in tindin<; l>, and that the ves-
sels so warned weie enj^afjed in sealiii}; or jirosecutinfi; voyages for that puri>ose, and
that such action was adopted by the (iovernnieiit of the I'nited States.

't. That the district courts of the I'nited States in which any j)roeeedinj^8 were
had or taken for the purpose of conih'mnitif; any vessel seized, as ini^ntioned in the
schedule to the case of (ireat liritain, i»aj:;es 1 to (iO, inclusive, hi.d all the jtirisdic-
tion and powers of courts of admiralty, including the prize, jurisdiction, but that in
each case the sentenci! pronounced b.\ the court was based upon the grounds set
forth in the libel.

il M

Annex A.

Tkeasurv Dkpaktmknt, OKI'ICE (>1 tiik Secritahy,

IVashhitilon, Jpril 21, ISSd.

Sir : Keferring to Department letter of this date, directing you to proceed with the
revenue steamer Hear, under your command, to the seal islands, etc., you are hereby
clothed with full power to enforce the law contained in the jirovisions of section 1956
of the United States IJevised St.'itutes, and directed to seize all vessels and arrest and
deliver to the proper authorities an.\ or all persons whom you may detect violating
the law referred to, after «lue notice shall have been given.

You will also seize any liipiors or lirearms attempted to be introduced into tbe
country without proper permit, under the ])rovisioiis of .section 111,")"! <)f the IJevised
Statutes, and the proclamation of the President dated February t, 1><7(I.
He8j)ectfnlly, yours,

C. S. FAiitciiii.i), {(titut Secretary.
("apt. M. A. llEAi.Y,

Commtinding nereniie Steamei' Bear, San FranviKco, Cnl.

Annex IJ.

In the district court of the United States for the District of Alaska — .Viigust special

term, 1886.

To the Hon. Lakayktte Dawson, Judge of mid District Court:

The libel of information of M. D. Ball, attorney for the United States for the Dis-
trict of Alaska, who prosocutes on behalf of said rnite<l States, and being present

& '•

■J i-

OPFP

■ i

'^^ff f

336

.si:al ijkh on thk priuilof IHI-AM»s.

]i<>r« ill oMirt ill his |i|'ii|m>i' ]irrsoii, in tli« iiaiiic uikI «ii iMtlnilf of imiil I'liitcil StatcH.
ii);aiiiHt tilt) sfliooiiiT Thornton, iiur tarlxlu, ii|>|iar*-l, lioutN, car^o, ami riiriiitiiri', aini
n>;niii8t all iicisoiis iiitcrvt'iiiii;; Cur tlitMi- inturuMt tlxn'ttiii, in a canst' of lort't'itnrc,
alleKt'^ anil inlorniH wn lullnwN:

Tliat Charles A. Alilit-y. an onift-r in tlin Ifcvfiiim-Mariiu' StTvicf of tlio I'liitoil
StatfH, anil on spefial tliit.v in tin- wiitiTH of tin- DiHirii't ut° Alasl<a, herftofoit-, to
wit, on tlii> iHt ilav of An^riiHt, IHXii, within tlit^ iiinitH of Alasl<a TtMritorv, aiul in tin'
watt'i'H tiitToof, anil within tlif civil anil Jiiilicial Di.slrii^t of AImmUii, to wit, within
tliu watt'i's of that |iortioii of Hi'rin^ Sun lM>loii;;inK to tlii> saiil iliHtiiit. on wadrs
ii»vi;;a1>le from tin- stia li,v vcssfiN of 10 or mor« tons hnnltni. sfi/.t-il thrHhipor vi-ssel
connnonly ralliil a Hclioontr, tlit^ Thornlon, lirr taiklt;, a|i|iar«!l, liuiitM, rar;:o, ami
fiirnitiiri', Iti'iii); tin- propi'rtv of sonu' piTHon or piTHoiiH to tht'saiil attornti.v nnknown,
an forfeitfti to tin- I'nitt'il Stati'8, for tin; folli>winK I'ltiisi's;

That tim siiiil vt'sxt-l or si-hooiifr was foiiml fn^apitl in killing fur si-al within tin-
liniitN of Alaska Territorj*, anil in the wntt'rH thi^reof, in violation of section lil.'iti uf
tht) U't'visi'tl StatntfHof the L'nitfil Statt-s.

Aud the saiil attoriif.v Haith that all ami Hin|rnlar tlio prt-miHes aro ami woro trm-,
auil within the ailmiialty ami maritinnt Jnrisdirtion of this court, ami that liy reason
thereof ami liy force of the statntcK oi' the Initoil StateH in such rascH nnidc anil
proviilcil, the aforementioneil ami dcHcriheil schooner or veHHcl, beiuK '^ vessel of
over 20 toiiH biinlen, her tai^kle and apparel, boatn, caruo, and furniture, lieiMinit;
forfeited to the use of the Haiti United States, ami that saiti schttoner is now within
the district aforesaid.

Wherefore the said attorney (irays the iiaiial process ami monition of this hoiior-
nhle court issue in this lielialf, ami that all pi>rsoim intcn^Hted iu the hefore-mentioncil
and ileHCrilied schooner or vedsel may he cited in <reiieral anil Hpeciiil to answer the
premises, ami all due |>roceeilin);H heiiiK ha«I, that the saiil Hchooner or vesHid, her
tackle, apparel, hoatH, carj^o, and furniture may, for the caii.se aforesaitl, anil others
appearing;, he conilemneil liy the delinite sentence anil ilt;cree of this honorahle
court, as forfeited to the ii.se of the Haiti I'tiiteil States, accordinj; to the form of the
ototute of the suiti I'nitetl States in such teases made and provided.

M. I>. ItAI.I.,

Unitril Statet Dialrict Attorney for the lUHlrivt of .lUinka.

A.V.NKX V.

The followin;; tahle shows the nanien of the Mritiiih aealin^ ves.sel8 8ei/eil or wanietl
by the Uniteil States revenue cruisers, 1S86-18li<», ami the approximate distance from
land when seizeil. The distances assi^netl in the cases of the Carohna, Thornlon, &iu\
Onuaril are on the authority of the United States Naval C'oiumander Abbey (see
Senate Kx. Doc No. KNi, ])]>. L'O, 'M), 10, Fiftieth Congress, second session). The dis-
tances assigned in the cast\s of the .tnna lievk, W. /'. Sa/iward, Dolphin, and Grace are
on the authority of Ca|itain Slieparil, United States iievenne Marine (Mine Hook,
United States, No. 2, IHW, pp. 80-SL'. See Appendix, Vol. III).

Name of vessel.

Uiitf

of ^<ei/.llr^.

Apiin>\iiiiiite ilistMiicu frum laiiil wht^ii Mei/.<'tl.

Uiiilt'il .Statt-M

vi'Mxel niakiiit;

seizurus.

CaroUnn Aug. 1.1880

ThomtoD <li>

Onwnrtl Aiij:. 2,1880

Pavtmrite do

Aiinii Uecli Iiilv 2. 1H87

W. r. Siiywiuil tiilV 0,1887

Doliiliiii Miil'v 1'.', 1887

( iniie Jiilv 17, 1887

Alfnil Ailains Auii. lU, 1887

Atlii \iiK. ■-'.">. 1887

Triuiii|ih Aiijj. 4.1887!

Jiiiinita Jiilv 31. 1881) '

riitlifliiilcr 11111-29, 1K89

Tiiumi.h Iiil.v 1I.188U

lilack Diaiiioiiil ... ilo

Lllv Auk. «. 1880 1

Arl.l Inly ao, 1880

Kate AilK-l^. 1889

Miiiiiit" July 15.1880 1

Vuthrtmler Miir. 27. 1800

75 iiiilc8

7ll iiiili'H

115 niUt's

Warnol Ity rorwiii in nlioiit »aiiii' poRitioii as
Oimaril."

(11!

,V,I iniU'14

4ii mill'.-*

Wl mill's

«2 miles

15 miles

Warneil liv Kusli not to enter Iteriiitf S«a

fiO miles . ."

50 miles

< InliTuil out of Kei'iu^ .<<t'a l>.v liiisli. (!) As
to positlun wlieii warneil.

.'iri miles

«fl miles

Ortleretl out of Herin}; Sea liy Kush

. . . . do

65 miles

Seized In Neali )'.ay. I .')

(.'orwiu.
Do.
Do.

Kiisli.

Do.

])<■.

Do.

Do.
Itenr,

Itiisli.
Do.

Do.
Do.

Do.
Corwiii.

SEAL LIFE ON TIIK PKIIULOF ISLANDS.

337

And whereas the (Toveiniiieiit of Her Itrituuiiie Majesty did ask the
said arbitrators to tind the said tacts as set forth in the said stateineut,
and whereas the a^rent and counsel for tiie United States GoverniiuMit
tliereiipon in our presence infornuHl us that tlie said statement of facts
was sustained by the evidence, and that tliey iiad a};reed with thea^eut
and (iounsel for ller Hritannic Majesty that we, the arbitrators, if we
shouhl tliink tit so to do, n)iji;ht find the said statement of facts to be
true :

Now we, the said arbitrators, do unaninio.u ly tind tlie facts as set
fortli in tiie said statement to be true.

And wliereas eacli and every question wliicli lias been considered by
tlie tribunal Inis been determined by a majority of all tin; arbitrators:

Now we. Baron de Courccl, Lonl llannen, Mr. .Justice Karlan, Sir
John Thompson, Senator Mor;j;aii, tlie Marquis V'isconti Venosta, and
Mr. Gregers (Irani, the respective minorities not withdrawinj'' their
votes, do declare this to be the tiiial decision and award in writing of
this tribunal in accordance with the treaty.

Made in dupli<*ate at l*arls and signed by us the ir»tli day of Au^'ist,
in the year 1«!)3.

And we do certify this Knj-lish version there<»f to be true and accurate.

(Beri.ij^ Sea Arbitration. Indexes to tlie British case, p. 1!).)

DECLABATIONS MADE BY THE TRIBUNAL OF ABBITBATION AND REFERRED TO
THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN FOR THEIR

CONSIDERATION.

[KiigliAli MTsiciii.)

The lubitrators declare that the concurrent regulations, as determined
upon by lite Tribunal of Arbitration, by virtue of Artiiile VI I of the
treaty < '' ti.e L'Dth of February, 189L', being applicable to the high sea
only, should, in their opinion, be supplenieiitetl by other regulations
apitlicabic within the limits of the sovereignty of each of the two powers
interested and to be settled by their common agreement.

II.

In view of the critical condition to which it appears certain that the
race of fur seals is now reduced in consequence of circumstances not
fully known, the arbitrators think lit to recommend both Governments
to come to an understanding in (uder to ]>rohibit any killing of fur seals,
either on land or at sea, for a period of two or three years, or at least
one year, subject to such exceptions as the two Governments might
think ju'oper to admit of.

Such a measure might be recurred to at occasional intervals, if found
beneflcial.

III.

The arbitrators declare moreover that, in their opinion, the carrying
out of the regulations determined upon by the Tribunal of Arbitration
should be assured by a system of stipulations and measures to be
enacted by the two powers; and that the tribunal must, in conse(juence,
leave it to the two powers to decide upon the means for giving ett'ect to
the regulations determined upon by it.

We do certify this English version to be true and accurate, and havo
signed the same at Paris this loth day of August, 1893.

(Bering Sea Arbitration. Indexes to the British case, p. 3.)
S. Doc.137, pt. 1 22

T\ — -rr^:

\i ■'

8 SEAL MFE

ON THE PRIBILOF

ISLANDS.

lexneh vomponiiig :h, ionadiaii xeulinf/ Jieel for li>!)l.

Arctic.

21.

Geneva.

41.

Pioneer.

•2.

Aiiiak.

22.

Henrietta.

42.

Ro. iti < Hsen.

Aurora.

23.

Kate.

43.

Sheiby.

Auiiie ('. Moure.

21.

Kilnieny.

41.

•San .lo»e.

Aj^iieH McDoiiahl.

2."..

Kiitlurine.

4-..

Sai>phire.

Ariet.is.

2t!.

C. 1). hand.

46.

iSuiiey La.ss.

Annie K. Faint.

27.

l.iMde.

47.

.**adie Tiirpcl.

Uremia.

28.

Labrador.

4S.

Theresa.

JJeatriic.

2!t.

Lonis Adair.

4!t.

Trinmph.

10.

KorealiH.

31 >.

.Minnie.

no.

I'nibrina.

11.

(i. (>. t'ox.

31.

.May I5ell.

51.

Viva.

12.

COH«'0.

32.

Mand S.

52.

Vera.

13.

Charlotte.

33.

Mary Taylor.

.-.3.

\'eiitnre.

1'!.

City of San Diego.

31.

Mascot.

54.

\V. 11. Hall.

IE.

Dora Sieward.

3->.

Mary Ellen.

55.

W. 1', Wayward.

16.

Diana.

3(!.

Mermaid.

56.

Wanilercr.

17.

K. 15. Mi.roin.

37.

Otto.

57.

Walter L. !{ich.

18.

Enterpriue.

38.

Ocean Hell.

.-.8.

\V. A. Earle.

1«J.

Fawn.

3!».

Osca and lluttie.

.Oit.

I'livorite.

20.

I'lorencc M. Sniitli.

40.

l'enolo))e.

I'esselx com/wxinn the .i'lurknii sealing Hrel for Ism.

Alton.

IS.

Henry Dennis.

35.

Ro»iie .^narks.

Alexander.

1!».

Herman.

3ti.

St. I'aiii.

A'laconda.

2(t.

Ada Etta.

37,

Sophia Sutherland

Anna Matilda.

21.

.Fane (ircy.

3S.

San Uie-jo.

''1

AUie 1. Alirer.

22.

u«(e and Ann.

;i!i.

Stella Erland.

f:I

Itonan/a.

23.

Louis I).

40.

Ti lesa.

|:-|

lU>\vlieail.

21.

Lotiia Olsen.

41.

Volunteer.

'..)

(J. (i. Wiiite.

2"..

Lillie L.

42.

Willard Ainswcitli

J».

Kninia and Louisa.

2().

,los<-pliiii('.

43.

Winchester.

10.

K'nnia.

27.

Mary 11. TliomaH.

44.

Auiaturc.

11.

Kpjiinfier.

•JH.

Ma.scot.

45.

Coltinibia.

12.

ICdward 11. Wcbuter.

29.

Mat tie T. Dyer.

46.

t!. C. I'l'vkins.

13.

EMa .InlinHon.

:«).

Malliew liirncr.

47.

DeeahkB.

i4.

Etlioi.

31.

renelo]!!'.

4X.

Dart.

: i

ir..

(ieo. l'eal)od> .

32.

l're>.cott.

lit.

Felitz.

' i

16.

(ieo. 1{. White.

33.

!\'etrio\er.

50.

.l.-imes (i. Swan.

17.

H. r. \V;il)lherj,'.

34.

Kattler.

51.

T'lritau.

MANAGEMENT OF ROOKERIES -DECREASE OF SEALS.

Seal Islands, Alaska, rfuli/ it;, jss;).

(lENTLEMEN: I regret to rt'povt that the season's seal catch is j)!*)
grossiiip: very unfavorably, and tliat 1 he condition of tlie hreeding rook-
eries, rth'eady past the date of fullest occupiition for the year, indicates
a large falling off in pn.diu-tivenes.s — much greater, ?u fact, than I have
herett»fore rei)orted .

J)uring the period from 187.'? to 1>SH,'5, as my reports fnmi year t'»yt'ar
will show, we ex|)erienced nt> dittlculty in obtaining the fnil catcli of
seals early in the season, and the skins wee all of tlicbi^st murketahlo
size and quality, for we had at that time a h\\<xv surplus of killahlo
animals from " liich to nuike our selection. It uas customary tluring
that period to secure in the month of June nearly one-half of mir
catch, all of the priinest and best, aiul at the same time turn back to
the rookeries for breeding aniniiils, or as being undesirable for market,
a very large percentage, averaging for the ten years in (pu'stiou \wr-
haps .*U) per cent nf the whole numbei driven. In July in each of those
years the percentage of reje<'.ted animals was still larger, amounting
tVom 60 to 80 per cent of the number driven ; but of those a large major-

SEAL LUK ON THK I'KIIHLOF ISLANDS.

339

ity were uiuler size for kil'iriji <iii(l rn|uirt'(l Ww iulditiuiial year's {jrowth
that we were enabled '.»y tlie very almiulant supply oJ seals to give
them. We <'<niii! euiifhlently comit on their return tlie next season in
prime eondition.

Tlie season's work I'm a ('at(;h of 100,000 skins was then finished from
the 14th to the liOth of .Inly, <leterinined by our ability to «lo tln^ work
and not by the eonditioii of the hauling grounds, for we had always
seals enough in sight after the l(»th <»f .Iun«', and sometimes even earlier,
to keep our foi-ce fully oeeupieii.

The breeding rookeries, fioni the beginning ot the lease till 18.SU or
1883, were, I belit-ve, ronsfantly increasing in area and jiopuhition, and
my observations in this direction are in aeconlanee with those of Mr.
Morgan, Mr. \Vel>ster, and others who have bet'U for many years with
me in your service, an»l of the late S|)ecial Treasury Agent .1. M. iMor-
ton, who was on the islands from 1870 to 1880, Kveu as late as 1885
Special Tn'asuiy Agent Tingh' rep. 'ted a further increas*' of breeding
seals, but his estimates were made in comparison with those of Prof.
11. W. Elliott in lS71i-7'>, and he was probably not fully aware of the
fact that the increase had <K'curred prior to 188;}, and that in 188.') there
was already perhaps a sligiit <limiimtiou of bree«lers.

The contrast between the present condition of seal life and that of
the first decjide of the lease 's so marked that the most inexpert can
not fail to notice it. .Inst when tin' change comnu'iiced 1 am unable
from persona] observation to say, for, as y<»u will remend)er. I was in
ill health and unable to visit the islands in' 1 8;{. 188-1. ami 188.'>. 1 left
the rookeries in I8SL' in their fullest an<l I'cst condition, and fouiul them
in 188(J a.ready showing a .dight 'ailing off, and experienced that year
for the first tiuu' some d'lHculty in securing jtist the tdass of aninnils
in every case tliat we desired. We, however, obtained t'ne full catch in
that and the two lollowii'g yes'.rs, linishing the work from the L'lvli of
.Mine to tlie Tth of .'uly, biit w<>ie obliged, particularly in 1888, to con-
tent onrse'ves with much smaller seals than we had iieretofore taken.
Tills was in part due t<t the necessity for turning back to the rookeries
many half grown bulls, owing to the si.ircily (»f bie»>diiig males, i
should have been glati to havei ordered them killed ihstea<l, but, under
your instiiictions to see that the best interests of the rookeries were
conserved, vhouglit best to reject them. The result of killing from .\ ear
to year a lar-^e and increasing iinmber of small animals is very appar-
ent. We are siiiijily drawing in advance on the stock that should be
kept over lb. another > ear's growth, reserving as far as jiossibh', of
cmirse, all desirable half-grown bulls for bie<MUrs, but at the same time
killing closer, 1 believe, than a wise ])oliey would indicate.

The deduction need hardly be drawn, as it is only too apparent that
the lessees, for the next two or three years at least, must, in any event,
if the rookeries are to lie stocked up t.; their best (■ondition. Ite content
with \ery small cats iii's, 1 estimate that not more than l.">,000 or L'0,000
desirable skins can be obtained next year, and it is possible that taking
even a much smaller number wiudd sooner restore the rookeries to their
f(ii iiier vitality.

The change in the breeding ronkeries, though not so immediately
alarming as that observed in tlui i^auling groumis, owing to the largo
number of seals still in sight, is snitlciently marked to ext-ito curious
im|uiry as to its i-ause. Largo jiatches of ground on the outskirts of
every rookery, which were covered with breeding seals and their y<»iuig
a few years ago, are now bare; the lanes and paths a«;ross the rookeries,
along which the nonbreeding seals pass to and from their grounds, are

340

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

growing wider, jukI wliat is still more disturbing to the experitMiced
seal liuiiter there is a very noticeable sj)arseness of ^lopulation, botli
male and female, on every lookery. I should certainly be within bounds
in stating that at least one-third less seals landed on the islands this
year than ten years ago.

You will remark that I have, at the beginning of this statement,
referred back tor comi)arison only to 187.'5. Prior to that time we were
suffering from the excessive killing of 18(!S, when, in the absence of any
restriction, more than L*0(»,()()() seals were killed in a single year. The
deflciency of male bree<ling seals, caused by this excess, continued for
four or Ave years, and is referred to by Special T^cu^nry Agent IJryant
in his report to the Department under <iate of September 5, iSTl*. I
alhule to this only lor the purpose of calling attention to the fact tlint
any improper handling of the seal industry is imtnuliately followed by
marked results.

For the cause of the present diminution of seal life we have not far
to look. It is directly traceable to the illicit killing of seals of eveiy
age and sex during the last few years in the waters of the >«'orth Tacilic
and Uering Sea. We are in no way responsible for it. During the lirst
thirteen years of tln^ lease comparatively few seals were killed by
marauders, and we were then able not only to make good the deticiency
caused by the slaughter of 1S(JS, but, under our (^arcinl nuuiagement. to
produce a dej'ided expansion of the breeding lookiMies.

The history of fur-seal killing on the IJritisii Columbia coast would.
no doubt, carry us ba(;k to an earlier date than the transfer of Aluska
to the United States, but it was done mostly up to 1S7"» by the use of
rude appliances, and the hunters w»:e unable to pursue their vocati«)n,
to any great extent, on the op«Mi :,ea. About 187"»-7(», under the stiin
ulusof better prices for skins, induced by the im|)roved metln dsa))plic(l
by us to the fur nmrkets of the world, it was (bund i>rofltable to fit out
more expensive ventures from Vi(ttoria, an<l the seals were followed
along the British (.)(dund)ia ami United Slates coasts as far north as
Sitka; but ])rior to 18S'J-8;{ it had not come to the knowledge of the
hutiters that their work ccmld be profitably ])ursued fsirther to the
iiorthwestwijrd. The catch was too small up to this ti»ne to seriously
affect seal life. An occasiomil predatory schooner came into JJering Sea
before 18S2, and the ISnn J>iegOjVf\t\\ her cargo, was seized in 187<l and
condemned to forfeiture under section 1950 of the United States laws.
lu one or two other leases certificates of ])robable cause of seizure were
issued by the courts to the revenue officers, thus affirming the illegal
ity of killing seals in Alaskan waters.

About 1882-83 the Hritish seal hunters discovered that profitable
voyages could be made to lieriug Sea, and the few vessels engaged in
those years were soon joined by others, until, in 1885, a fleet of twelve
or fifteen schooners, some of them i)roi)elled by steam, were engaged in
the business, and the catch sent into Victoria amounted to about L'5,0()()
skins. The fleet sent more than 40,000 skins to nuirket in the follow injjf
year. More stringent orders were, however, issued to our revenue ves-
sels, and three of the twenty or more engaged in that year were seized
and still lie rotting on the beach in Unalaska Harbor. In 1887 a
still larger fleet appeared, but was badly demoralized before the end of
the season by the capture of fourteen of the vessels and the conflscatioii
and sale of a large part ol them, together with a large number of skins;
in all, some r2,0<K), I think. Had this repressive policy of the (iovcrii
ment been firmly adhered to from thii : time we should i)robably be little
troubled with marauders this year; but ponding negotiations with for

SEAL LIFE ON THE FRI15IL0F LSLANDS.

341 .

eigii powers sealed orders to be opened in Bering Sea were given to
the revenue^ oHicers, dire«;ting them not to iniike seizures, and while
these orders were withhehl from American hnnters they appear to have
been pnbUshed to tlie iiritisli Heet, for the usual number of British ves-
sels made a profitable season's cruise, sending into market more than
1!>,()00 skins; at the saun^ time our American vessels were deterred by
the tone of the published regulations of our Ciovernment from under-
taking their usual voyages.

The operations of tiie marauders in the North Pacitic and Bering Sea
beyond the Jurisdiction of British Columbia, and exclusive of what is
known as rhe " N'ictoria catcli " i)roper, may be summarized, not with
absolute accuracy, but c<uTectly en«mgli for all i)ractical purposes, about
as follows:

lS.s;t, 1,000, and ISSl, r),000 skins, estinuited without reliable data at
hand; 18.S5, ll-',000; 1880, 27,.")00; 1887, li"),000; and 1888, 10,000 skins
reported by Messrs. C. M. Lampson <S: ('o., of London ; 1880, 10,701 skins
to August 1, landed at Victoria, British Columbia.

Add to this the Victoria catch for the same seven years, which has
averaged about IL',000 skins per annum — 84,000 — and we have a total
of 184,1*01 skins sent to market in less than seven years. To represent
the destruction of seal life, this number should b«^ nearly doubled to
include the loss of one young seal in embryo or left to starve upon the
islands for nearly every adult killed; an(l again doubh'd, perhaps, to
c<mipensate for the unknown factor of waste in killing. Just what pro-
portion of seals kille<l are actually secured we do not know, but we are
contident that the loss of dead seals in the rough water of the open sea,
ami the wounding and subsequent death of many more, is a large per-
centage of those taken. Beyond this, wc nmst also take into the
account the demoralization of the herd, the infraction of their steady
migratory habits and their possible deviation from their accustomed
haunts, ami the consecjuent destruction of the imlustry within our
borders if indiscriminate slaughter is continued. 1 append a list of
vessels reported engaged in sealing the ju-esent season.

1 have at hand data from this year only on which to base an estimate
of the respective numbers of seals kille<l in the waters of the North
I'acilic and Bering Sea. It appears that during the present season at
least r),iMU skins, exclusive of the catch of the American vessels, were
taken after the sealers left the Straits of Fuca and before they passed
the Alaskan peninsula, for that number were ti'ansshipped to the British
schooner Wonilenr at Sand Point and sent back to Victoria to avoid
possible <'apture by our revenue vessels. The British schooners Path-
Jinder, Vii'o, and iSapphire landed in Victoria their spring catches,
amounting to l,7n> skins, early in June, and again sent down by the
Wanderer li,0.'V.> skins about the middle of tluly. This latter number
must have been captured in the Pacilic in less than six weeks, and
many of them among the Shumagin Islands and along the coast to the
westward of Kodiak, clearly within American waters.

Attention should also be directed to the fact that by preconcerted
action all the British vessels ren«lezv(msed at Sand Point, Ounga Island,
Alaska, where there is m-iiiier port of entry nor customs ollicer sta-
tioned, and there, in utter disregard of customs law or international
right, transshipped cargo, received supplies brought from a foreign
|Mut, and landed and sold whisky to the Alaska natives.

I'ntil the present season we have been under the impression that the
catching of seals in the waters of the North PaciH(! would be «lil1lcult
and unprotltable, and that seal life couM be preserved by maintaining

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342

SEAL LIFK ON THK PRIIJILOF ISLANDS.

the closure of Itering Sea. Now, however, it seems doubtful whether
it will not be necessary to extend i)rotectiou over the waters of the
North Pacific.

Of course it will be asked if this can be legally etiecfed; I see no
obstacle in the way of doing it. We would have no dithculty whatever
in proving to the satisfaction of any fair-minded nation that all the
seals in the eastern iiart of the North Pacific and Hering Sea are born
and reared on the Pribilof Islands, and tln)se in the western jiart of
the same waters have their habitat on the Commander Islands; nor do
they resort for breeding to any other than these two places in the North-
ern Hemisphere, excepting only the very small number found on Hob-
ben Island in the Okhotsk Sea. They can be jKKsitively identified as
our property. The seals found in these respective pla<;es differ so nuich
that expert skin asscuters can distinguish between them in handling
the skins; and, in any event, this niafter concerns only the United
States and Russia. When the seals on which the 1 hitish are now poach-
ing are found in the Pacific they are simi)ly astray: but an', neverthe-
less, either <uir property or that of liussia, and should be respected and
protected as such.

After twenty one years of careful study of the subject, 1 am entirely
satisfied that the usual migratory course of the seals leads them to the
southward from the Pribilof Islands, mostly through the ]»asscs into
the Pa(!ific, to tlie eastward of and including the i)ass of longitude 172^
west; thence they turn to the eastward along the Aleutian Archipelago,
through the Shumagin group, and past Kodiak, to a|)))ear in February
and March down about Vancouver Islaiul an«l in the straits and chan-
nels to the northward and eastward of Vancouver, where hirge numbers
are annually kille<l in the early spring months. The more notable proofs
of this are:

(1) That many young seals are killed in November, December, and
January by the Alaskans among the Aleutian Islands, and more could
and wouhl be taken if the natives were not restrained by our agents
from hunting them.

(2) Fur seals are fish eaters and naturally keep upon su(!h banks and
shoals, within easy soundings, as fuinish them an abniidant food supply.

(3) Tlu*y are rarely seen in the waters of the North Pacific at any
considerable distance from soundings, but are plentiful along the Alas-
kan coast during all the winter months.

(4) A large proportion of the several thousand seals killed annually
about the Mritish Columitia tutast in March and April iire ])regnant
females in Just that stage of gestation that would be expected in ani-
nuils whose period of eleven months ternnnates in •lune.

(.5) Almost simultaneously with their disappearance from the Hritish
Columbia coast in April they are again fouiul in im>rcasing nundters in
the Aleutian ArchijH'lago and, a little later, in Hering Sea.

(<)) The most careful search for other breeding grounds than those at
the Pribilof Islands has been fruitless. It can be positively asserted
that none exist.

The best season for nuirauding in Bering Sea is the latter part of
July and August, for the female seals, having left their young on the
islands, are then off on the feeding grounds to the southward, and the
destruction of the mother at this tinu> is followed by the loss of the pup,
which dies for want of nourishment. This was vividly illustrated in
the heavy storms of last fall, when several thousand pups, too weak and
feeble to withstand tlu'ir violence, were thrown upon the beaches and
killed. In the earlier years of the lease no such destruction of the young
was observed during the autumn storms as we have lately witnessed.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOK ISLANDS.

343

The greater part of the illegal killing is done with flrearius, but some
of the vessels manned by Indians, and notably the Black Diamond^
seized this summer, are fitted only with 8])(>ars, and these, skillfully
handled, are even more effective than guns, as they can be used with-
out alarming the neighboring seals. The crew of the Black Diamond
secured 143 skins in less than two days preceding her capture. It is
also regarded by old hunters as quite feasible to catch them still more
rapidly and surely by the use of seines and purse nets, though 1 am
not aware the attempt has as yet been made.

The effect of this extensive and indiscrinunate slaughter I have
already pointed out. If unrestricted killing is to be continued we have
no oc<!asion to inquire in regard to any further franchise. The renewal
of the lease would hardly be worth taking as a gift, and with the assur-
ance of fullest jtrotection against marauders and poachers, the fact
should not be lost sight of that under the most intelligent management
some years must elapse before the rookeries can be restored to their
former productiveness. The protection, too, must extend beyond Ber-
ing Sea and over the North I'acilic to insure perpetuation of the indus-
try; and imght, indeed, in order to make it c<»mplete, to include all the
waters along the British Columbia coast, for even the c(unparatively
snuill number killed there is no inconsiderable item to the lessees in the
jireseiit status of the rookeries.

Different plans for the preservation of the seals are suggested:

1. It is certainly in the interest of the whole world, excepting a few
Canadian seal hunters, that the seals should be propagated and killed
under proper restrictions. This is particularly true for the English, for
they have ntore capital invested in the business and more people
dependent upon the seal iiulustry than any other nation. If, therefore,
a territorial limit can be detined beyond which no seals shall be killed
in the water, such limit being agreed upon by c<mvention with lOngland
and Russia, and acquiesced in by the jiowers that have nothing at
stake in the matter, proteeti(m will be afforded to such an extent as the
limit proves restrictive. My own idea is tiiat it should cover all the
aquatic resorts of the seals, but if it be decided that British Columbia
hunters are right in killing seals in British Columbia waters, tiien the
limits miglit be defined, say, by restricting their operations to the east-
ward of longitude litS'^ west fro<n (Ireenwich, to the southward of lati-
tude 04^ north, ami to the northward of Cape Flattery. If at the
same time restrictions are needed for the protection of Russian inter-
ests in the Northwestern Pacific, similar limitati«)ns, as the facts may
indicate, may be marked out andse.il life respected at all i)oints beyond
such limits.

2. If restriction by territorial limitation is likely to be difficult to
enforce, or if for any other reason it appeai-s objectionable, a (tlose season
could be agreed upon by conventicm within which no seals should be
killed in the water. Such s<'uson should begin, if it be determined to
allow seals to be killed in British ('olumbia waters, at almut the time
when the seals leave the vicinity of Van<*ouver Island in tlie spring and
continue until the next winter, say about the middle of May until about
the 1st of February.

3. To facilitate the enforcement of the regulation, both the territorial
limitation and close season miglit be adopted. The vast extent of
water to be patrolled, and the eagerness with which the seals are pur-
sued, nuike it necessary to throw every jjossible safeguard around tliem
if they are to be jireserved.

It would unquestionably be unwise, from a ffnancial point of view, on

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SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

the part of any of the natioiiH interested, to allow pregnant female seiils
(and scarcely any other are taken there) to be killed on the BritJHh
Oolumbia coast; but, if something must l>e conceded to the poachers,
perhaps the opportunity to pursue their destructive occupation along
this coast m the least that will reasonably content them.

In the present status of the seal fishery the value of a renewal of the
franchise for another term of twenty years is very ditticult to estimate.
The outlook for the next three or four years is decidedly bad. The
chief elements of uncertainty are:

(1) Doubt as to the intention of our (iovernment in regard to pro-
tecting the fisheries against poachers.

(2) Question whether, in case a restrictive policy is decided upon, the
Government will be able to successfully patrol the broad extent over
which the seals are scattered. A failure to protect them without fur-
ther delay will be fatal to any considerable catch on the islands.

(3) The fact that the rookeries are already badly depleted, and that
all the best seals, for the next two or three years at least, must be
reserved for breeders.

(4) The positive knowledge that the seals that wouhl otherwise come
forward for killing during the next two years have already been slaugh-
tered, and that the catch must for several years to come be much
smaller than heretofore.

I was of opinion two years ago that the next twenty years' lease
could be more valuable than the i)resent term, but am now greatly in
doubt whether we can afford to pay as much as the present rental, even
with a guaranty from the (Jovernment of entire protection outside of
British Columbia waters. Without su(!h guaranty there is "nothing in
it" beyond a small prospective catch f"om such animals as may escape
the toilsof the hunter thissunnner. At tiie present rateof liminution
the rookeries will soon do little more than support the native dependent
on them and pay the expenses of the necessary outfit to follow the
business.

Very truly, yours, H. H. M<iNTVUE,

iiuperinfendent.
The Alaska Commercial Company,

(S'a*< Francisco, Vul.

on|
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sea
or

CAUSES OF DECREASE IN SEAL HERD.

West Randolph, Vt., Deiemher ^,5, iN90.

My Dear Sir: 1 have at hand extracts from the report of Prof. 11.
W. Elliott to the Secretary of the Treasury in the fail of ISOO, relative
to the decrease of the seal rookeries of St. Paul and St. (ieorge islands,
Alaska; and knowing that you take a deep interest in the matter, beg
to call your attention to a few conspicuous errors into Mhicli he has
fallen.

He asks, " Why is it that we find now only a scant tenth of the num-
ber of young male seals which I saw there in 1872? When did this
work of decrease and destruction so marked on the breeding grounds
begin f And howf " He answers these questions as follows:

(1) From ovenlriving, without lieediuK its warning, Hrnt IteKuii in 1879, dropped
then until 1882, tlien suddenly renewed \\\in\n with increiised en«'r>?y from yeur to
year, until the end Ih abruptly rearh*-d. this Hoanon uf 189<).

(2) From the Hhootin^; of fur Heals (chitilly females) in the open waters of the North
Pacitio Ocean and Bering Boa, begun as a Ijusiness in 188(], and continued to date.

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

345

Professor Klliott is si iisituralist, and a very good one. He is tbor-
oiiglily familiar with the size, form, color, comparative anatomy, domes-
tic habits, and whatever goes to make up the natural history of the
seal. He is tolerably familiar with the seal as viewed from the hunter
or business nuufs standpoint. He is also fairly capable of deducing from
, given facts a theory in regard to the increase or decrease of the seal.
Given correct premises, he would perhaps come as near the truth in
his deduction as the average observer. But whiMi his premises are
wrong, his deductions are more mischievous than those of the average
man, because he asseverates his findings with such positiveness, and
such an air of knowing all about it, as to carry the investigator along
with him to the i)itlalls digged by theory from wrong hypotheses.

He says, in brief, that there was overdriving in 1879, n<nie in the two
following years, beginning again in 1882 and continuing 'Mintil the end
is abrui>tly r-eachcil in the season of 1800." As he writes fonibly in
the same connection against the practice of driving the long distance
from Southwest Bay (Zapadnie) to the village killing ground — sd)out 4
miles — pointing out most disastrous elfects from this practice, 1 snjipose
he means by "overdriving" the driving too great distance. If tliis is
it I quite agree with him, and always have, and for that reason, except
on very rjire occasions, did not allow seals t<» be driven the long ilis-
tances he describes, and it has never been habitually done. Boats were
lease I almost invariably sent to Southwest Bay and carts to Halfway Point
to bring in tiie skins, and the aniinals were as inviirisibly killed, dur-
ing the last ten years of the Alaska Commercial Con)i)any's If'ase, as
near the rookeries as seemed prudent. The windmill he lights through
several paragraphs of alleged "reasons'' is less worthy of attack than
Don (Quixote's. It exists only in his ima;:ination.

Then, the end was not "abruptly reached." 1 rei)eatedly pointed <mt
to our company and to the special Treasury agents, during the seasons
of 1887, 1888, and 1889, that the seals were rapidly diminishing, and
that in order to get the lull quota allowed by law we were obliged to
kill, in increasing numbers in each of those years, animals that siiould
have been allowed to attain greater si/e; and, finally, the catch of 1889
was mostly of this class. If they had been contented with the same
class in 1890 a much larger catch could have been obtained.

Again he is in error in saying that marauding in Bering Sea began
in 188(». It connnenccd in 1884 with a catcii of 4,000 skins, and was
followed with a take of almost 10.00(» in 1885.

This brings us to the second reason given by him for the decrease, to
wit, "the shooting of seals (mostly fenuiles) in the open waters of the
North Pacific Ocean and Uering Sea." And here he strikes the key
note of what slumld have been his warning, but he strikes it so Hat as
to throw his chorus quite out of tune; but he was not there i»resent on
the islands during any of those six years of active poaching prior to
the season Just past, nor, in fact, for vseveral years previous to those six
years, and does not know what he is talking about. His second " reason "
shouhl have been his first, ami I assert most positively, with knowledge
drawn from an accurate i)ersonal cognizance of the tiu'ts, that the dimi-
nution of the seal was exactly coin(;idcnt in the time of the decrease,
and in its ratio from year to year, with the time an<l extent of the pirat-
ical marauding of the Canadian and American vessels in the waters of
Bering Sea, and prior to the beginning of such marauding was not
perceptible aiul did not exist.

I regret that Professor Klliott did not urge this one true reason with
all the strong force of which he is capable, because it is fully time that

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346

SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

the serious import to the seal fisheries of furtlier poaching was under-
stood by our (loverunieiit, premising always tiiat it is really in earnest
about what it is doing to preserve the fisheries, which, indeed, I find
myself already doubting.

I am, very truly, yours,

H. H. MclNTYRE.
Gen. N. L. Jeffkies,

Washington^ D. C.

letter from secretary of tueasl rv transmitting elliott's
report to state department.

Treasury J)epartment,

Office of the Secretary.
WaHhingtoHy IK C, February L'.'l, 18D3.

Sir: In compliance with the retjuest contained in your communica-
tion of February 11, I have the honor to transmit herewifh a certified
copy (together with the photographic reproductions of the illustrations
and maps) of the report of H. W. Elliott on the Pribilof Islands for
1890. The original ot this report will be ]ilaced in the custody of
Special Agent W. H. Williams for such use as you may find nei^essary.

In handing you this report 1 deem it my duty to acquaint y(m with
certain facts in connecti(ni with my refusal to permit its publiiration.

Upon its examination I became convinced that it was pervaded by a
spirit of aggressive criticism instead of being a dispassionate statement
of facts; tliat Mr. Elliott's views had been unduly infiuenced by his
relations toward certain individuals; that the report contained much
matter, and particularly that referring to the fur seal, which had already
been published by the (lovernment in two forms at least ; that the illus-
trations being made from sketches possessed inherent defects which
rendered them valueless as records of the diminution or {trowth of the
rookeries, while the scale of the rookery charts was too small to accu-
rately indicate the condition of seal life at the time these observations
were made.

I therefore declined to permit Mr. Elliott's return to the islands, and
deemed it expedient to withhold publication of his report pending the
sendnig of other officers to the islands for the verification of his state-
ments and for the procuring of data on a systematic plan, aided by
photography.

On further examining Mr. Elliott's report in the light of this addi-
tional information and comparing his statements with the island records
now on file in this Department, I find that not aly do the objections
against the report cited above still hold good, but that Mr. Elliott has
so used extracts from the records of the islands as to make them ap])eai
to substantiate his assertions that mismanagement on the i)art of the
United States has played an important part in the diminution of seal
life, which assertions are unsupimrted by the unabridged records. In
view of its inaccuracies, its misleading character, and its disagreement
with the information brought to me independently by at least three
other officers whom I sent to the islands, and the further grave fact of
the misuse of official data by Mr. Elliott, I do not believe that the
Government would be justified iu publishing this report.
Very respectfully,

Charles Foster, Secretary.

Hon. John W. Foster,

Secretary of State.

^ya^

SKAL LIFE ON THK PRIIULOF ISLANDS.
MIt. IMIELP'S AROUMENT BEFORE PARIS TRIBUNAL.

.'{47

On April 4, 18!U, Mr. Phelps made to the Tribunal the following
statement in rey:ard to Mr. Elliott's report of 18!M):

This papur \v»h proiliicod and fiiniishod to the Itritisb comniiBsiouers during their
Beosion at WiiHhinKton and remained in thuir ixissession an lon^r as tlioycan'd tukeop
it. It will thiifl be Heun tliat there has been no diR|>08ition on the part of the United
States (iovernnient to withhoiil or to conceal this document.

II.

The report is of little valne as an authority and quite as likely to
mislead as to guide. The author is utterly utitrustworthy as an
observer.

(1) Uis Held notes show this on their fa<;e: A field note should be a
bare and rlear and uncolored record of facts observed. Tiu'.se are a
record not oidy of facts, but of (conjectures, ojiinions, predictions,
reflections, emotions, etc.

An observer should be severely objective. Klliott is always sub-
jective. It is his own conjectures and reasonings which he is most
concerned with. A perusal of pages 23(5 and 2.'{7 (entry of July 10) will
afibrd amusing ])roof of this.

(li) It is the misfortune of Mr. Klliott and of those who rely upon
him that he has written at ditterent times on the subject of fur seals,
and his representations of the facts at these ditterent times vary
in some cases according to the theories which he was interested to
establish.

Thus, in 187l*-1.S74, he observed that a certain detached hm^U or islet
was then covered with the forms of fur seals; but in 18!K>, writing with
the purpose of showing that injurious red riving was' i)racticed, he repre-
sents that the presence of seals at this i)lace was a wholly recent
phenomenon, occasioned by a too severe working of the neighboring
sealing grounds.

(.'5) His as.sertions of important matters of fact are shown to be errone-
ous by evi«lenee far better than his. For instance, in his report for
1890 he represents certain places which on his earlier visits he found
abounding in young seals to be ab.solutely destitute of them, whereas
it is proved by the records of the islands that at those very times young
seals were driven and killed from tlmse same jdaces.

Thus he writes July 19, ISOO: "Not a single hoUuschak on Zoltoi
Sands this morning and not one had hauled there this season." The
oflQcial records for 181M) (British ca.se, Appendix, \'ol. Ill, United States,
No. 2. 1800, i>p. 10, 2.{) show: {n) That on that very day .'{,950 seals
were driven from Zoltoi in connection with Keef rookeries, of which
number o.'ili were killed; {!>) that a drive had already been made from
those same places June 24, on which occasion 420 seals were killed.

(4) Mr. Klliott appears to be guilty of great inaccuracy in quoting
statements which have been nuide to him. Thus he attributes to Daniel
Webster the following:

He says that ever sinre 187()-77 he has observed a steady shrinking of the hauling
grounds at Northenst Point.

In the United States case (Appendix, Vol. II, ]). 181), Daniel Web.ster
makes, however, a sworn statement which is wholly at variance with the
above :

My (>Um>rvation has been that IIktu was an expansion of the rookeries from 1870 up
to at least 1S7!). In the year 1H80 I thought I began to notice a falling oft' from the

it '

i'riii

ill

)
(

t '

! !

! i

848

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIHILOF INLANDS.

year previous of the uniiilier of Hcnls on NortbeaNt I'oint rookerv, but this (leerenHs
was HO very alijcht that (troliably it woultl not bavu been obHorved by one Icmh familiar
with Bual life anil iti* conilitiouH than L

(5) As a reusoiier he ih equally bad. lie is doiniiiattMl by a favorite
theory, and when this comes in coUiHioii with facts ho can not yiehl the
former, and is conse<|uentIy constrained toaccommothitc tlie hitter to it.

(0) The counsel for Great Britain, in order to establish credit for
Mr. Elliott as an authority, jtoint to the circumstance that Mr. Blaine
referred to him with respect in his letter of March 1, 18!M). Mr. Blaine
was, undoubtedly, as many others were upon the first appearance of Mr.
Elliott as a writer upon seals, under the impression that he was a trust-
worthy witness. But such was not, at that time, the view of those
re])resenting the British Government.

In order t<Mliscre(lit Mr. Elliott as a theorist and reasouer, Mr.Tupper
cites, in a letter dated March 8, 18!M> (British case. Appendix, Vol. Ill,
United States, No. 1', 181M>, p. 441), the following criti<;ism nuide upon
Mr. Elliott by Mr. W. L. Morris in 1879:

ThiH man HetMus to be tiie natural foe of Alaska, proHecutint; and iiersccutin); lu-r
with the brush and the pen of an expert whenever and wlierevcr lie can ant nn audi-
ence, and I attriliute the [iresent forlorn conditi<ui of the Territory more to his
i^norame and miHreprt'sentation than to all otiier I'auHeH eombinetl,

Mr. Tupper then goes on to say:

His evidence in 1888 is open advocacy of the I'nited iStati^s iimtcntion. His writ-
ings and reports jtrior to tlie dispute will be referred to, and it w ill be siilimitted that
his statements and experiences before 1888 harilly support his later theories.

(7) Dr. Dawson's (one of the British commissioners) estimate of Pro-
fessor Elliott in the fall of 181U is thus told by Jin' ' Swan (United
States counter case, p. 414), who quotes Dr. Dawson as follows:

Elliott's work on seals is amusing. I have no hesitation in saying that there is no
ini])ortant |)oint that he takes up in his book that he does not contradict smnewhere
else in the same covers, ' * ' ilis work is snperticial iu the extreme,

111.

The avowed puri)ose of Mr. Elliott iu this re])ort of 181K> is to show-
that the Alaskan herd has been generally diminished in numbers and
to point out the causes of the diminution.

The only true cause of this tleijrease which (ian be gathered from any
facts stated by him is pelagic sealing; but he has a theory that there
is another cause, namely, overdriving aiul redriving, which he assumes,
not only without i)roof, but against the i)roof, to have been i)racticetl
to a considerable extent for a long period of time prior to 1890.

It is important to understand just what he means by overdriving and
redriving. lie does not mean careless handling or undue urging of the
seals during any given drive, for he s^tecially states that the drives
were and are very carefully made (infra, under fourth, 3).

What he does niean by his charges concerning overdriving is this:
That in the face of a diminishing number of seals it was still endeavored
to tiike 100,(KM) skins per annum, which necessitated, at a date as early
as 1884 to 1885, the following:

Driving fron» the rookery margins, where alone the young males were
found in these later years, with consequent disturbance to the breeding
seals.

The turning away from the killing grounds of an increasing number
of unkillable seals, which seals ran the risk of being several times
redriven in the same season.

SEAL LIFK ON THK PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

349

(b) VVlieii Mid this scnipiii^r of the rookery inur^nns aixl overdriving
bepii ' Tlier« is no evidence that either began prior to 18iK). Elliott
failed to observe or record either between 1872 and 1S7(>. lie advances
in his report of ISUO no evidence whatever on the subject, though he
alleges at a single place that the natives assured Idni >' that they had
been driving seals in this method ever since IS.sr); had been obliged to
or go without seals."

Tills statement attributed to the natives is wholly uncorroborated,
nor does it appear in their examinations, which are given at pages ',H)0
to .MU; that it is in conflict with the evidence of Mr. GolV will be shown
hereafter.

(f) Mr. Klliott thinks that the necessity which leads to overdiiving,
namely, a scarcity of killable males, began to exhibit itself as early as
1879, and in i)roof of this he alleges that a hitherto untouched reserve
was then resorted to, namely, Zapadnie. l-'urtlieriuore. he supposes
that this s(!arcity of killable seals, making re<lriving essentially neces-
sary, was decisively manifested in 18Sl' and contininilly thereafter by
the fact that a constant resort was from that time mad*' to theretofore
"untouched s(Mirces of supply"(\'l, VIM, IX). In this particular also
he is totally in error. No such supposed '"untouched sources of supply"
then, or ever, existed. Zai»adnie and Polavina are intended by him.
They had been systematically di'awn upon from the first. (Vol. II,
Appendix to Tnited States case, pp. 117-127; I'nited States ccainter
case, PI). 78, 7!>.)

Mr. Elliott's error in this resjiecl is the more incx<;usalde, since the
oHicial island records were at his disposal and appear to have been
examined by him. The following tables slH)wing the diives that were

actually nnide from Zapadnie and
argument, page 103:

I'olavina are taken from the British

Veai'.

1871 .
187'J .
1873.
1874.
1875.
1 870 .
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.

SniitllwCHt
Hay liii-
I'liiilinK

/.upiiiliiit').

:i
6
7
8

6
7
S

HiiHwiiv

I'oillt
(I'Dlnvina).

V.iir.

Siiiilliwcst
151I.V (ill-
I cliiilinu
/a|iailiii<').

ILi'way

r.int

(I'olaviiiH).

1881 .
IHH'J .

1883 .

1884 .
188.1 .
188(1 .

1887 .

1888 .
1889

•)
«

I'J

8
8

4
5
5
9
8
9
6
8

(In examining tables in the United States case. Appendix Vol. II,
pp.117-127, it should be reniend)ered that "Zai)adnie"and "Southwest
Bay" are two names for the same place, and .so also are " Tolavina"
and "Halfway Point," the latter term being the Knglish for I'olavina.)

(<1) Upon this basis of utter misai>prehension Elliott jiroceeds forth-
with to construct a theory, and his tlieory as far outruns his sup])08ed
facts as those su])posed facets do the truth. For he iiroceeds to assume
that the driving and redriving of seals have been gradually increasing
from year to year and very rapidly since 1884-8."), that the jirocess of
driving in any form renders those seals which are turned back from the
killing grounds worthless for rookery service, and that the work of
destruction thereby produced "set in from the beginning, twenty years
before 1890" (pp. 7 to 10).

('0 He introduces no proof that driving, overdriving, or redriving of
any sort ever injured the generative organs of a seal which was allowed

! : !! i

35U

SEAL LIKE ON THE I'KIHILOF I>*LANl>8.

eventually to ruturii to thu water, save the tidlowiii); {»oe pp. loU, 'Jl).S,
271), wliicli li(> lias iniHtraiiHlatetl from \'<'iiiaiiiiiiof. lint lien*, too, he
Lau led hiiiiseH' into err(»r:

Klliiill'» Imimlalioii (;*. ,YAt).

Nfiii'l.v nil thfuld iiii'ii think aniliiHHert
tliat the sfulH which mo Hii.irfd tvcry
vear, i. i*,, thoNt* whit'li hav<- not lieLMi
killcM tor scvi'i'al ycnis, iiru truly of little
UNI- for lintxlin};, l,\ in^ iilioiit us it' tlwy
viurv outcasts or ilisl'ranchisfil.

Cort'tvt irnUHhtiiitn,

Nearly all the old travelertt think and
aHsert that sparing Mio Healn for Hoine
yearH, i. v., nut killing them tor somt^
yearH, does not eoutrihute in the leaMt to
their inereaHe and only anioiintH to ioHJn^
them torever.

Veniatninof thus makes no reference whatever to drivhi^', still less
does he refer to any supposed etfeets of driving tipon the reproductive
powers of the seal.

It should be added thsit both thu British commissioners and the
British (iovernment have been misled by I'Mliott's i'rroneous translaticni.
(See British Commissioners' |{eport, sec. 712, and British counter case,
p. 2(J;J.)

(./■) The notion that the meietlrivingof ast-al even over rough ground
reuders it impotent is in itself suniciently absurd, but it becomes still
more so when considered in connection with the following extract from
Mr. Klliott's held notes (p. L'41):

I have Hat tor litHirH at a time watching the Heal8 come up and ^o down in eeaHolexH
iileH ot' linnilredH anil thoiiHantls, aetiially elimliin^ np in plare.s no Hteep that it wmh
all an ii^ile man could do to t'oliow them Hal'uly.

(</) It follows from the above that so far as Klliott's report is relied
on tt» show c<msiderable «ause of injury to the herd, it fails entirely.
His belief upon this point was founded upon an utter mistake, assuming
that he did not wish to be misled. lie never saw any redriving or
overdriving until IS!K> (when it did exist); nor hsid any other witness
ever seen any w(U'thy of notice previous to 1890.

The c(mnsel for (ireat Britain, se«'king for another ••vidence to jn'ove
redriving, have recourse to the report of Mr. (Joff for 18JK>. But lie
disproves the assertion by distinctly contrasting the large numbers of
young seals turned back in IS'.K), with the small number theretofore
turned back. (British counter case, p. 2«m.)

(A) HIimiiuiting this clear and maidfest error from Klliott's report,
the latter i)i'oves, and alone proves the following: That in 187i'-l.S7i the
herd was in a condition of full and abounding i)rospeiity; that when he
next observed it in IS7«!, its condition was not perceptibly changed;
that in 18!)(>, when he last observed it, it ha<l become greatly dimiidshetl
i'l numbers, so as to make it ditlicult to obtain the (juota of 10(),()(»0
without redriving.

And this is Just what the United States have from the Hrst maintained.

IV.

His melange of observations, reasonings, conjectures, i)rediction8, and
eriticisu.s, when scrutini/.etl, will be found to support the positions of the
United States in nearly every particular, certaiidy in each of the fol-
lowing:

(1) That it is in the jjower of the United States and its lessees under
uormni conditions to gather the whole annual increase of the seals
without diminishing the normal numbers of the herd.

Pane fi!t: The poly^nnions habit of this aninml is snch that, by its own volition, I
do not think that luoro than uue male annually out of fifteen boru is needed on the
breeding gronndB in the tnture.

'Co

8KAL LIFE ON THE I'KIHILOF ISLANDS.

;i5i

l'll^e IIS: III thiH uilniintbly perlVct iii«th(iil i>t' nature urc tliDscHfiilN wliicli iiin he
liroperly killctl without iiijiiiyto the rookiricN, m>h><'tod anil h«l<l iiHiih* h,v their own
volition, NO that thu iiatises can vixit iiiiil take thi'iii without ilisiiiiliiii}; in tlu* It-aat
degree the tMitir«< i|iiift of the hrtuilin^ groiiiiilM wlirn* tlie Htork in |M'r|M'tiiiiteil,

Pag*' I'-"': NN'Im'Ii the " holliiNchickii- " iuc up on lanil tlics can lie rciiililv Ncpiiratod
into their Heveriii claHNcH nn to a-iv hy the color of their eoatn anil Hi/e, when iioteil;
namely, the yeailin^N, the 'J, 'X I, ami ft year old iiialeH.

(li) That tliv iiiotliods iMlopted on tlx' l'ril)ilot' IsIjiimIh were IVoiii the
first, acconliiij,' to liis ohservatioiis of isTii-IHTI, ailiiiiriiltl.v udapti'd to
a<;('oiii]ilis|i the ^atlierin;:' of tlie annual increase (pp. 71, 74).

(See also deseription of drive in the parts ipioted t'roin his report of
1871, pp. lUl'-l-'H.)

(."{) That the nn'thotls pnrsneil in l.S!M> (with the sinjjle exception of
allej^ed redriviMjn' and overdriviiif;, alread> noticed) were in all resi)ect8
as p)od as, and in some better than, those pursued in 1872 t<» 1H74.

I'a^e L*li!): I HJioiild remark that the drivin;; of the stalH Iuih heen very carefully
done; no extra rushing and Hiiiotheriii}; of the herd, aH it watt t'rei|iieiitly done in IH72.
Mr. (iolf hcKaii with a Hharp admonition, and it Iiiih heen Hcriipiiloii.sly oliHcrved thnit
far hy the natives.

Pajje 'JK\: Vo«terday al'teriioon I went hack to Tolntoi over the seal roud on which
the drive ahove tallied waH made in the nij^lit and iiiorninu of the Ttli instant; the
niimlier of road "faintH" or road Hkins wan n«it liir<;i-, wliicli hIiowh tliat the iiutiveH
liad taken ^reat cure in drivini; these Heals. Thi** they have uniformly iloin- thus far
(see alHO )•. 12!)).

Mr. Klliott draws a bill (p. Iil7) tor tlie restoration of the herd, but it
contains no desi^^ned iinprovenient in the methods.

KIsewhere, however, he sufjfjests the following;': That no t'ulliny; of
the herds be allowed, i. e., that ev»'r.v seal driven up be killed (p. 73),
an<l that no drivin}>; be allowed after July '2(\ (p. 170).

These are the sole improvements whicli even he has to 8U};};est.

(4) That according? to his observiitions of 1.S7L'-1874 ami 187(» the
herd eoidd salely support a draft far hirj^er than 10(>,(M)0, jnobably as
large as ISIMMMriinnnally (p. («>).

(lie was first on the islamis during th»' three years 1.S7L' to 1874.
This report, written in ISJM), ri'piesents the herd in 1874 as b«'ing in a
nourishing comlition. Me was again on the islands in 187(>. He does
not intimate anywhere in Ihis re|>ort <»f 18!H> that the condition of 1.S7U
was not in all respects as good as that of 1872, 187.'{, an<l 1874.)

(."») That female seals should never be killed.

Pay*' '■I: ^^ <' <h> not touch or disttirli these females aH tlioy ;;row up and live, and
we never will if the law and present maiiajienient is eontiniied.

I'ayel'i;!: In 1H3."). for the lirst time in the history of this industry on those islands,
was the vital principal of not killinj; female seals reco^ni/ed.

(»») That pelagic sealing is essentially destructive in its nature, and
that at least 85 per cent of the pelagic catch is composed of females.

Paye IX : I could (imire out from the known numlMr of sUins which those hunters
had placed on the market a statement of the loss and dam.iKe to the rookeries, to
the females and young horn and iinhorn, for that is the class from which the poacher
secures at least 85 of the KM) of his eatch.

Page lit: Tlio yonnjj; male seals have heen directly hotweon the drive, clnh, and
poacher since ISKL', while the females have hail hut one direct attack outside of tho
natural causes. They have heen, however, the chief quarry of the pelagic sealer
during tho hist five years.

(7) That the loss through tho wounding and sinking of seals is
enormous.

Page 214: Five thousand female seals, heavy with their young, are killed in order
to secure every 1,(H)() skins taken. (See also p. 8.">, footnote.)

(8) That it is au absolute necessity that pelagic sealing should be
suppressed on the ground that it is an immoral pursuit, and one which

1 ' V

I ^

III

ht: '

■ .if

IJ52

8KAL LIl'K t)N THE I'KIIilLOF ISLANDS.

is " Vi'imgiiant to the sense of d«<*eii(!y ami siir.plest instincts of true
manhood.'' tie nnikes the t'oUowiti}; reooniuieiulatioii (see p. 214):

That polauit- Hi>)iliii;i; iu the wtitors of Httriiii; S<>ii bu piohihitetl iiikI Hiip))ieN8i-d
tbroiiK'huiit th<< hre«(liii<r Hoitson, no matter liow, ho thiit it in ll(>Il(^ iinil <loii*"|iiickly.

This Mt)'p i8 01(11 <lly iinperativt-, Vlw iminonility ot° Mint iliMiiitini iiiiiilj liy th.-
open- iviitor Healitr ti> ruin witliiii a Ct-w short years and d«»Htroy I'orcver thoHo fm-
bearii<K iiiteivHtu on tlii Priliilof Isiumls— the immorality of thin ticninnil can not ln'
gh)Risfl<l ov<>r l)y any ^ophitttry. 'I'ho i*h'a ot° fterinittiiiK hu<-Ii a ciniHo to continue
where ").(KX) teinaloN. Iieavy with their (inborn ytnin^, are killed in order to Heciiri)
«very 1,(NM) hU-vn taken, is repii<;pant to the HMHHe of decency and the Hiinplust
instinctB of tiiie manhood.

I can not refrain Iroai expresninj; my lirm belief that if the trniii \n known— made
plain to rettpoiiHilde lioa<ls of the eivili/ed r.o\v.''s of the wtuld— that not one of these
(iovernment.s will hesitate to unite with turs in cinslnjL; iteriii}!^ Sea ;<nd its ]>aHseM of
the AloDtian ciiain to any an<l all ptdugio fnr sealiii;; diiriii}; the lireedin^ Heaso-.i of
that animal.

(!>) That cows suckh^ no pups oti«er tiian their own.
Referring: to tlie driviiifj of iiur.siny eow.s, lie says:

P»K<'

That means death or permanent dimibility, even if the rows

are driven l>iit onee— dcatji to l)oth cow and her pnj) left behind, since thuc pnp will
not be permitted to suckle any other.

(If») That pup.< learn toswini; that in the befjinniiif? of An^'iist a
lar^e majority of them are '.vliolly unused to water (p. l.'."t;>), and that a
luimlx'rof tluMii «hinot "j^jel into the water" l»efore Se]»teniWer 1 (p. LMIO).

(11) Thiit tiie seals are of a yentle disposition, are not fri^litened by
the presence of mm, ai.d sh.>iihl not be re}i:iirded as wilil aniiiials.

raj?o!2;i: ihifililii j/ fiir aitih whfii ilihrii. — I was also imprcHsed by the sinuuliir
docility and amiability of these animals wIhmi driven iiloiijr the iciid; they never
show ii;;iit any moie than a lloek of sheep would do.

rai.;e '.IS: tlriillnii-nH of Ihr mi /».— Descend with me from Ibis sand-dune elevation of
Tolstoi and w.ilk i.ito the drei'ti of hoiluschickie lielow ns; we can do it; yon do not
not'ee much confnnion <:r <'.isei;iy as \vt! jr(t in aiitou^ them; tliey simplv Oiten out
before ns and clo,s<' m bebind onr tracks, stirring, crowdinji to the rijjbt anil left as
we iro, 12 to I'M feel awsiy fr(uu ns on each siile. Look at ibis small lloek of yeni-
linKM--Hoiue 1, others '.i, and esen '.i years old, which are conjjhiny: anil spittiuf;
aruuinl ns now, st^riui; up. it our laces in atnazenient as we walk ahead; they struK-
({le a few rods out of our reach :>nd then come lou;ether a;;ain bidiiiid ns hliowiu);
no further noti' o of ourselves. You eonld net walk into a drove of hojjs at Chieauo
without exciting; aH much ('onfusion and ;ironMinK an inlinitely more iliHa^^reeablo
tiii.i'ilt; an.l as for sheejf on the plains they v.-onld stanipiile far (|iiicker. Wild
indeed! yini can now readily uuderNtan<l bow ta8.\ it is for t-vo or throe men, early
in the morninjf, to <oine where we are, turn aside from this vast herd in front of n.s
and around ns 2,(XK) or 3,000of thebef-t oxamplos, and drive tlioni back, np and over
to the villap'.

(12) That viipin females go t; c!;e islands when 2 yearc old and are
there impiej'nated.

!'aK« l<^: It . mist be I .ime in mind tbsit jterhaps 10 or 12 ]mr cent of tlie entire
number were ye<>('Iin}{H last season and uame up inito these breeding Kromids as vir-
^ina tor the lirst time dnrini; this season j as 2year-old ^ows they of conrse bear
no yoiiiik'. I Ibid.) This surplus area of the males is also more than balanced and
«(juali/od by the 1.">,IK«» to 20, (MM) virgin femiMes which come onto the rookery for tin*
first tir.ie to meet the iinileH. They come, r^st a few days or a week, and retire, leav-
inji no youn;^ tosliow th-j'v iireHeuco on tlie grounil.

I'aKc i;>!l: Next year these ytiar injjs which are now iroopiiij;; out with the youthful
males on the hanlitifr u;roiuids wii! repair to tiie rookeries, wiiile their male coin-
pauioim will be obliged to come again to this sninc spot.

Again tliis rejiort not only supports all positions taken by the United
States on the jtiain ixunts, but as clearly condemns all of tlu^ speciiil
assertions made on t}»o pan of Great Ihitaiu for the purjiose of weak
ening those positions:

(1) Mr. Elliott holds that coition is never effected in the sea (p. 83).

SKAI. LIFE OX TMK rUIIill.OF ISI.AN'DS.

:\5:^

(2) II«' rojiiuliiitcs tlie notion that Tlu* seals liavr in any res|u>('t
4-liaii$;('(l llifii- iiabits. citiu-r in dates of ari'ival at the ishiiuls <»r other-
wise (pp. S(». KM. M>:.. 1(»H, 140, 1'4L', LMU).

(.'?) liis ol)servMtions are to the elleet that in tlie years 1S7'_* to 1S7(J
the herd was in a coiniition of abonndiii^ i>rosperity. The ISritish
(iov«'rninent <*ites llryant to jirove that dnrinji' tliis i)eriod a deen'ase
in certain ehisses of the seals had been observed (|>p. (>*.>, 77, IH, 7!», ll.'4,
ir>l ).

(4) The Mritisli assertion that the etl'eet of raids upon tlie ishtnd has
been consideiabh' is eontrailicted by liini (pp. .■»7, oS).

(.">) He states, contrary to the eonteutioii of (Ireat IJrilain. that tlu'ie
has been a •jfradnal improvement in the metliods ol driving and that
the a<'tnal dnviiij;' today is j-arried on with tlie jjreatest of «'are (pp.
LT.'.I. '2H:i).

(i't) lie states that the condition of the natives has impntved sin«'e
the Americans took possession ol the island.s, iuid that they are today
in every respect well off (pp. 1«;.'{, l,s."»),

(7) lie states that no reduction took place in the standard weight of
skins until lss7 (p. I I.'!).

(5) lie slates that the seals ha\»' ureiit powi-rs o* loconiol ion lai land

(pp. .)-.,

Mt, L'.VS)

ICIsewhere -Mr. Illliolt says (I'nr-seal l''isheri«'s of .Maska, j). \'M>):

Il> foi'i'l't'ct or tlipiKTs MIC t'xi'i I diii;il\ liro.iil :inil ihiwiM'TiiI. iiiul \\ ln'ii il t'onirs out
ot'tliv WMtri' il iriiiM's loi'w ai'il. .stf|)|>iiiK with ciiiisiilrrMlilc i:i|ii<>il\ tiiid iniuli ^r:i('<>.

(t>) That the latest date tor i>roperly <»bser\in;i' the rookeries is -Inly
Ut* »)r tlier«'ai)outs. for after that date disinte;;ralinn sets in (p|). iii. Hi,

:i, s;{, L'.Jd, i,'|'.>

It follows that tlie rookery observations of the I'.ritish cominissioners,
who did not r(>ach the isl inds in IS!M until .Inly 117, are worthless. it<
follows, also, that .Mr, Macoiiii (wlujse observations in IcS'.U were «'\('ii
less extensive than those of the Ibitish commissioiieis) is not in a posi-
tion to institute any eoiiipai ison between the appearance of the rookeries
in INIM ami IH!>J. resju'clivt'ly.

(10) .Mr. IClliott ;>ives no eountenanc(^ to the idea that there exist
independent pela};ic schools <»f yoiiiij;' seals whicdi do not visit the
islands. His report is replete witii instainres wiu'i-e he has »)bserved
Iar;;e numbers <if yearling's and L'ycar oldsof both si .ves on the islands.

I'liL';!' 11)5: Itv the lltli. to tln> I'ntli nf .liiiio, tlicv (till' lioliii.siliicki.'^ tluMi !i)iit('!ir
in t heir liin'Mt t'cirm mikI iniinlii'i' Cnv t lie N(<;iscm. In'iii.;; ioiin-d now \<y t lii> y:ic;il Imik

of III.-

viMi' iiiiiH, and I

lilt

I' M niiiiiiii" III viMriiii'.

Ii\ till' loth III .ImIv tlii'ii II-

II')' iK'.u'inniiii; to l.ir^i'ly iii('ir,'i»i'. owiiii; In llir iiiilii\ at liiin tinir of tliai ;;n'at

Itv tl.)' I'llth of .hilv till' vi'ail

lioily of' tlir lii.sl Vi'ai'> |iil|is or \ B;irli

ill tlii'ir a|>|n';ii'aiic'i' lur the si'iimih in I'liil form'. Nery I

IIIJ{> ll:i\ r put.

I'rt- vi'aiiinjix iiii

iki' III

i|ipi'al'aiiri' iiiitil tlii^ l.'itli ol .Inly, lull li\ tlic 2ii||i tliry liti'ially Nwaniii'il out. in
I ST.' isjl, .'Hill nii\t<ii lip i'oni{i|i'l<>l.\ \\ it li tlif \ onn;; ami oIiIit males a in I li'iiiali's an
till' rookeries ii'la\ tc.i'ir ilisi ipliiic an

or srat tiT out .

I'a;^!' Jll! ; I look not ii'i- ol' a lar^i' pi'oporl ion of

ill or J-\ I'ar oiil rcmalt'N, ami

tlii^ iiiiiisimI slowiKvss of lianlin

oiiip.ii'i'il with IsTl', wliiili was now at lis j^rrati'st

ai'tivity .hilx 7. iTollol,,lnh l.ls'.id.)

ra<{i' L'."):!: I'lic hollimrliii'kio arit rliiclly l-year olils; nim> IciiIIih of tlic Hcxcial
jioils IiiiiIimI out lii'i'i' to ilay afi' yi'inliiinM. A y;ri'at niiiiiy .\raiiiiin I't'inalcs aro
iiiciliiiL; down ,'ii lanilin'.js in .'ind ainnny; the sratlfrod h h'i'iiih, aiinh'ssly |i:iildliii);
alioiit : IImmi Hli;;iit loi'ins :imi liri;j;lit liarks, white t hroats .'iml alidoiiieiis, are shilling
out very ori'^htly. ( Ni rtli K'ookery. .Inly ;;(», ISTo. i

l'aji(> :.MIS: | ohseivi'd a vei y larno |ii'oportioii ol' vearliny; row s Ni'iitfeied all ove

the I.

iri'euiii;^ Ufroiind Irom end to end neiir tin

ra niar'.:in. while the \earliiius of

liotli se\es are eompletely Miixed upon the untHkirlH of the rook<«ry, here and every-
where »dne I'oniiniimlod with llu< adult cuwn and tbeii voimy; piipn. (.St. (Jeorno,
■ Inly ;iO, 1«!H). )

8. Doc. 137, pt. 1-

i 1

.1 '

' J •

) ■:!? ^

* r

354

8EAL LIKE ON THK J^RIHU.OF IMLA5D8.

Kel'erences to the report showinjf tluit yestrlin^H ;*««! L' year olds come
to the islaiulH inijfht be iiiiiltiplit'd almost imleliml^'lv. (f^ee pp. 98,
13!>, 140, l\o. 117, li5;{, LT.."). I'.Wl, L'TT. L'.S'.». 1>!U.)

(11) Mr. Elliott scorns the notion ii|>on whifii t;li« I'ramers of tiie
BritiHii case have Hor.^ht to base the moral titlf ot'Canad;^ to a sp«'cial
benetit lroui«tlie hcr<l. namely, riiat the seals c<»riHMme tbod vrkiicii w(»uUl
otherwine 8ui)port tishciit-s valual>lc to Canada, lor he (♦W«^* that the
true enemy t>f tiiesc tisheries \n the dojitisli, of \vhi«'h thf -»»•«; in, in it»
turn, the greatest destroyer.

I'a^«> :)n7: Mi|>|i<isi>, I'lir ar^niiicnf, tli»t \v<- ('oiilit Hintl <liil kill at] fXw tteulH, we
would at (iiice >»iv(' the (U'liiilv (lii;ilisli i .v/m«/hii otivitrlliinf \\\\\^ iaM^-y swariiiH in
theHH waU'i'M, an iiiiiiiiMis<> iiii|)«>hm to it- |nvit»'iif ••xt<'HNi\>- \\ot% <»t' tU>««f.ni<>tinn «f
untold niilliohH ot' voiin^r loixl I'isIioh, hiii-Ii itn hrrrlw^. <-o«i. iit.d Hitlmon.

A do^rtixh can niid (1o*-h tioHtiov <'\*'i',v <la\ <>' <v "iHtt-nrf linndrnlM antl tUoiiNii4»<l«
ot yoiMi); (!od, Mitliiitiii, mid oth»T lood lirthes- i\>'^,. vh Ai lestMt doiililf an<f -|iiadr>t-
ple HH niiU'li aH .< si-al. What in tin- muHt pott-ii' • lo llic ilinti iwtion ot' nlu- du^;-

nsli ' Why t.li«' i.^'ai liiiiiseK', and iiuI»-sh man i ,. vill doiroy the <loy^tii«(i lii-Ht.

In- will Ix^loiny (loKilixc injury t»> the very r.-m , .•••UmmIm lo clnifupion it' .«»• in

permitted to ditrturlt tliix t)i|niliUriu«M ot' natiiir ain: .,<^-(oy the isral.

If Mr. Elliott's views, as an observer of facts. as a diiwjoveiev of cai08e«,
as a reaMoner, or as an autliority in any particular iipoti seal life upmi
the I'ribilof Islands, are of any value whatever, it should U- to slkvw
that in tiie years from 1H81 to 1H!M) the male seals had, in <-ons»'<jueii«;*
of overdrivinjj, become so few in inimbei- and so <lestitnte of virile power
that they were not competent to the task of imjire^iuiting even tiie
diminished nnml>er of female s^als wiiich the herd tiien contained.

Do those who represent the <iover;i«i'ent of <Jreat Britai'i really wish
to persuade the Tribunal that this is wu'* ^ Hueh would •♦em to be the
only con<reivable puri)ose for whi<'li gue'.i a stmyiile was r»>ade to intro-
duce this report into the evidence. Tnless it t»'iids to prov*» thi». it has
no tendency except to overthrow every positi«rii taken on the n: of
Great Britain.

But yet Ihe same learned coun«*el bar^v^ pro- uid niore than one
hundred witnesses who swear that if the >^»rH 1^*1 and 1H02 the seals
were found upon the seas in iinprecert#'iit.ed n umber »«, and sometwenty-
flve of them note specilieally having taken youtijf. small, or 'J year old
seals, some of the catches consistinn ex*'lnsively of this c1»h#. which
must have owed their existence to the uu^A^^ut U«ll ol>served by Mr.
Elliott.

What are we to believe — that Elliott's staiCMMiDts are w*/rtk >i*h, or
that these witnesses are testifyinjj to what is falM'. or that •u*4i«e few
supposed impotent bulls were endowed with procreative j>oweri« wholly
uni)reeedented even in the case of the Alaskan bull seal* Let tht-se
contradictions be reconciled as best they may. In the view of tiie (.w-
ernment of the United States, both these contlicting stateuuMits are alilbr
untrustworthy a;id should be disrei^arded.

(1) The names of tlie one hundretl witnesses and upward are ;j;iv<'n
in the British counter case (Appendix, Vol. II, pp. 29-.'J.J).

^2) The names of the twenty-live witnesses above mentioned, who
cauglit young, small, or 2-year olds in 1H«.»2, are as follows (see liritish
counter case, Appendix, Vol. II, pp. 14-22):

Capt. Abel Douglas, George Roberts, William (^i, Goudie, Jaiii4>s
Shields, George F. French, Andrew .Mathison, Capt. Ernest [.ovenz,
Oapt. Charles Campbell, Capt. James W. Todd, Henry Pax Ion. George

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

355

Heater, Gapt. James I). Warren, Gapt. Micajah Pickuey, Gapt. Michael
Keefe, William F. Roland, P. Garlson, Kasado, Schoultwick, Clahapi-
sam, Hanaisum, Glahouto, W. Watt, Glat-kakoi, Kickiana, and Khen-
chesut.

Aud Mr. Elliott himselt' seems to have observed the usual number of
yearlings in L89U (ante, p. 17). And yet the iuipoteiicy which he imagines
to have been brought about as the result of redriving through a series of
years must, if it existed at all, have been nearly as marked in 1889,
when these yearlings were begotten.

• tj

pimn

KKI'OIIT OF .lOSKPH MliniAV, SI'KCIAL TIlKASl UV A(JKNT, FOR

THK VKAK ISli:..

Division or Spkoial Ajjexts,

TllKASrUY DkI'AUTMKNT,
Waxhingt<m, 1>. C, Ihccmhcr :J(>, ]S95.

Sir: I Iiave tlu* honor to ivport tliiit imrsuiint to Department iiustruc
tions dated April 1, l.S'.>r», I prorct'dtMl to tin* I'acillc (.'oast and sailed
from Seatth' April I'.'J. on hoard the lejjnlar mail steamer lor Sitka,
where 1 arrived .Mav I and learned that eonrt was abont to 1)«' held at
Jniiean, to wliiirh rit.v 1 immediately returned tor the purjiose of looking
after the interest of the (lovernment, as it mifjht a|>pear in tl'e ex .Mar-
shal Porter ease, one of whose deputies, Mr. Adolph Myer, was about
to In* tried on tdiarjjes of for;;ery, eml)e//lement, stealiiiff public records,
and several others of like nature.

My written instructions are as follows:

TlOCASlKV DKI'AltlMKNT, OlI'ICi; ((|- Till: 8K('I1KTAHY.

naxhiiiiilon. n. v., .iiuil I, tS<X>.

iSiit; Y«)ii iirtMlirrct«Ml to pcilt'Cl voiir ari':iii;r(>ini>iits\vitli a vicuv toyoiir departure for
Sitka, AluHtca, with as littlr ilelay uh ]>ra)'ticaliic. It will Imi voiir <liity to i.scvrtaiii
Riid report ttio location ot every salmon ramiery vtrHaltorv in Alaska; tim eiipacity
of the Hanie iu cnseH, liarrels, lialf-ltarrels, an<l kits; tlie pacK in fnll for each soasou;
the nunilitir of boxes of tin consnnieil anil the cost of the Name ])er liox at plucu of
piirehuHu; thu aitproxiinatc or uctiial Helling price of tliu protliict of each tlshery in
the market to which the same may lie consigned; the nuniher of employees in each
cannery and the totals thereof, Hegregntin;; whites, natives, Chinese, etc., mule an<l
female, adultn and luinorH, and whether citi/ens or aliens. Vnn should incln<le, also,
in said reports tlie cotllish, In'rring, ht^rrin<j:-oiI, •^nano, and other such industrieH.
It Ih deoired that you investigate the alleged taking and destruction ot' the eggs of
guiue wild fowl in Aluska, as well, also, as to the alleged wanton d<'struction of game
birds, deer, fox, and other animals, and also the advisaliility of adopting; siiitalile
regulations as tu clooo seasons, in order to prevent such destructimi iu future.

Vou should visit, ifpossilde, <'very cannery in Alaska, and, when practicalde, the
necessary Journeys should lie made on vessels of the I' i'i ted States. This instruci ion is
not to he construed, however, as l'(irl>iildiug the use of other means of couveyance
when necessary. Vou are e\)iei t*'d to report to tin' miirest collector of cus'oms any
iiil'ractiou of the rcvi'iiiic laws which ii'ay coiuc to your notice. Nou should report,
also, til the Ue])artmeiit any violation of the laws iclating to the ii<t!°oi:iiction of
(Irearms or >\' liijuors into the Terrilory ol' Alaska.

Fur your information I inclose lierewitli copy of the circular dated .\ugu.i 10, lKi)2,
])ertaining to theen-ction of dams, liarricailes, or other ol-struct Ions iu the rivers of
Alaska for the purpost> or result of jiKivciitini; oi' impeding the ascent of salmnn or
other anadromous species to their spa wning 411 iiinds. Ii willlic your dut.\ to eiitoreo
the provisions of said circular and to warn all persons who have elected dams, harri-
ctides, or oihcr olistriictions to i'em<iv*> the same *'iirthwitli, and in delaull thereof

yon should rcimrt the facts, with the proper proofs, to the Initcd .States attorney for
prosecution.

Von should siiliinit reports to the Departinent from t line to time shewing ihe r 'suit
of your work, and at the close of the lishiii<; season vou should forward a full report,
covering said season and stating the result of your o,iserv;itions under these iii!»true-
tions. Any recommendations you deem advisahle may he eiiihodied in your reports,
Auy olllcial roinniuniiMtion which the Department may tlnd necessary to address to
you horeaftor will l)e mailed to Sitka, Alaska. In this connection you are ini'urmed
nitn

SEAL LIFi: ON THE I'Rimi.OF ISLAND?^.

357

that ill iulditioii to .voiir (Inties iih an a^fiit tor tlie Nalinou riHli<>i'i<>8 you i\ui to hold
yourself in readiiu-HS to make siurh other iiivcHti^utioim or render any Hervice wliich
the Depnrtnient may ri'(|uire of yon. If )iraeticnl(le, yon shonhl at some time dnr-
U\)i the ensnin^ season visit the seal ishinds of St. I'aul and St. (ioor;:e for tiie )inr-
pose of inspeetiny the rookeries thereon and of ('omi>arin^ their condition with that
«if the seiiHon of 1H!M, with which yon are familiar.

h'eHpi-ctfnlly, yours, J. G. Cahi.isi.k,

Senelary.
Mr. .losKi-ii MiitiiAY,

Sjtecitil Aijenl for the rrotertioii of the Salmon l-'inhi-rieit,

Fort ('olIiiiH, Colo.

In suldition to tlie foit'jxoiiiy-, I was verbsilly iiistnu'i'ed (tiiiii' permit-
tiiifi) to jitteinl court (liiriiijftiu'trisil of the e.xMsirshal Porter cii.se and
to tiike pariiciihir notice of liow jury trial was eondiieti'd in Alaska,
and to learn what I could from reliable source;- <bont the niiiiiiifactnre
and ini|iortatioii of spiritnotis li(|nors.

Fiinliiiff it wiis its y«'t too v'lrly for salmon lishinj'- iiiid tlitit 1 «'oiild
not find trsinsportation to tiie nearest ciinnery for isevertd weeks, -ind
SIS 1 wiis in the midst of the best ptirt of Alaska and of its best and
most enerfjetic (citizens, where I could ^irocure most of tlu^ inforniiition
asked for in my instructions, I restdved to attend court until the arrival
of the Berinji Seti patrol tieet otf Sitka, ami then contitiue my journey
to the westward.

Duriu}; our travels throu}j;h Alaska in ISIM, lion. C S. Iliimlin,
Assistant Secretary of the Tretisury, and I were intbrnuMl at every
iniportiint point we touched and found white mentlitit, ''beciiiise of its
nom'iiforcement. the hiw is looked upon as a farce," tind that ''it is
impossible to iiu>\ a Jury to c<mvict for smuffyling or viohitinj; the
revenue law," aiitl I iiin stuiy to hav«» to repoi t that it is only too true.

For three weeks I wsis jiresent sit every session of the couit, suid in
that time I learned beyond a doubt thsjt iM)t <»nly weie Juries to be had
to return verdicts of "md {fiiilty" in behsilf of every vitthitor of the
revenue law, but sdso for any crime, if one only knew the particidar
attorney to employ.

Mr. Ad(dph Myer lisid been a deputy for Msirslnd Porter; h;id stb.so-
lute control tmd persomil c'iar;>'e of the rnaishars olli(;e, books, and
money, sind for years .serve)! his . iipt'rior taithfully and well. l>ut
uiidei tl;** evil intluence of bad sind wicked men h<! was led step by
step fkom one ciime to smother until for;rwy antl embezzlement were
resK^hed, siixl then the end.

When the cstse w;is siixmt to come to tiisd, 1 wsis in tlstily, hourly
communicatio:: v/iili the distiicf attorney, wbom I suhised to stsmd up
for the iij;ht stjisiinst tdl <»f the vile tncthods That mij^iit be used sijiainst
him, smd that in doino- so he would be .sujipoited by the (lovernmeiit.
lie siiid he WSIS iitVaitl of liodily iiijmy, <»f ids piMsoiiiil ssiCetv : tliat
unless he could secure the Joint .sevvices ot' si certniii sittctriiey whom he
niiiiied sind whose streiijitli sind worth Isiy in his t ower to intluence
Jiiiies. it would be useless to try the case l»elnie :i Jury, for most ol tiie
Jiiiymen would be personal friends of the prisunci' sitid niiiny ot I hem
liiirticipators in his crime; thsit altli<»ii;;li the |nisoiier wsis ^iiiilty of
eiioufil, eiime to keep him iiiiprisone«l twenty vesirs. if lie could not
inlliiencc the Jni\- he would be turned loose on a verdict ol ''not guilty."

Not knowing how to iiilluence the Jury for the imrposes indicsited,
and beiii"- luiiible to control the district sittorney. 1 was necessmily
obli;>cd to remsiin a silent S|Cctator of si compidmise l»et ween tiie parties
intei<'sted,the terms of which were that on condition ol the withdrsiwal
of the plea of "not fjiiilty" sind the substitution of the[)leaof "j,'uilty"

f s

J I

; i

1 ^

f * !

IS! 1

^iii ^

; i

'IB"" 1

358

SEA», LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

the prisoner would be let off with a small tine and li.<;ht sentence, which
was done by the district attorney stating that a tine of $50 and twenty-
eight months' im]«risonniunt would be satisfactory.

As soon as he was sentenced he was taken from his cell to the grand
jury room to testify against his former employer and superior otticer,
ex Marshal Porter, and he actually did testify to Porter's having em-
bezzled or stolen a sum of money fnun the Government, sent from the
Deiiartnicnt of Justice by check, amounting to s(une $l,120..'Jli, which
anuiunt was part of tlie money drawn by Deputy Myers from the
Department during the temp(U'ary absence of the marshal, and for which
he had Just been convicted.

And yet, on testimony of that sent and from such a simrce, ex-Marshal
Porter was indicted by the grand jury of Alaska for 4>mlH'/zlement. I le
was approached in my i)res('iu'c by the distri<'t attorney as a friend,
and asked to acknowledge that the Government owed the money to the
nKMshal's ollice, or to be disgraced in his old age by an imlictment by
the grand juy.

I'orter answered that he would die befoie he would consent to rob
the (lovernment, and the next day he was indicted.

LIC^UOR AND SMlOtiLlNG.

Li(|Uor cases were called and disposed of witii the regularity of <'lock-
work, and always with the same result: the witnesses were Indians and
half-breeds, the piisoner was a white man. and his friends and ciiums
were in the Jury box to accpiit him.

"(Jan you render a verdict ac<!ording to the law aiul testimony," said
the Judge to a nnui who was being sworn as a juroi-. "I can," said the
fellow, "uidess the testimony is that of an Indian."

The testimony of Indians is not valued in .luneau, although nmny of
them an^ brought in here as witnesses, and suppoited at the expense of
the (lOvernment.

Within sight of tlie courthouse wer«' ."50 public saloons open ami
doing a public busiiu'ss, some of the more pretentious ones keeping
ojyeii house all night, and there was not a (iovernnient otlicer in Juneau
who could be found to interfeie with them.

On one teclinicality or another it seems the laws are not sulliciently
explicit to mak<> it the plain duty of any particular ollicer to raid a
saloon without the cooperation of other oliiccrs, who nre. as a rule, not
on hand when wanted

Speaking to a <'ustoms ollicer at .luneau, I said, "I low on ciirth do
you account for the existence of so many saloons in .Iuimmu. and many
larger oiu's in <v>urse of erection, if yon men ilo your dur^ ''" To whiitli
he replied, " Mr. Murray, I know yon an- iiisiilied in asking such a
•jnestion, but you do not know anything aUmt the real "situation here
or you would not bhune nu' jHTsonally, When 1 llrst came here I was
zealous and watchlul, and I raided a stnngyler's den and captured
sonu' 10 barrels of liipior, but what was the result? The <listiict attor-
ney crame into court and moved to have that smuggler discharged ou
paying a line of .*;")()."

Meeting the tlistrict attorney, I asked him for his side of the story,
and he said, " Yes, I did let the fellow go on a small line, for I fouml
that because he was n(>t in the inner circle of snnigglers and vemlors
be had been selected as a victim ami his whisky seized, taken to the
custom-house, and sold at private sale to one of the inner ring for less
than one third its real value."

SKAL LIFE ON THK PRIItlLoF ISLANDS.

:)')d

And so the story contimu'd to tlie end of the ehaptc-; one ollU-er
willing to hiy all the bhune on tlie otlier, whih* l>et\veen them the inter-
ests ot" tliedovernnient are left to sntVer, and tlie hiw, that was intended
to do p>od, become a snhje(;t of derision and contempt.

At •inneau many inllncntiil |M'ofcssional and Imsincss men — whose
names can he {jiven if necessary — expresscil themselves to me in sul>-
stance as follows: *'There are .'$U saloons here doinj^ an open, pnblic
bnsiiiess, and the jfovernor is l>eing very badly deceived by men hijfh
in ])ul>lic atfairs who are all more or less linancially iiiteiested in thnse — say ^^l.ono in Sitka and .luneau an<l
in proporrion in smaller places."

One of the most prominent att(U'neys at the .huu-aii bar said: '• I
have faitli in tiie future of Alaska, and I tliink I can;;ive some reliable
informal i(Ui alnuit the country and it-' needs. 1 believe the (lovern-
nient is to blaiiui because, for tc . or twelve yeais, no elllort has been
ma<le to enforce the law, until now the av«'ra>ie nmn iuis no idea of
]iavin<; any law enforced. Courts, juries, and lawy«'rs are looked upon
with contempt. .Furies can mtt be found here, even aun)nin' oui' best peo-
ple, to convict for smu^^lin;; or violatinj; the revenue laws. I'erjury
isconnnoii; and I should advise tlw takinjj away tiie Jury system of
trial in cases where the excise laws are in questiun. I would say that
all |>etty cases should be tried without a. jury. MviMythiiij;' here — cost,
<listance, and sparse settlement — isaj^ainst it. The whole system needs
an overhauling'. Thing's aie done in such a slipshod manner that (iov-
ernnu'nt iut«'rests are nej-lected and the weak attem])ts nnide to uphold
the law are a complete t'ui'ce. No serious attempt has i)een made to
entbr<re the licpuu- law, and liqnor is sold here publicly. I'har^fc ■'!<I,(KK)
for license and then eidbree the law. Had I tlie power to do it, 1 w<udd
enforce the law at any cost; tor. as now carried on, we are teachiiij,' the
risiiij; fjeneration to utterly disre^jard all law, and they are .urowin;,' up
io be our <lanj;erous classes."

Tlu^ fore};oinj«' are sample conversations with the l»est people in
Alaska, and I coiiUl quote sciu'es of them were it necessary.

('(Miiplaint was made on all sides by men of that larjic <|;iss who are
too poiu' to purcliase liquor in lar;;e (|naiitities and are not inlluential
enoiii^'h to jjet permits from the customs autlnn ities to briiiff it in on the
mail steamer. Tha*^ only a few favored ones — mostly lii|noi- dealers —
'Were allowed this privile<;'e seemed to be a source of much in<li;;nation.

I'lxliibit marked 1». Iiamh'd me l»y the district attorney, shows the
quantity of liquor that j'lilered by permit from .lannniy I. IS'M. to
March 10, !.si>."» — fourteen moiiliis; d.iiin;;' wliirli time permits were
issued to .'It persons to brinu' in several hnndied barrels of distilled and
malt li(piors.

It SI eined that the neci'ssily to obtain a jtermit had reused to exist
when 1 was in .luneau in May. for lepi'cseiitativi' salesmen lor wlnde-
Hale liipior houses at San I-'rancisco, Seattle, and I'oill.ind weri' oiler-
inj; to deliver tlu' li(|uoi' into the saloons at .luneau belbre they would
ask pay.

Tills, in liriet'. is a true outline of the liquor question in Alaska, nor
eaii it be remedied unless the (foveriinient jjoes to work to enforce lU'
repeal the present pndiibitorv law lelutin;; to the liipnu- tratVic in the
Territory.

So hniffas the (iovernment does not own or control a boat of any sort
in a stretidi of country 1,500 miles Ion;;, where the only roa<i is a water-

i i!

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3G()

8KAI, MKi; l)N TIIK PKIHIUM' ISLANKS,

way — so 1(m^ as (iovi>riinuMit nlliriTs art' coiiipolird, bccaiisr of lack nf
boat service, to staiul liclpless on siiorc wiiile I lie snui^i^lcr plies his
illej;itiiiiate tra<Ui heiieatli tiieir very eyes, so loii^ will the pieseiit state
of alia i IS (continue to eiu-Me Alaska and to be a <lis<;i-are to oi:r whole
eoiiiitiy.

While at .liiiieaii in May I wa'^ int'ornied of an attempt that was about
to be made to land a eai';;o of li<pior destined for the Yukon N'alley
trade, and one of the most ener;:eiie inspectors in Alaska was on the
watch to capture it if possible, lie did not succeed, however, for by
the time he secured a boat to transport him to the rcnde/.vous of the
8inu}>';>lers he foiiinl he was twenty tour hours late. Speakin^fol the atl'air
afterwards he ssud to nu>: >'lf I only had a boat that was always at
my disposal I think I could break up a •^rcat deal of this smu;;^'lin{;;
but, hampered as I am now, I am powerless, for no sooner do I hire a
boat to jfo anywhere than the sij^nal llies over tiie district. It will
require tlie presence of a reveniu'i'Utler and half a dozen steam launches
to kill olf smu},'}iiin<; in Alaska." I'lvery word of which I indorse.

The peculiar conditions surrounding; the .Maskau liquor question
have not been taken into account by many men of extreme \ lews who
have written or spoken on tln' subject: iiuleed, I question if they ever
untlerstood it. The liutli is tluit if there is a climate under the sun
where liquor is a necessity to man that climate is in Alaska, and con-
iseqiieidly white men dennind and must have it at any cost and in spite
of all obstacles.

Tids is the reason we lind ".M> piTceiit. of the white population bitterly
opposed to the present piohibitory law. This is why no otlicer can be
found to attempt to enforce the law or a, jury to uphold it. And where
public sentiment and publit; opinion are so plainly a};'ainst a law, iu>
matter how well intentituied or jjood in itself, it is wise to heed the sijju
uiid amend or repeal it. During; a conversaticui with the assistant dis-
tri<*t att(Mney, Mr. Ilofjy-ert, on this subje«t he said: "During the past
four years $I4S,(MKI were spent in Alaska on eases of Indians and half-
breeds who had j;otten drjinkor had peddled whisky with<)Ut any lastiiifj
or deliidte results. Had we had ahi;;h li(;ense (luring that time we could
have saved that expense to the < JoveinnuMit ami collecte«l revenue
enough to nnik«^ the Territory self-suppoitin}f."

DESTIJUCTION OF GAMKFoWL E(S(iS.

The stories tohl of the wanton destnuition and the systematic steal-
ing of wild ^ame-fowl e;>'<;s have no foundation in fact.

I have traveled ctver thousands of miles of the coast line of Alaska,
niakihji*' dili<>-ent intpiiry into this nmtter, without lindin^- one person
who knew anythinj'' about it. I have c(»nv«'rsed with nu'U who spent
twenty t(» thirty years in the inii'rior uf Alaska, mininji'. huntinj;. an<l
tnulin^, men who had ;;'one over every mile <»f habitable lanu in the
Territory, without ever hcarin;*' of such a tliin.u' until I asked them. 1
have written to traders whose business takes them fothe Upper Yukon
countiy, far into the Uriiish possj'ssions. men who travel tVom the
Boiiree to the mouth of the nivM livcr; I liave written to missionaries
whose labors call them into all the nati\e settlements on the Yukon,
Kuskoquim. and other riviMs, and the unvarying reply is, " VVt' never
heard anythiufi- about such thinj;s."

As ti matter of fact, it is not yet known for certain where the wild
fowl lay their e^iys. They certainly llnd some islantl, marsh, morass,
swamp, or tundra where man can not penetrate, or, at all events, where

<t('ill-

8KAL LIFK ON THK PlillULOF ISLANDS.

aei

lie liiiM not us yet pttu; nor is likt-ly to ;;o until tbe inducement is sonie-
t\iU\ii of far more vnlne than wildfowl e;igs.

DKSTIirCTlON OK DEER.

The destruction of deer in southeastern Alaska and in ail tlu' tim-
bered portion of tiie Tt'iritory from (.'ape l-'ox to Tort Moller, a distance
of, say, 1,-*<M> to 1, ."»(»(» miles, is carrieil to such excess tliat it would
hardly he credit<'d in a civilized cominnnity.

I saw bales of the dried deei-skins at many of the trading; posts await-
in;; shipment, and when I asked what use lia<l been madeof the carcasses,
1 was tohl the <lecr were shot for their hides only,

I was informed by many men — ollicers and citizens — that, as the
weallu'r be«-anuMvarmer in the early spring, the smell from decavin;;
d»'er eanrasses became lion ibiy otlensive around the towns and villages.
White men ;>o out and kill the animals tor fun. just to see who can
knock ilown m<»st in a yiven time. The natives kill them, because they
can yet a drink of whisky, valued at L'*» cents, for every skin secured.

That such thin^rs have been allowed to continue at any time is to be
deeply regretted; but that it is still allowed to continue after the
natives on the seal islands have become a lairden on the (iovernment,
and other tribes to the northward soon will be because of the wanton
waste of their natural foo<l supply (Ui land and water, passes the coin-
preheuHion of every sensible citizen who understands the present
situation.

To the northward we are endeavoring t(» procure and foster the rein-
deer for a future Ibod supply tor the natives of that barren region, ami
it is a very laudable enterprise; but at the same time we allow the
continued wanton destruction of the deer that covers the whole tim-
bered ]>art of Alaska — an em]>ire as lar^e as Texas. In the winter,
when the snow is deepest and the aninmls can not make a way through
the dense undergrowth beneath the timber, the so-called spoilsmen as-
semble, and with do^s drive them out on the seashore, whose beaclies*
are kept clean by the tides, where ritlemen are ready, stationed in boats
ollshore, to beyin the manly sport of shooting down helpless creatures^
who can neither resist nor escape.

The fcdlowin^ letter from an eyewitness explains itself:

STKAJIKII Al.HATJlOSS, riitilunkii, AhijuhI Z'S, Iff!)').

Mv Dkak Sik: I have not ho-ii tililo to uncart li tlio notes I liail on ilct-r killinjr in
AliiHkii. Itiielly, tln'irslanf;liler lias Ik'1'11 vitv uroat. I>urin« tin- wintfior IS'.II (Iciir
were killed and waMteil iiisoMtlieaNrerii Ala.Mka. Snow wa.s nnn.snall.v deep and thrdeer
were I'oreed to the heachi'H, wliieh were left clear l>\ the tides. Shootin:,' was dune
IVoni lioats and canoes Ity Ixitli whites and Indians. I know (d' three Indians killing
17") deer from eano(>s in two days. Many wliites shot for hides alone, :ind at many
places hides could he li<Mii;lit for ICt cents each. I do not think that Indians should
he jirevented from shootin<r all kinds of ;!amu for tlicir own needs, Imt killing; for
hides alone is certainly re]»relK'nsihle, .'iiid if the rale of slaui:liter thiit has lieen
jfoiiii; oil for the past few years is coiitinueil, there will he very lew deer left.

As tile hides art* of compariitively litth* value, their exportation nii^iht he stopped
without cauainir any seritnis hardshi)i to anyone, and of course when the hides oi^como
uiisalnl)le. the Indhins will not kill luiiny more than they ined.

I have never heard ot any destruction of hirds (U- hirds' e;;jjH mid can not imagine
h(>\v there c(Uild he any remarkalde waste of that nature, although I am familiar
with the natural history of u considerahle portion of the Territory.

Verv truly, yours,

t'. If. ToWNSRNI).

Col. JosKi'ii Mi:

IMiAV.

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I. I ■■

362

SEAL LIl'K ON THK PKIMILOF ISLANDS.

FOXES.

After we |)iihs the tinilu'r belt to t\\v w«\st\vai(I we tiiid Imt very littlt;
piiiie, the only viihiable land animal on the Alentian chain of islainis
bein^' the fox, which until recently was a. source of income to the natives,
who spent the greater ])art of the winter hnntin;;' and trapping' the
aninnd.

All that has been said about the wanton destruction of deer can liu
said with etpial tinth aliout the wiiolcsale poisoning; by which wliolf
islands arc stripped of their foxes in one winter, and the native hniitcr
and his children left to starve. So systematically is the worU done and
8o desperate are the ^an^ en;>a;;cd in it that those who know them best
are very careful to say least about them.

Memliers of the j-anff are to be found wlierever tln're is money to he
nnide suddenly by illc^itinnite nu'ans. In the iishin;; season they diiiii
the streams, <taptnre tli<> salmon by the (|inintity. and sell them to tlic
iH'arest cannery for what they will lu'in;;. They never takt' the tionlilc
to tear down the dams. They are to l>e found in schooners in the early
M])rin}; hunting the sea otter in forbidden waters. Tliey ao to licring
Sea after seals, and last season some of tlnMii made a successful I'aid mi
a trading |)ost and rol>be<l it of sonu' ].'> <u- IM) tine sea-otter sUins. valued
at $7,0(M> to JJtHMHM).

CJenerally they wind up the year's pinmler by selectin;"- a }»roup of
islands, where they spend the winter poisoning' foxes and .secnrinj; tlio
pelts. These are tin' nn-n who are armed to the teeth with the best
modern breeidi loading; arms; nu'U who own switt sailin;>° schooners, in
whi(!h they <!arry car<>(>es of whisky from IJritish ('»>luml»ia, ami, follow-
iuii the Alaskan coast and Indian settlenn>nts, )>eddle it out to natives
for whatever skins and trinkets they nniy have to spare, aiul havin;;
made them drunk, they sl'p in and rob them of everything.

No etVort has ever been nnnle to break up their nefarious business,
ami now they swayjjer into «'ourt as thou;>li the (lovernment were an
intruder, and liste]i awhile to the proceedings; Just lon^' enon{;li tu
assure themselves that their tools at the bar and in the Jury box are
doinjf their duty — to the jjanj;.

The perpt'tual presence of a revenue iaitler that would patnd tlio
inner waters of Alaska from (Jape Im>x to <3hih',at and Sitka, aided by
armed steam launches stationed at convenient points alon^ the route,
is the only i)racti<'al method that I know of by which the present dan
genms bands of outlaws can be suppressed.

With boats at his dis])o.sal whenever needed, the nnirshal coulil
enforce the law, the collector c<Mild follow the smujifiiers to their U'li-
de/.vous and bi'cak up the whole business atone bl(>w. .\s it is now.
all the ollicers in Alaska are utterly powerless to do anythinj;;, ami the
con.scquence is the laws are deiied ami deihled and spat upon.

THK SEA OTTEK.

The most valuable of all the fur-beariuff aninnils in Alaskan waters
aud the most widely distributed is undoubtedly the sea otter, which, if
properly protected by the tJovernment. is <'apable of ^'ivinj; i)rolitabIe
employment to the native hunters tor all time.

Beginning at Sitka they were to be fouml till very recently all aronnd
the coast ami Aleutian Islands as far westwani as Attou, a distance of
nearly 5,000 miles; but now, after a few years of hunting by the mod-

SKAL MFE ON THE TKIBILOF ISLANUS,

3f)3

em iiieti xls of HtesuiKMs and steam laiinclies, tlicy are seldom found
outside a few favorably secluded spots. The steamer and tlie steam
laiiiicli earry erews of wliite liunters into every nook and eranny on the
coast and ottei- hunting; grounds where an animal is to he found, and
every one of them is either killed ()r ehasi-d away from honu' — ehast'd
out to sea in nniny instan(;es, wh«-re. il they happen to elude th(> hunter,
tiie.v die ()f starvation, for they ran not mt down tor food in deop water.

None Itnt native hunters should he prrmilted to hunt sea otter,
hecaiiso it is almost the only support of all the native pcoplo i'nnn
Cooks Iidet to Attou Island, and, it left to them o\(;lusively. their simple
iiM-thods of hunting' «m the water in skin hoats. in whi«-h they dare not
venture far fi'om Inml, ean not |i(»ssildy diive thoaninml away from its
(•u>lomary haunts luu- exteriidnate it.

1 include in the term native hunters all whites who were married to
Indiiin wonu'U prior to |.S".>;{, when the rulin;; was chan^icd. The orijr.
iiial rnliii}; of the Departnuuit. made sonu' twenty years a;iO. reimiined
in force until is*).;, and in the nH>antinu' nuiny white hunters married
Uiitive w(unen, maile htuues, ami raised laniilies, ami be«-ame initives of
Alaska to all intents and purposes.

All their eaithly possessions aic invested in sea otter liuntin<; prop-
erty, their families hav<' heen hron^ht up to that husiiu'ss «'xclnsive!y,
the men tlu'inselves have macle it tiu'lr life work, iind are now to(» old
to clianfje or to jjo away from home ',o attempt t<> nndie a liviii;;' at any
other business, ami theieloie it would he an act of <;ross injustice to
«listuih them at this late day. W ith the whili' imui who married a
native woman alter the Depaitment had ^iven fair warning:' that he
would not la^ jjiven the i-ijjhts of a nntive hunter the ease is alftfjether
4litferent, and in his case the rulin<> of the Depaitment ou;rht to stand.
The farther away from the native settlements the aviuaj^e .Maskau
white hunter can be kept the better for the natives.

1 rU SEALS.

Sailinp: from Sitka .luiu' L'. on board the I'. S. leveinie cutter /»'//.v//,
<'apt. C. li. Hooper commaiidinf;. 1 laiMb'»l at St. (leor;;t'.lune IS, wIumo
I learned that the precedinj;' winter had bcj-n one of niinsual severity,
that ice had lain around the island until .lime I.'), and tlint, up to the
<liite of my landing:, very few leinale seals had appeai<'d umoii the
rookeries.

The same st(M'y was re|M'at<'d on St. I'aul Island, where 1 spent the
l!)tli and L'Uth of dune visitin<>' the oriiieipal rookeries and hauling
jirounds, after which I saih'd away and visited many of the nati\e set-
tlements ahm;; the .Vicutiiin chain, particulars of whieli will be y;iven
in my repent on the conditicm of the iiati\e tribes.

I returned to the seal i>laiids early in .Inly and spent tin* tith. Till,
ami Sth on tlu' rookeries ohservin;'' their daily j;rowth and expiinsioii,
as the cows were now arriviii}; and tlu' harems were well deliin'd ami
the pups be(;oininff numerous.

neiiijj well aware of the i'wU however, that it is not till about .Inly
20 the rookeries are full for Ih.' t asoii, I continued to follow theinstrue-
ti<nis which called me to o her d'lds until duly I.S, when I letiirned to
the seal islands, where, all b; in, ready. I entered on the most careful
and tlioroiij,''!! inspection of '!:»> ii>okeries ever nnnleby me. The result
is shown in the inclosed talde nnirked Kxhihit A.

Mcfiinniii;; at St. I'iiiil Island .Inly L'I,and completinj; the work at St.
<«eorge August 14. I walked over the several rookeries and counted

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IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1^128

|50 l"^*

S m

:^ 1^ 12.0

2.5

III

1.8

1.25 1.4 16

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►

ffiotographic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WEST M; UH STREET

WiBSTEl^ N.Y. M$80

(716) 377-4.'S03

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364

SKAL LIKK ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS.

evcMy individual breeding male or bull seal who bad a liareni, noting
and counting very carefully, too, every idle bull, or, in other words,
every bull whose youth, strength, and vigor fitted and (ini«li(ie<l him tor
a harem had there been cows to be found in sutlicient numbers to sup-
ply them, which, unfortunately, there were not. So carefully and so sys-
t 'matically was the. counting done that I feel J can lecutmmend tlie
figures as being as nearly correct and rehable as it is possible to get
them.

Under the head of bachelors, or young males, are included all tlie
seals on the islands other than those on the breeding rookeries, many
of them being young females, too young to go on to the breeding
grounds.

The bachelors have been estimated by me in the usual nnniner of
estimating a bunch of seals, and they may very possibly run a thousand
or two more or less than the tiguies given.

The number of breeding fenuiles (U* cows is based on an arbitrary
average of 40 to the harem, or 4(( cows to every breeding bull, as was
adopted in and followed since 1S!>1, though J am of the oiiinion it was
an overestimate and that the harems never did and do not now contain
an average of 40 cows each.

Having adopted that number, however, and having used it so long
in our estinuites, it was necessary to use it in the present instance for
the sake of making fair comparisons when considering the steady
annual decrease of the seal herd and the shi inkage of the rookery area.

Admitting the average number of cows in a harem to be less than
40 — and 1 believe all who know anything about seal life on the rook-
eries will admit it is — then the total number of seals in the herd, as
estiunited by me, will be that much less in proportion.

By way of explanation I will say that when we first attempted to
count the bulls, in 1891, for the pnrjwse of getting, approxinuitely, at
the nuniber of seals on the islands, it was deemed best to run the risk
of overestimating the herds, lest tlreat Britain should object to our
figures and insist on a recounting and, jmssibly, discover an error upon
which to base an argument against us for the ])urpose of showing our
anxiety to pi-ove the wicked wastefulness of pelagic sealing.

As the seals were at that time too numerous and the harems too com-
pact to admit of our going through and among theuj as we can now, we
simply aimed to count every bull we could see and multiply the num-
ber found by two, on the ground that it was not possible to penetrate
the mass far en<mgh to see more than one-half of them.

And, lest that was not enough, we allowed an average of 40 cows to
each hareuj, although we were quite certain it was too high.

I have gone over the rookeries every year, in season, since 1891, and
I have noted the steady decrease of tlie herd from 500,000 then to
237,800 in ISO."*, when, because of the decrease, I was able to go in
among the heid at the height of the season and count every bull on the
islands.

Whether we erred in our estinnites in our first crude elibrts to get at
the facts is of no conse<iuence iu)W, for the fact remains that, no matter
what the actual numbers were in ISOl, more than one-half of the whole
herd has been exterminated since then.

Taking it for granted that the estinnites were wrong, the proportion

poses, so that if we take t!:e 500,000

1»

purp

of 1891 against the 237,800 of 1895, we fiiul an average annual decrease
of 52,440 for the five years beginning with 18tH and ending with 189."».
That the average annual loss has been greater than this can be

Ills too coin-
an uow, we

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIWLOF ISLANDS.

365

(Icmonstrated from the statistics on ftle in the l)e[)iirtineTit which show
a i)eli»j,'i<' catch of Ahiskan seals to have been as follows:

1891 4n. I!)l

lX!t2 . Jti, 042

18!)3 L'«,(>13

18114 • .">,">. Wis

1895 (estimated) 40, (M)0

Total for five years 21t), xt)4

to which I add (50 per cent for the loss of jtups tliat died on the rookeries
because of the Uillin^ of theirdanis at sea durinj;' the nursing' sensoii.

1 base the proportion of pups on what I witnessed this year in liering
8ea, where the loj^s kept by the sealers showed a killinj;' of (i(> per cent
females for the season: 21(),S(»4 plus (»(► percent ecpnils ;i4(J.!>iS2 seals
taken or destroyed in five years by jtelajjic sealers wlio pay nothing
whatever for the care of the animals.

I have estimated 4(),(K)() as the catch for 1S95. I left l>erinj>- Sea Sep-
tember 1(S, when 31,L'Ui seals had been taken by pelagic sealeis, of which
number IS.SGSor (iO per cent were females as per the logs of the several
vessels. These females were nursing mothers in milk, whose young
were left upon the rookeries while tiiey went out to sea for food and
rest, instead of which they met the pelagic sealer who, according to law,
killed them and carried off their skins and left their helpless young to
bleat themselves to death upon the lookeries.

In a former report I pointed out the absurdity of the regulations that
would protect the female seals from the i)elagi(! sealer during the
months of iMay, .lune, and -July, most of wiiich time they are on the
islands and beyond his reach, and that would give him a clear and
free field in August, as soon as tiie mother seal takes to the water
in search of much needed food and rest and when, above all other times,
she needs protection.

The taking of ol,()0() seals in the month of August, 181>5, proves the
correctness of my position, and renders it needless to dwell upon the
absurdity of the position the nation has been placed in by the present
sealing regulations.

I therefore most respectfully call the attention of the Department to
the five suggestions made by me in my report of last year, the adop-
tion of which I believe will forever settle the seal question.

'If !

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40 cows to

SALMON.

Owing to a lack of traveling facilities to the several canneries duiing
the Hsliing season, and to the fact tinit the whole revenue fleet of the
Pacific <Joast ha<l to do duty in llering Sea. I fourid it impossible to
visit many of the cannei'ies beyond Karluk, where I found that one of
the rival establishments had sold out to the Alaska Packers' Associa-
tion and quit the business, thus leaving oidy two prin(tlpal competitors
on the river — the Alaska Imi)rovement Company and the Alaska I'ack-
ers' Association.

Much crimination and recrimination were iiululged in on both sides
as each eiuieavored to show it was the other <uie who violated the law,
and a string of complaints was jiresented by the Indians similar to
those presented by the same party in 1894, and of which I treated in
my report for that year.

I found the flsherraen with their nets in the narrowest i)art of the
Karluk River, and so systematically do they work the nets that I could

ijij

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366

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

not see how it was possible for a flsb to ever pass them to the spawn-
ing grounds.

llemonstrating with the foreman Jiboutsuch flagrant violation of tlie
law and of his own promise, made in 1804, that such methods should
not be (continued, he replied: " I was sent liere to take tish; my orders
are to take them wheiever I can find them, and 1 am going to obey my
orders."

lie afterwards explained to nie how, during the storms when tlie
water is too roi gh to allow the sj)reading of nets, enough salmon pass
into and up the river to supply twice the ([uantity of spawn required
for i»erpetuatiiig the stock.

His rival acioss the river indorsed him in all tliis, but added: "As
soon as the storm ceases the fishermen follow tlie salmon upstream to
the playground and capture every one of them.'"

Exhibit 11, whi(;h accompanies this report, is a copy of a bill which I
would like to see become law, for I believe it would, if enforced, put an
end to tiie ])resent wasteful methods of salmon slaughter in Alaska
without <loing injury to any honestly conducted enterprise in tlie
Territory.

Exhibit C is a detailed statement of the salmon pack in Alaska for
181>5, showing the number of tish taken, the inimber of cases put up,
and the number of men — white, native, and Chinese — employed; also the
cost of the tin consumed in the business, the amount invested in each
plant owned by the Alaska Packers' Association, and other data as per
instructions. The only item of juime interest I have been unable to
secure is the selling ))rice of the product of each cannery in the market
to which it is consigned.

Through the kindness and courtesy of the Alaska Packers' Associ-
ation 1 have learned that the average selling price in San Francisco,
where the greater bulk of the whole pack is sold, is as follows: Silver
salmon, <S2 cents per dozen; red salmon, 92i cents per dozen; king
salmon, 924 cents per dozen, and barrels of 2<ro pounds net, $4.75.

Considering that only very few silver salmon are taken and packed,
it is safe to say that the whole number of cases put up in 1895 averaged
$3.00 per case, or a sum equal io ■*2,229,704.4(), which, added to the
price of lt),f<57 barrels at $4.7"), makes a grand total of $2,326,908 as
the price realized on Alaskan salmon in 1895.

Exhibit F is a summary of the salmon pack of the Pacific Coast and
Alaska for 1895, showing a grand total of 2,040,010 cases of 48 pounds
each, the largest yearly catch on record. An examination of the figures
shows that about one third of this catch was taken from the streams of
Alaska.

That adequate protection should be given to these streams by which
the salmon may be i)eri>etuated indeflnitely goes without saying, and
yet 1 find it the hardest part of all to nuike men believe there is any
danger in the present methods of fishing.

That I might not be accused of setting my own individual opinion
against men of practical experience, I addressed letters of inquiry to
many gentlemen who are deeply interested in Alaska, whose homes
are there, and who have everything at stake in the success or failure
of the Territory.

To Mr. William Duncan (Father Duncan), of Metlakahtla, I sent a
series of questions which I requested should be submitted to his peo-
ple for consideration and the answers given to me when I called at the

> The play^ouud in that part of the stream where the salt and fresh waters meet
and mingle, m which the salmon prefer to live for several weeks before spawning.

SEAL LIFE OX THE PRIHILOF ISLANDS.

367

>»J

settlement in the lUll. As I did not have the opportunity to return by
that route, I could not call at Metlakahtla as I intended, so Mr. Dun-
can very kindly sent nie the following letter:

Mr.TI.AKAIlTLA, Al.ASKA, Oitohvy l.'i, !S0.'>.

My Deak Mk. MriJUAY: Your letter dated Uiialaska, SejitenilKr 11, only reached
me the latter part of last week. It had heeTi detained at Kitcheean over a week
through the lack ofeonrtesy of the postniaHter tlu^re.

On uiy arrival home last May, after the |)leasant trii> in your company to Sitka, I
called a meeting of our i)eo])le and propounded to them the several knotty ([Uestions
you had suggested i'or our consideration. Last night we held another meeting, to a
iate honr, on the s:inie husiness, and 1 was much jileased with the sensible way the
natives took part in the discussion.

Question I, '■ How to secure possession of Annette Islan<l to our people and to such
other Indians as may Join them from surrounding bands, whether by individual or
community title."

Our answer to this question is a nnanimons voice in favor of a community title,
and the town council being empowered to grant allotments of land for legitimate
puri)ose8 to individuals as circumstances may arise calling for such action.

Ity this yilan the present unity and regulations in the community could be pre-
served, whereas if individual titles of KiO acres were granted by the Government,
the holder of each allotment being thus indei>endent of the comnnmity, contlicting
interests might result in a rupture which would be very prejudicial to the character
and progress of the settlement.

Question 2. "How can the rights of the natives to the salmon streams be best
secured aiul maintained ?"

Our answer is, that, pending the Indians arriving at full American citizenshij) and
responsibility, the Government might proclaim all salmon streams Indian reserva-
tions or (iovernment property, .and only allow tishing in them to proper jiersons and
under proper regulations.

Such a law would prevent canning companies from taking e> elusive control of the
salmon streams, and might be made an important factor for bettering the condition
of the natives.

At present Alaska is in danger of losing one of its greatest ford supplies, through
cannery operations. The Indians are born fishermen, and being permanent residents
of the country lishing should, to a great extent, be in their hands, not as employees
only, but as vendors of the salmon to the canneries.

Question 3. "How best to preserve salmon life in Alaska f "

Our answer to question 2 partly applies as answer to this. I will, however,
enumerate our views :

(1) Let the salmon streams be declared Government property, and the fishing in
them be absolutely controlled under Government regulations and by Government
agents.

(2) Only permit a certain number of salmon to he taken from each stream, the
number being decided by the capacity of the stream.

(3) Allow no modern barricades to be used in the streams, and even the simple ones
which have always been used by the natives ought to be removed on Saturdays in
each week.

(4) A limit should be placed to the pack of each cannery. I think 20,000 cases
should be the limit. If, however, crnneries can keep on increasing their pack and
extending their time each year, as at present, fewer salmon each season will be left
for reproduction.

(5) No cannei y should be allowed to work on Sunday, and if fishing was forbidden
after noon on Saturday till midnight Sunday of each week Sunday labor would
cease. We strictly keep to this rule at Metlakahtla.

Question 4. "How best to suppress liquor trattic?"

(1) Our answer is, give the present liquor law a fair trial, and to that end every
liquor saloon in Alaska should be suppressed and every drop of liquor now in it
should be destroyed.

(2) Any person found smuggling or selling lii^uor in Alaska should be fined and
imprisoned.

(3) Do away with the juries at the trial of liquor cases. Let the judges or com-
missioners appointed by the Government decide, upon certain given evidence, on the
guilt of the persons arrested for ofi'ent>es against the liquor law and an appeal
allowed only to the supreme district court.

(4) Let every person found intoxicated be imprisoned, and in the case of natives
the sentence to be commuted if the prisoner will give information leading to the
conviction of the person or persons who supplied him with the liquors that intoxi-
cated him.

368

SEAL LIKE ON THE PHIHILOF ISLANDS.

(5) Ijet every intoriiinr ;i;;ainst otVemlers in lic|n(>r eaues (iC his evidence lends to a
conviction) be rewanled li\ recoivinjj; a part of tlie (iue imposed on tlie oli'ender.

(6) Let every connnissioner in Alasi<a l)e instructed to swear in a ;;<>odly nnnilicr
of Hpecial jioiice, without salary, especially ainon^f the natives, and let these lie
eiicoiira<j;e<l to assist in earryinji out this law.

(jiutstion r». " Should al)solnte title to land in Alaska ho j^iveii to cannery corjin-
rations?"

Our answer to this is, we think that title to the land on which they have phu-eil
canneries shonld he jiiven, lint not to lands used only as lisliin<; stations,

(^ntistion (t. "As to th«^ grantinj; of titles to land to whites in jjjiMieral."

A\'e think that Jnst so loiiji as the (jovernirient refuses to jjivo titles to land ia
Alaska the country will he ov(^rrun with an irres|)oiisihle lloatin<; populatimi.
Owinjj; to the charaeteri-tics of the country this will he true, to a lar;;o «!xteiit, in
any event; lint the ownershij* ol' iirojiorty would have a tendency to locate some
pernninent residents.

Question 7. "Shoulil the exjiortation of lumber from .\laska bt; allowed'"

We think that until the country is more settled -ip the law forliiddin;; the expor-
tation of luinlier, which now exists, shouhl remain iu force.

Question H. " Indian citi/.enshi])."'

We think that (itiestion had better be delayed. No doubt there are some uat'ves
ripe for the ]ioHiti<Mi, but the mass are not so. Let the missionary an<l school tea- her
continue their work till the jjoal be reached.
Yours, verv respect full v,

W. Dlxcan.

Hon. .Josri'ii MruitAY,

I-'ort Collins, Colo.

I respectfully ask imrtit-nlar attention of the l)e])aitinent to this letter
of Mr. DiMK^an, for 1 believe thr.t the a(loi>tion of many of his su{j;<;es-
tions would be a full and satisfavtory solution of the many knotty luob-
leins at present perplexinj? all who feel a worthy and laudable interest
in the present good and future welfare of Ahiska.

Another and an entirely diffei(»nt i)hase of the salmon (juestion wiis
brouglit to my attention by Mr. .John C ('allbreath, of Fort Wranjiell,
who has been endeavoring, single-handed, to introduce and propagate
salmon in streams where they did not exist, or from which they liad
been driven before. I pronused him in the spring that I would visit liis
liatchtM'y in the fall during my stay in the vi<'inity, but 1 did not get an
opportunity to return that way.

The following letter was written afterwards by Mr. Callbreath and
deserves careful consideration. Particular attention is called to that
portion of it treating of special " property rights to the producer for all
tisb in excess of the natural product of the stream."

What Mr. Callbreath wants is assurance that after he has success-
fully stocked a stream with salmon, where none or but very few existed
before, he will be given rights in the flsh as against Jill other claimants
who might desire to establish cainu'ries on the stream. But here is his
letter to speak for itself:

Skatti.k, Wash., Dvoemhev 10, lS9'i.

Di'.Ait Siu: I reyjret my inability to have forwarded you an account of salmoa
I'atchery at an earlic^r day. Ibisiness in the interior, from whi<'h i)oint there was no
i.\e'nis of communication, detained rae until late in the fall. 1 have, however, a trus(ed
tini)erintendent trained under my own care, who has made a complete success uj) to
November 1. I shall return soon aiul fj;iv(? the business my jtersonal attention until
the young fry are out and ])laceil in their res]toctive i>reserves.

My ])rocessof hatching is the same as that followed by the (iovernment hatcheries
at Clackamas, in the State of Oregon, and need not be described here.

My hatchery is situated on the w<>stern side of l^tholine Island, on a lake discharg-
ing through a small stream, a mere brook, into McIIenry Inlet — ami jiroducing from
3,000 to .5,000 Bukkesh (OncorlwjncliuH nerkit) salmon, an amount too insigniticaiit to
be lished by the canners or salters — and known among the Indians and lishermen as
a " cuttus chuck," or worthless stream. The lake on which my hatchery is locatetl is
about three-fourths of a mile from tide water and contains about 500 acres.

I have built a dam 8 feet high across the creek a few yards above tide water, over
which no tish unaided can pass. When the sukkesh start to ascend the stream for

SEAL LIFE ON THE rUIlULOF ISLANDS.

3G9

iiiiery <!<ir|)(i-

: liatclicries

siiiiwiiiiiy, tlit^y are iiiipoiiiidLMl in a trap below the daiii. picked uji with a dip net, and
earet'nlly jdaced aliove the dam, from wlienee tiiey (|uiekl.\- proceed nj) to the lake,
where they lie in the still, deep water until ripe tor spawning;, a period of from two
to six weeks. They then take to the small clear streiimsrnuninf; into the lake, wiiere
tliey are a;;aiu ini]ionn(led l)y nuians of a weir and trap, and are stri])ped of their
egffs. The t'fi'^a are then fertilized l»y strijipinj;' the male overtiiem, placed in baskets,
and set ill tron<rbs in the way nsnal in all liatcheries. A peculiarity about this class
of salmon, the (iiirorlniiirliiiH nirku, is that they will not fre(|Uent a stream unless it
has a lake where they can lit; and ripen befon; spawninj^, although they never spawn
in the lake; all the other species of Alaskan salmon fre(|uent the streams where they
can olitain siiawning ground indiscriminately whether they have lakes or not.

My object in damming my stream near tide water is to kee]» back ai' enemies of
the young fry, such as sea trout, bull heads, 8euli)ins, sticklebacks, etc. ; by this
means 1 have my lake and streams cleared of these sconi'ges of tlu; young salmon,
as they are all salt-water lish, .md only go ui» to the lakes for i)lunder, returning to
salt water when their season is over. t>f course there w<!ro many of them in the
lake and streams the first yeiir, but when they (lasseil down over the dam they could
never return. To protect the young fry from their enemies in the fresh water I
believe to be the great secret of successful salmon j)roi>agation. There is no bar to
(he numli(;r of young that can be produced at the (Joverninent hatcheries, where the
spawn in unlimited quantities can be obtained. But nnless ])ri)tecte<l from their
enemies while young (and everything l:irge enough to swallow them are their ene-
mies) a large ^iroportion of them are destroyed in fresh water. In my own ca.se,
however, the supply of lish is lindted, and all are utilized.

My lake now fairly swarms with young salmon where horct(d'ore scarcely one
could lie seen. 1 find, however, that the sea trout and others named are not their
only enemies. Their older brothers feed on the young fry. The young sahnoii
remain in the fresh water where they were hatched fourtt^en to eighteen months, so
they have from two to four months to ])rey on their young brothers. Then, after
going to sea, they will retnrn for a short time to their native streams for a cannibal-
istic least, and herj again in n)y case my <lam acts as protector to the little (tnes, as
when once they ))a8s down they can not return. I have seen them in vast numbers
about the size of sardines, and j)acked almost as close, below the dam, trying to get u}>,
but they soon disap])ear and return to salt water. In connection with this matter
of i»rotecting the younger from their older brothers, I last year commenced an ex])er-
imental process, which I feel encouraged to believe will ])rove successful; that is,
by turning out a portion of my young fry in streams, on which there are lakes that
fall into the sea Ity falls, over which no lish can pass. As a ci)nse<iucnce, most of
these streams and lakes are entirely barren of Hsh of any kind. There are three
streams and lakes of this desciiption contiguous to my hatchery. In the winter of
1894-!l.5 I jdaced 1,000,000 young fry into one of these lakes, and the i)re8ent season
of lSll,">-!t6 will place 2,000,000 in another lake, and so keej) t>n alternating until I
prove whether they will return to these streams. At the same time I will keep on
stocking my own hatchery lake with as many as I think it will sustain. If my
experiment of stocking these heretofore barren lakes and streams jiroves successful,
and 1 can see no reason why it shouhl not, it will jjrove of groat value to the salmon
lisheri<'s of this coiist, as these lakes abound all along the Alaskan coast.

I commenced my hatchery in thi; fall of 18!ll', but owing to the impure wat(a- of
the creek, which contains a larg«! amount of impurities, hail but indiH'«jront success,
turning ont only about 000,000. I then moved my hatchery up to the lake, three-
fourths of a mile, where I found streams of pure water and even temperature,
15^ in sunnner and never below l<8 in winter, and then the fish ripened more
healthily, as they were in their natural water. In the fall of WX\, however, there
was but a small run of salmon, but the eggs hatched nnich better and I turned out
about 1,700,000 young fry. The season of 1X04-0.5 we had a better run and turned
out 1.500,000 in one hatchery lake and 1,00(),(KX) in the barren lake before mentioned.
The jtresent winter of 18!)5-!M> wo will turn ont 4,000,(M)0 or over, having had a much
larger run than usual, which we will distribute between our hatchery lake and two
other barren lakes. These three barren lakes are sitmited, resi>ectively. S, (i, and 9
miles from our hatchery, and entails a good deal of labor and expense cutting trails
and carrying the young fish in bnc^kets to their nursery. There are a few cohoes
(OticoihjjiichuK kiDiitcli) that frequent our stream, but never more than 400. As they
are a good fish, although not as valuable iis the sukkesh, we also pass them over the
dam and strip them. Their time of running is about six weeks later than the sukkesh.

Owing to thesmallnes^of onr hatchery stream, wo have opportunities of observing
the habits of the sahnon with greater accuracy than on large streams. From close
observation made for a number of years, 1 am of the opinion that no salmon return
to the sea after ascending for propagating purposes, unless their natural habits of
<'opulating are interferred with. 1 am, however, of the opinion that some of the
nudes will retnrn if they are kept from the spawning beds and from performing the

S. Doc. 137, pt. 1 24

...,;, , 1 M 1

. ' ' !

; t /, 1

370

SEAL IJFE ON THE IMillULOF ISLANDS.

ftilictionH of iijitnrc Ibr wliicli they ascond; that is to a:i,v, if left tu their natiiriil
state thoy will all tlii-. Ami the feinalcH will all (lit! anyway. Hut the mah's. if
they do not conniM't with a spawning hnl, tlioii' milt in .some rases dues not li(|iiify,
hut rumainH solid, and Homo of them will return to the sea. lint hail tbry not lieon
bamid from the »i)awnin<4; Imds tlndk milt would liijuify mid they "ould all dio.

We have discovurod what seems to us to ho anew variety of sea t.'out,(|iiitesimilar
to the rainliovi', with the addition of a j;ristly hook, .»r turning up of the lower ,jaw,
and fitting into a recess in the end of t!ie upp«ir jaw, completely eovcriii}; the cncl
of the snout ami litting in the recess so neatly that it will n(tt he (dtserved unless
the Jaws an^ ojten. 1 ean tind nodeHeri]>tion oi a similar trout in the treatise sent me
in June, WM, by the Fish (.'onimissioner, lion. Marshall MctDonald, which <iavo a full
de8eri]ition of all the diti'erent species of trout. We have no ah'oliol or would have
preserved a spei-imen.

Ae(;ordinj{ to the rule fioiierally accepted hy scientific men, the salmon will return
four years from the time their parents enter the stream forspawnin^rpurjioses, which
will bring my lirst salmon back the coming sunnier, when I will he able to give
you a moredelinitc account of my venture.

I think, in cases like uiy own, where hitherto worthless streams are built up and
made to produce large (|uautitieH of valuable tisli that will asseinhlo in the bays or
inlets at the mouths of the streams, whore they have been bred, that hitherto i»ro-
duced none, so to speak, a law <if t'ongross should be passed giving property rights
to the producer for all tisli in excess of the natural jiroduct of the stream. It is held
by legal men that I have consulted on the siil>j<H;t that 1 will have a iiroperty right
in such lisli, but it would be far better if such rights were reenforced by an act of
Congress.

I have kept a careful account of all the sukkcsh and colioes that we passed over the
dam from day to day, so that I can tell exactly the number of tisb that the stream
normally produced.

Hoping I may have the pleasure of meeting you on your return,
I rtimain, yours, truly,

.lOIIX C. CAI.I.intKATII.

Hon. Joseph Mikhay,

Special Atjeiil for the J'rotcrtion of Salmon Fisheries in Alanka.

P. S. — I will be at Fort Wraiigell during February, and should be pleased to hear
firom you.

J. C. C.

Now, here is a man who, though not wealthy, has spent money anil
many years' vahtabh' time making exiieriments in one of the most useful
and honorable of the arts — the produetion of human food.

Such men deserve a patient hearing and every possible encourage-
ment, and in the hope of his getting both I respectfully recommend
his very timely and practical letter to the serious consideration of the
Department.

Exhibit ]) gives the u.ames of the canneries and ])acking stations,
Exhibit E shows the sailing distances one must travel from cannery to
cannery in order to see all of them, and shows conclusively, I think,
that in order to see all of them in one season it will be necessary to detail
a revenue cutter to carry the agent.

A revenue cutter could make the trip between June 1 and July 2(t,
completing the .journey at the canneries in Bering Sea in ample time to
report for ])atrol duty in August.

Exhibit (1 gives a summary of the Alaskan ami Pacific Coast salmon
pack from 1800 to 18!)5, both inclusive, showing at a glance that the
Alaskan streams were drawn upon to their utmost capacity in 1891,
when 789,21)4 cases of 48 pounds each were packed, with the result of a
falling oft" of 40 per cent the following year.

The wisdom of inotectingan industry that has yielded in the thirteen
years of its existence 5,505,002 cases of salmon, worth $22,000,000,
should not be lightly questioned or set aside, and when it is remembered
that, excepting the civilized Indians with Mr. Duncan at Metlakahtla,
there is not a resident cannery owner in Alaska, and that not one dollar
of all the millions taken from her streams is left or spent in the Terri-
tory, it will be conceded, I think, by all fair-minded men that the least

-♦

>ir natural
<> niah'8. ii
lot. ]i(|llil'y,
'V not lic'uii
!ill die.
iiitesimihir
lower jaw,
iij,' the cnti
•v«'(l nil less
:iH<3 sent ine
<iave a I'nll
voiiltl liuve

will return
iim'.H, which
hie to give

iiilt up an*l
I lie lia.vH or
therto pro-
erty ri^litH
It i.s helil
l»erty rijfht
y an act of

c»l over the
the streisni

.HIilCATII.

jed to hear
J. C. C.

oiiey and
)st useful

icourage-
Bommeud
on of tlie

stations,

uuiery to

I think,

to detail

July 20,
e time to

it salmon
that the
in 1891,

BSUlt of il

I thirteen
J,00(>,()OU,
lembevod
lakahtla,
ne dollar
lie Terri-
the least

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS.

371

-♦

the General (lovernment can do is to protect the lisli a};ainst extermi-
nation, and the mitive, dependent solely upon a salmon diet, in hisrij^ht
to an abundant supply of salmon for food. Tiiese two thinf^s arc easy
of aeeomplishment if immediaie teps are taken. 'Mit if neglecte<l mueh
longer tiui task will \h' a most <li..ieult one.

in order to ])rotect the salmon streams tlu' laws must be enforced,
and it is, unfortunately, only too tiue that up to date there has not
been a united attemj)! made to enforce them.

The Cnitcd States commissioner at l-'ort VVrangell — one (►f the few
fearless ones who only know their duty — wrote nu' a full account of how
the law is disregarded, evaded, and not enforced by ollicers whose duty
it is to uphold the law at all hazards. The letter covers a witle field,
and is «piite plain and (uitspoken, using men's real names, the printing
of which in my report is not now considered necessary; I will tlierefore
sujipress mimes and quote only a tew passages relating to salmon
matters.

Case after case has been comiirouiised at tlio iiiBtance of attorneys for their clients
in criiiiiiial cases. Take one example: In .Inly, lS!t;{, Mr. ,1. (i. Biady, who was then
acting UiiittMl StatcM attorney in the aliHciuM' of Mr. .Johnson, entertained a com-
plaint of the natives against caniii'ry men for olistiiicting salmon streams. Mr. Hrady
prevailed upon ('oinmander Unrwell, of the U. S. 8. I'inla, to convey liim and other
necessary otlicers to Klawak and Lorlng. ' ' They came via Fort W'rangell and

re(iuested me to accompany them. The I'inta reached l.oiing in the night, and we
found the river " fe,nce<l '' from shore to shore, and about 4 tons of salmon in the traps
and nets. Wo caustid the arrest of Mr. Ilecknian, tlie Miperintendent of the cannery,
and placed him under bond ol •+,'>, 000, re((uiring him to appear before the Initerl
States district court at its next session.

The law, as you are aware, imposes a line of .fL'.'iO for every day a stream is
obstructed. * * Court did not convitne until after the retirement of the dis-

tri(;t attorney, Mr. , and the appointment of his successor, Mr. , who

agrceil to accept the nominal line of sflOO. ' Kn))erintendent Wadleigh, of

the Klawak cannery, was also jdacied under bonds, and although two terms of court

have since been held he has not been re(iuired to ai>pear. The is lending a

hand in helping to whitewash his case. * '

These two eases, iiicliidini;' the trip of the I'hita, hiive cost the (ioveriiment more
than .+1,000.

The officers who jilaced the men under bonds have been humiliated, while the vio-
lators of tile law, aided by olbcials disloyal to the (ioveriiment, have won a great
victory. * ' *

I could cite many cases in whicdi ollicial jiositioiis are used to shield crime and
defeat the ends of Justice.

Your obedient servant, W.M. \. Kki.ly, Commixsioner.

Were it necessary to add to or contirni the commissioner's words, I
would say that while at I.oring in 1894 lion. ('. S. iriamlin, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied by Capt. C. L. Hooper, com-
manding the revenue (fitter /»'».s7/, attempted to go ujt the river in a
small boat, but soon foun<l theiuselves barred out by the itleiitical
" fence '' mentioned in the commissioner's letter.

The Wadleigh ca.se referred to was called in court at Juneau last
May, and in my presence his attorney tirose ami said: Mr. Wadleigh
had written and olfered to pay as much as it would cost him to trav?l
back and forth on the steanu>r from Klawak to Juiu'au, some 840, on
condition that the CJovernment dropped the complaint.

Now, here is a <'a.se where the man was taken retl-handed in the act —
he does not attempt denial — and yet, although it happened in I89.'{, he
has not been brought to trial, but instead of answering the sunnnons
of the court he imi»udently writes back his ultimatum, which was .seri-
ously considered by the district attorney, who would have accepted it
had I not been present and strongly protested against the whole farce.

In justice to the present district attorney for Alaska, I will say all
tiiese things happened prior to his appointment.

I !

372

SKAL IJl'E ON TIIK PUllSILOr ISLANDS.

CONCLl SI(»N.

Kiiougli lias boeii said 1 tliiiik to show tlie iioi-cissity of some radical
cViaiij;es in Alaska, tin' liist of wlii'li should be the enforcement of the
law.

1 therefore most respeetfully re<'ommend tlu' foUowinji':

First. The repeal of the ])resent prohibitory licjuor law and the sub-
stitution of high liiM'Use.

Second. That a revenue cutter ami three armed steam launches be
permanently located in Alaskan waters.

Third. That the custom house on Mary Islan<l be discontinued and
removed to a more desirable, because more useful, location in the
Tongas Narrow s.

Fourth. That Alaska be divided into at least two judicial districts,
with one Judge at Sitka and one at dircle City, on the Yukon.

Fifth. That three additu)nal commissioners be appointed, one at LT nga,
one at St. Michaels, ami one at Circle City.

Sixth. That a deputy collector (if not a custom-house) be located at
Uuga.

Seventh. That a marine hospital be erected at Cnalaska. (Either of
the trading companies will erect and furnish a building if the Depart-
ment will furnish medicines and a physician.)

Eighth. That Alaska be allowed a Delegate to Congress.

There are nuiny important matters that 1 have not referred to in this
report, such, for instance, as the condition of the native tribes on the
Aleutian Islands and in southeastern Alaska; schools and j)ost-ottices
on the Yukon liiver and in the gieat interior — all of which will be dealt
with in a future report.

The proposed changes are really necessary to the present and future
welfare of Alaska, and, because of the i-apidly iuijreasing white popu-
lation tlocking to the rich gold diggings, it is absolutely necessary that
the law should be rigidly enforcicd. The wealth of Alaska in furs,
fish, and gold, if i)roperly protected by the Government, will be of
immense value, which nmy be made to increase annually, but which, if
neglected by the (lovernment and left to the present system of no law
at all, or what is far worse, lawlessness, will soon end in disgrace and
disaster.

Very respectfully submitted. Joseph Murray,

Special Affent for the Protection of Salmon Fisheries in Alaska,

Hon. JOHN (x. Carlisle,

Secretary of the Treas%try.

ExiniuT A.

Xumber of seals on Si, Pant and iSt. Gvortje islands, season of 1895,
ST. PAUL ISLAND.

Rookery.

•Bull 8 with
; hareniH.

Northeast I'oiut.
Halfway Point...

Lnlcaiiiioii

Katnvie

Keef

Lagoon

Tolstoi

Middle Hill

English Bay

!!!ai>aduie

Total .

1,725
:!50

noo

20U

1, 000

400

100
500

4,625

Cows. I

09,000 j
14,000 I
12, 000 !

8,000
40,000

2,000
16, 000

4,000
20,000

185, 000

Uach-
eloi'N.

9,000
2,000
1,000
300
5,000
50

1,500

800

3,500

23, 150

Idle
hulls.

1,000

200

500

250

100
300

Total.

80, 725
16, 550
13,500

8,550
46, 500

2,100
16,650

1,500

5,000
24,300

2, 600 215, 375

;i!^,: ;.' !■ r i

SEAL LIFT, ON TIIK PlilltlLOK ISLANDS.

373

)

Xnmher of geah on N/. J'diil and SI. Oeoryc inlantln, kcuhov of lS9-'i — Continued.

ST. (iK()U(;K LSI. AN I).

JkOoklT.V.

Starrv Arteel

Nnrtli

East

Little Kast

/apudiiie

Total

Total on both islauds...

'Iliillswitli
, hiirt'iii.s.

.' 60 '
100
80
25 i
110 I

(^'OW.'*.

2,400
4, OUO
H, 200
1,000
4,400

liauh-
elors.

aoo

500

3,000

3, OoO

;!75 15,000 0,8.50

5,000 i 2WI, 000 30,000

Idle
hulls.

Total.

40 2, 800

'lO 4. 050

40 6, 320

20 1, 095

60 7, .'iWt

200
2,800

22,425
237, 800

KX 111 HIT H.

Liquors rleayed from I'uijel Soinid for .llaska, .lanuari/ 1, lS9t,io March la, IS05.
Date. mitNo Kinds and i)iumlili(.s. ('oiiNignee. i Name ol' vessel, Dalecleurod.

80,725

16, 550

13,500

8,550

)

46, 500

2,100

» ;

16,650

1,500

5,000

J :

24, 300

.1.111. 6, 1894

1 barrel bottled bii-r. . . .

Adolpli Mver

City ol' Toiieka

Jan. 15,1894

l)ee. 22,1893

1 ban el r\»nvlii>l<v

....;do

Do.

1 barrel lloiirboii whi.s-
kv, 10 barrels beer.

C. V. Kiieher

Do.

H barrels California
'biaiidv. U barrels

William Nelson

Do.

(;aliroiiiia ('laret, ')

harielslicer, 3 liairels

ale, 3 eases porter, 10

iialhiMssherrv. IO;jal-

lons Irish whisky 10

yallons Scnieh whis-

k.v. lOKallon.s nm, 10

gallons nun. 1 ease im-

ported braiidv. 1 ease

im|iorled wliiskv, 2

easert ( hiim|iiii;ne.

Der 01 igu'i

1 (iailon port wine, 1
gallon lirandv.

C J Ivostroineliiioll

Do.

Jim. ,'), 18fi4

liottlesl'hiiialii|iior.. .

Hung Sing (iee

tio

Do.

Dec. 0, 18!i;i

1 ease wliisky. 1 ease
wine, 1 case porter.

Duncan MeKiinon. .

Do.

Jan. 2, 1804

1 lianel beer

■W.C.Mills

Jan. 30,1894

Dec. 2'J, 1803

1 barrel porter

(.'has. 1 litt'ey

Do.

• Do

1 bail! 1 w liisky. U bar-
rels riiin. li barrels
biaiiilv, 1 liarrel por-
ter. 1 barrel lieer.

Will. Miilciiliy

Do.

De<-. 0, 180;)

30 gallons claTi't wine ..

C. S. Johnson

.Fan. 15,1894

Fell. 7, 18114

') gallons whisky

Sniebv liros

Feb. 17,1894

Feb. 8, 1894

2 liarr -Is beiT

K. DeCrotl'

Do.

Feb. 7, 1894

1 barrel wliisk.v, 5 bar-
rels beer. :'.' barrels
porter, 2 h.irrels ale,
(i eases Irish whisky,
Oeases Uennesy bra'n-
<lv.

W.Xtulctthy

Do.

1 bairel whisky. 1 bar-
rel bnmdy. S bairels
beer, 1 lase ehaiii-
paj;iie,2 barrels wiiis-
kv.

William Xidson

Do.

Jan. 20,1894

1 barrel jiiii, 5 jjallons
.lamaieii iniii, 'J ;;al-
lons .Madeira wine,
12 "gallons sherry
wine. 30 millions elu-
et. 1 ease lirandy, 1
ease (■haiiipaf;ne, 1
barrel ale. 1 barrel
jioiter, f) (,'allons jiort
wine, lOnallons wbis-
kv. 5 eases whisky.

E. DeCroH

Do.

Jan. 16,1894

1 ease wine

W.r. Mills

Mexico

Feb. 27,1894

Jan. 22,1804

60 gallons whisky. 20
gallons brandy. 20
.uallons port wine. 10
jiiillons alcohol. 50
;;allons ilaret, 6 bar-
rels beer, 2 cases giu.

J. C.Kooslier

C'ltyolTopeka..

Mar. 14,1894

I I M

374 SEAL Lino ON thk piuiulok islands.

Luinora vleared ffoii) I'lit/el Sound for Alickd, rlv, — Cuntiiniod.

Date.

I'lT-

iiiit N<i

Feb. 211

ISIM

fil

Fob. 24
Mar. 1)
Ffb. 20
Miir. !i

Do.

18'.)4
IH94

fill
04
(III
07
till
11.')

Di).

Feb. 2;i

I.SU4

Apr. 4
Do

1801
18U4

70
72
71

Mav 1!'
■j)o.

18'.I4

T)o

Juno 4

1894

1110

t Do.

Mav !)

i«i)4

Jiiiu' i:!

1894

lO'i

JllDO ll^

181)4

107

June 28. 1894

108

May 19,1894

July 1,1894

llli

JllllO

28, 1894

109

June

18, 1894

llli

A Hi;.

3, 1894

120

Julv

IS, 1894

114

Aug. 3,1894

Auii. 13,1894

123

Aug. 13,1894

121

Sept. 0.1894

129

Auj.. 13,1894

122

Sejit. 0,1894

128

Oct. 4, 1894

139

Se))t. 0,1894

130

Oct. 3, 1894

138

Sept. 25, 1894

132

Oct. 17,1894

142

145

Sei)t. 25, 1894

135

Oct. 17,1894

144

Dec. 19,1894

150

119

KindH and ((Uatititlus. Con.tlKuee. Name ul' vessel. Date cleared.

.!_.

Willliiiii Nelson Cllyoflopekn.. .Mar. 14, 18'H

2 baiii'l-* lioiirlioii wIiIm-

U.v, HI yalloiis n;iii,2il
K.'illoii.i liniiiily, 10
milloiis port wiur.

3 liiirrels liotlliil Ihmt. . .

1 case whisky

3 casc'H wine

I case whisky

I nalliiii riiiii

1 cast' ale. 1 CISC pcu'ler.
I hiirrcl wirsky, 1 ;, Ipmi-

rets hrandv. 3 (^ascs
Irish whisky, bar
rels iiccr,

10 i;;illijns wliisky. I
Ciise bcrr. 1 milloii
btaiiily, 2 nmcs wine.

1.') ;;alloMs jMirl wine

3 gallon . wliisiiv

|0;.^,lloM^ah■oh.■.l

,'> ualloiis .'ilcohol

2hiiiifls w lli^ky, 1 bar-
rel lir.iii(ly,2caHes;;iii,
20 ;;iilliins luiM,, 'leases
wliisk\ .fi cases bran-
(1,\. 10 liarrels liecr, 10
cases )MirlcT', In ciiscs
ale, 2 cases chain
imiine, 1 barrel ]iorl
wine, 1 barrel sheii-y,

I barrel < hirel , 1 bar

rel alcoJKil.

1 barrel heei'

.... do

:i liarrc Isbeer

I li.'irrel lioi'r

4 barrels beer

1 dozen iinltles brandy. .
l.'i barrels heel-, 1 liarrcl

sherry « ine, 1 barnl
wliisliy, 5 cases ]io:'-
ter, 1 hiirrel port w ine,
5 eases ale, .") cases
Kin, ,") cases claret
wine.
1(1 barrels heei'

2 cases whisky

20 barrels beer, 1 barrel

brandy, 1 barrel pent
wine, 1 biirrel sherry.
1 barrel claret, 3casi's
clianipamie. •'> ca.se»
])orler, 'i cases ale,
:j < ascs br.ind.V.

10 yallons whisky

1 case w liisky

10 b.irrels hi er

1 ease whisky. 1 case
w iio', 1 ease porter.

1 ease coj;ii;,^,, 10 cases
port wine. 10 cases
shcrrv, 10 cases whis-
k.v. ■

1 case ale. 1 case ]>ortor.

10 barrels beer

Ill barrels beer

311 barrels wine

10 barrels whisky

10 barrels alcohol

10 bands w bite wine, 1
barrel claret.

1 case whisky

I barrel claret

1 case whisky

5 barrels beer

1 case whisky

311 galhiiis wl'iiaky

10}iallonsnnii...

1 bottle brandy, 1 4 gal-
lons whisky, 1 gallon
porl wine. '

i: Dedroil do Mar, 29. IH91

Uobert lieiil do Do,

Mrs. 1!. (!. Uogers do Ko.

II. F. SwiCt do Do.

W. .M.l'iivhir Chilkal Ajir, 7, Ism

.1, M, D.ivis do Do.

\V, Miilcahv d Do,

Itobeit Duncan, ,ir . (.'ily ot Topeka. . Apr, 13,1891

Kalher Doiiskcv do Apr, 28,1894

.\rihv Canipbill do Mav 14, 1H94

(;, F.Kcnher do Do.

K. D. Nowell l{o.salie May 29, l.SlM

Max lOndleinaii do Do,

Mrs, Hannnoiul do Do.

V. I'.ach do Do.

K, De (irolV Cit vol'Toi»eka. . .1 me 12,1894

U. E. l;i.;,9rs '.d Do,

K, De (iroll (^leen lime 22,1894

do (•it,,ol"ropeka-. June 29,1894

\\n\ );iii!lenian do Do.

i:. DedrnlV (^ueen July 8.1894

(', SluiliiT do Do.

Ma\ Fndlenien City ol' 'I'opekn. July 27, »8»4

K, De (Irotr Queen Aug. 6,1894

Karl Koehler do Do.

E. De CrotV Oily of Topeka. Aug. 13,1894

1). McKiiUion do Do.

E. DeOrott' Queen ,\ug.21,1894

J.Mont. David Citv of Topeka. Aug. 31. 1894

E. DeGrolf do Do.

do do .Sept. 19,1894

li.C.ltogcrs ilexico Sept. 25, 1894

E. DeGrolf do Do.

do Cilvof Topeka.. Oct. 11,1894

do Mexico Oct. 2.->, 1894

K. C. Kogers do Do.

Karl Koehler do Do.

Hobert Iteid do Do.

Ed. DoCrotl do Nov. 10,1894

>r.irpalv ill) Do.

Ed. De ('.rotr Cliilcat Nov. 21, 1894

do Mexico Nov. 26, 1894

Dr. C. Theving do Do.

SKAL lAFE ON THK I'UIBII.OF ISLANDS.

Liqiiurn chared from I'lujet Soiniil for Alaxko, itc. — Contiiiuod.

375

Bate. niii Xi> l^iixl'* »i><l (|iiuiitlti«>it. ('i)iiHi)(i>i

Xumf of vi'ssol. Dnti' rlxiiiad.

Xov. 10, 1H94

147

10. Dilircill.

Vi'C. 19. 18!U

1.51

Jan. 2, 18U5

1,'>7

l.-i?

Miiv 4. 1HSI4

«•-'

Jim. i;, iwir,

1.-.5

lti2

Jim. Ill, }K'.>r,

i.tu

Jan. 'J. imt.")

l,')l

Dec. lit. IH'.H

l.VJ

Kcli. 1.-1,1 S'.i.'i

170

ItiO

Jan. -.'I, l«!t.'>

101

Jan. 11) 18115

lUi)

1.^ (lo/.i'ii Kiiiiinrl, \\
tlozrn I'liirdiitln''. Ij
llo/, I'M ilbsilltll, I.J

iloziii UiiHcliHiiHHcr,
\\ (|ii/rn anisi'lto, l.j
ilo/.rn Miai'a'«'liiiii>. l.J

llozill (,'lllirtl<ll.sr. I

caHr ui". 1 rase cliiMii-

)i:ivriii . 1 ii.irii'l ))iir-

ItT. 1 liiincl :ili'.
1 liaiTil liolllid )mitfM'.
■'i \):irri'l,s IkiIIIi'iI lieor .
12 liottli'M CliiiiJi tii|iiiii'

.') iialloii.-i alcohol

12 holtli'S asHoi'ti'il lli|-

iicnH.
10 barrel.^ linr-

ilo/.i'ii lioltlrH iiiirlcr.

1 liaiTcl I laril

.') gallons poll wiiif. . . .
10 y/illoiis whisky

gallon « alcohol ili

1 ih>zcii livanilv <lii

Mi-xico

Will. Miil.ahv
K. Dcliniir. .'. .

Siiii; 1

I). \ alciitiiii' ..

("
Mc

'ileal .
•\ic(> ,
ilo.
Chilkat

20 iialloiis claret liiririje Kyrago.. .

.do . .

Due. 2H, 1804

It.c. I;ii:,'cr.i 1 City of Topcka.

K. Dcliioil' llo ,

('. K. rilpliitM llo

a. S. .liilinHoii (Ill

I'liil Mall llo

i;. Dciiriiir ill)

iiii

llo

Jan. n

1895

J, III. 12

1895

Do.

Jan. 2;i

1895

Do.

Fi'li. 7

1895

Do.

Klip. 21

1 8115

Do.

!■

t I^H

\ <

The within |iiTiiiit.H arosijiiicil li\ Mcn.jamiii .Moore, eolli'ilor of iiiMtoiiis, Sitka, Alaska.

I'OIIT I'dWN.-iK.NIJ, U'A.-ill., Mdich 1, l^'S.

Kxiiiiin (;.

iS7flii«/' > of Jlanka salmon pack, acaxun of /S9.'i

Xanie.

BriHtol Hay tJanniii^ Co..

Alaska Paekin^ (.'o

Arelie l'ackinK(.'o

Do .*:

Thin Point Paekina Co..

Karliik I'atkiug Co

Tanjilefiiot l!ay Packing
Co.

Kiiniher of men
eniiiliiyeil.

N'imiiii 1 of Maliiion taken.

Location.

Niislianak

llo

Xakuck

Thin Point

Karlnk

,; AiiparatMs I

^ > i lisud.

•= I •;: a ; King. ' Ueil. Silver.

>."■•« I i

s= ; 1^ o ' I '

6->

:i5

!l,-. (iillnets.. 4,544 202, 776

U8 do 8, 82:i :)."i6, (ii;j

H5 do 5. loO ;i20,.')48

70 do .... 1.047 2«i),8r>l

Seine 2:1, 45;i

14'.: do 58<,t, Oili)

n,250
111. IIIU
8,700

«5

172,(149

ill)

.-)2
18

142
.■)2

.... do ....
do....

...

(io:!, 421
174.508

Aietie Packing (^o

Alitak

8, 321

Arctic I''i«liing Co

Kiisiloll'

do ....

109

;i24, 277

Cliigiiik llay Packing Co.

Chi"nik ...

8!)

(iill nets

08:i, ;ii9

and seine.

Paci(icP.aikiiijjCo

Prince Williams
Sound.

:i9

o;j

do ....

:ii9

u;!, 100

142, 937

Pyiiiinid Uarhor Pack-

Pvi'Uiiiid Harbor.

(iill nets..

iCvl

ino, 75'J

7. 023

iiig Co.

Glacier P.aeking Co

Fort Wrangell...

do ... .

294

l;f.l, 509

154, 183

Alaska Salmon Packing

Loring

;io

71)

Seine

14.7;i3

435. 368

and Knr Co.

Ponit Itoberls Packing

Koggiimg

;i4

10 .

(iill nets..

40.5

14:1,80(1

Co.

tJgashik Fishing Station.

Selina Uiver

4!)

2'*

fiilt nuts

0.5.219

and seine.

Egegak Fi.shiiig Station.
Togiak Fishing Station..

Egegak

Togiak

Uill nets..

54,:t21

do ....

...

1.800

Total

1,002

681 1

211

02.

190

4,846,215

775, 887

p 'I

m I

* f

I :1

■^

\ 1

J.,4

'i'j.r

W i

ff J

ipl

376

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Stathtics of Alaska salmon imck, season of lS9'i — Continued.

Xiiiiu'.

Bristol liny Ciiiiniiij! Co..

Aluska I'arkill;: Co

Aritir Pai.'kiiii; (Jo

Tliiii I'oiiit Packing (,'o ..

Karliik racking' Co

Tanglefoot liav Packing
Co.

lluini' Talking Co

Arcti<' Packing Co

Antic KiHliing Co

Cliignik lia.v Packing Co

Pacific PackinjiCo

Pyramid Harlior Pack-
ing (yO.

(ilacicr Packing Co

Alaska Salmon I'acking

anil Kiir Co. I

Point liobci'ts Packing

<'o.
Ugasliik Fisliing Station.;
Egcgak Ki.sliing .Stalioii..
Togiak Kisliing Station..

CaHes.

:i», 434

;i4, m-i
an. n:ii

22. 731

'•is'imV

1 J, 277

47, 5(10
15, :i3i

30, 188
70, 050
21,4.')3
35. 373

27,416
32. 554

Har-
ri'ls.

1, 045
3!t5

30U
"(15

Steam-
erH cm-
ployed.

3, 142

1,3.')4

1, 048

Total I 473,!)4!t 7.455

Lighters and
boats.

Xiim-
licr.

42
44

43
23
10
■17
28

48
23
40
24
43
31

504

Nets.

Value.

,$18. 000

13. 000 '
12, ,5011
15,000

C. 01 '0
30,000 I
15,2(0

21,000
11.000

iH, 200
19,000
45, 000
18. 000

14, 200
li. 10(1

0,200

2, 500
000
400

278, !tOO

N iiin-
tier.

80
84
83
42
4
15

Value.

$4, 000
4, 200
4, 100
2. 100
KOO
3,000

Sail

ton- Valiu'
nagc of tin
em- idatc.
ployed.

1, 355

1,100

1, 040

900

255

.tl!), 360
1!). V.M
19, 000
13, 2UU

10 2,000 1 4,500 00,200

4 :

HO ;

75 1
50

30
4

fi
3
2

684

3, 000
800

4, 000

4, .500
3, 800
2, 700

1,.')00
800

1. 400

1,350
1,320
1, 520
1,340
1,132

77B

771

234

9, 100
21,600
42, OOO
13. 200
21,000

16, 200
10,200

1,200 555
600 126
400 130

44,000 18,404 279,760

Statistics of Alaska salmon pack, season of 1S9') — Continued.

Name.

Location.

C. K. Whitney <S: Co Nnsliagak

Prosper Fishing and Trading Co Kvicliak . . .

L. A. Pedi rson Is'aknek ...

Bering Sea I'acking (,'o L'gashik . .

Korton, Teller \-. Co do

discs. liarri'ls.

14,2,53
12, 007

Lyiidc \- lloiigli Shiiniagiii islands

Alaska Improvement (Jo Karliik 26. 000

C. I). Ladd Cooks Inlet

Pacilic Steam Whaling Co Prince William Sound 25.037

Peniuiisdlar Kisliing Co Jopper liivcr 15,000

Bnranoll' Packing Co Itaranotf Island 14,805

North Pacilio Kisliing and Trading Co Klawitk 12. 228

Boston Fishing and Triiding Co Yes liav 14, 100

Metlakahtla Indii.strial Co Mdtakiitta 12. 000

Miller \- Co Cordova Hay

Cape Fo.\ Packing Co Cajie Ko\

Various Snutheastern Ala.ska

Total 145, 430

1,043

2.300

300

220
75

350

104

1,800
1, 200
2. 000

9, 392

SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

377

Valiii'

'ii*'

lit' till

!ll-

lilatc.

yeil.

3:>5

*1!), ;!G0

100

10. l(,(l

04(1

li>, 000

yoii

13, 2UU

•255

500 (i(i, 2UII

350

9, loo

320

21,600

5:.'0

42, 000

,U0

13. 200

132

21.000

77«

1«, 200

771

10,200

->;(4

J 5.*)

126

i;io

104

270, 760

Hiiri'fls.

1,043

2.300

300

220
75

350

104

1,800
1, 200
2.000

9, 392

KXHIIUT D.

Salmon packing stations in Alaska.

No. I

1
2
3
4

5
C

11 i

12 '
13
14

15 [
I

16 i

17
18 i

19
20
21
2'*
23
24
I

25
26

Locality.

C'liilcat

Port Althui'])

KillisiKH.

Ued Fish liay

Fort WrangcU

Yes Jiaj'

Liiriiifi

Tort Chester

Kluwak

(/ordovia Bay

Tolstoi Hay

I'ort KUis

Cape Fox

Copper Hiver, Delta Peninsula
KyaK Villai;r

Name of company.

Can- Salt-
nery. ery-

Alaska Packing Assueiatiou

Fonl & Stokts

HoiTing Kisliery

BaruiiutI' I'aukiug Co

Alaska Packing Assiiciatiou

Boston Fishing and Trading Co.

Alaska Pac'king ^s.so(!iation

Mothikahtia Industrial Co

North PafUic Packing Co

Miller&Co

Kniu Island

Cuoks Inlet, Kussilo Kiver..
AVcst side of Cooks Inlet. . . .
AfoOTak (not in operation).

Karliik Kiver

Alaska Improvement Co

n. i). Hume \ Co

Alilak Bay

I'gak Bay, Eagle Harbor .. .

Chignik Bay

Pirate Cove, Popotl'

Thin Point

Ugasliil

Naknik Kiver

Kiiicliak Kiver

Fi.sh and Trading Co

Paeitie Steam Whaling Co

Alaska Packing Assoeiation .

CD Ladd it Co

Alaska Packing Assochilion

Nushagnk

Fort Alexander.

Alaska Paiking Association (used up)

Oliver .Smith

Alaska Paiking Association ,

McCoUum Tindiug I'o

.\hiska Packing Assmiiation

Bering .Sea Packing Co

Alaska Packing .Association

Sullivan Kiver Packing Co

Jfdinson

.\laska Packing Association

Peterson

.\laska Pacliin;; Association

Prosper Kisli and Trailing Co

Alaska Packing .\ssociatioii

Whileiicv Co

Total .

Exhibit E.

t^ailiiKj disluncca from Citpc Fox to the different salmon oanneriva in Alaska.
(Figures in parcnihises are ma)i numlicrs.]

Her-
ring.

Miles. . Miles.
(U) Coi>i»t'r Kiver Delta to (l.">)

SO' Evak vill!ij;o "0

i30 ( l.'o' Evak village to (17) Afo>>iiak . 500
100 (17) Afoijuak to (20) Uj;al< Hay,

Kaf^lc Harbor 75

tiO (L'O) L'fiak liav to (111) Alitak Itav. 100
t!0 (ID) Alitak bay to (18) Ktirliik

L'.5 Kivor 100

(18) Kailiik K'iver to (21) Chignik

100 j 15av 300

! (21) Chignik Bav to (22) I'irate

100 C'ove.. ". 200

l.">0 ! (22) I'iiiito Cove to (23) Thin Point. l.'iO

; (23) Thin Point to (21)llga»liik... 500

tliorp ." 150 (25) Naknik Kiver to (20) Kvicliak

(2) I'ort AltL-.rp to (3) KillLsnoo.. 200 River 25

(3) Killisuoo to (1) Chilcat Iiili't.. 200 ; (26) Kvichak Kiver to (27) Niislia-

(1) Chilcat Inlet to (14) Copper gak 100

RiverDelta 1,000!

! Total 4,376

(13) Cape Fox to (10) Cordovia

(13) Cajie Fox to (8) Tort Chester.

(10) Corilovia Hay to (!t) Fvlawak..
(8) I'ort Chester to (11) Tolstoi

liay

(8) I'ort Chester to (7) Loring

(7) Loring to ((i) Yes Mav

(11) Tolstoi Hay to (5) Fort Wran-
gt'll

(5) I'ort W'rangell to (12; Port
KlliH

(9) Klawak to (4) Ketl Fi.sh liay. ..
(4) Ked Fish Bay to (2) Port Al-

r 1 I

■i

378 SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOP ISLANDS.

Exhibit F.

Summary of salmon pack, 1895.

Cases.

Columbia River 617, 460

Alaska 619,379

British Columbia 512, 877

Outside rivers 290,300

ii['(irf M y

Total 2,040,010

Cases.

Columbia River 617,460

Alaska (16 locations) 619,379

British Colmnliia:

Fraser River 347, 674

Skeeiia River 66, 9S3

■ Lowe Inlet 8,500

; Nass River 19.000

Rivers Inlet 61,720

. Alert Bay 5. 500

•;^Cl!iyoqnot 3, .500

512, 877

Outside rivors and bays:

Nehiilein River 6. 300

Sinslaw River 8. 552

Coquille River 9, 468

Umpcjue River 10. 300

Tillamook River 5, 0(K)

Alsea Bay 5. 000

CoosBny 10, ,380

Pu{i;«*t Sound (4 locations) 1.57, 000

Grays Harbor 18, 0(H)

Shojilwater Bay 16,000

Rogue River 14, 000

Sacramouto rivers 24,000

California rivers (!, 300

290, 300

2, 040, 016

EXIIIHIT G.

Alaskan and Pacific Coast salmon pack, from ISOG to 1S95, both inclusive.

Tear.

Cnluiubia
River.

1866 4.000

1867 18,000

1888 28, 000

1869 100, 000

1870 150. 000

1871 200, 000

1872 2.">(), 000

1873 ; 250, 000

1874 ;i50, 000

1875 ;!75. 000

1876 450, 000

1877 461), 000

1878 460, 000

1879 480, Olio

1880 Olio, 000

1881 ^r>l. 000

1882 541,300

1883 620,400

1884 65fi, 179

1885 524,530

1880 454, 943

1887 373.800

1888 367,750

1889 325, 500

1890 433,500

1891 300, 1 83

1892 481,900

1893 42,5,200

1894 511, 000

1895 617,460

< )ut8icle

rivers nnrt

bays.

liritiHli
Culumliia.

2, 500

3, 000

3.3, 900

40, 300

66, 500

61,000

«8, 200

229, 700

249, 300

108, 000

122, 800

100,2.50

170,400

231,000

212,000

265, 734

102, 123

82. 447

160, fiOO

209, 490

214, 896

290, 300

Alaska.

9.847
67, 387
113,601
.57, 394
61,3110
175, 675
255, 061
243, 000
138,945
106, 865
103, 004
201, 990
135, 600
414,400
409, 464
314, 813
221, 797
.590, 229
494,470
512,877

36, 000
54, 000
74, 850
120, 700
100, 200
427, 372
709, ,347
688, 332
789, 294
461,482
645, 545
678, 501
619, 379

Total.

4,000

18, 000

28, 000

100,000

150, 000

200, 000

250, 000

2.50, 000

352, 500

378, 000

493, 747

.573, 687

640, 101

598, 394

779, 500

966, 375

1,045,661

1,106,400

971, 924

806, 495

909, 047

997, 890

1, 142, 722

1,714,981

1,633,419

1.576,737

1, 325, 979

i, 870, 470

1, 898, 867

2, 040, 016

•

617, 460
619, 379
512, 877
200, 300

2,040,011!

- 2, 040, 016

iii'e.

Total.

4,000

18, 000

28, 000

100,000

150, 000

200, 000

250, 000

2M, 000

352, 500

378, 000

493,747

,')73. 687

C40, 101

598, 394

779, 500

950, 375

1,045,661

1,106,4011

971, 924

806, 495

909. 047

997, 890

1, 142, 722

1, 714, 981

1,633,419

1, 576, 737

1, 325, 979
1, 870, 470
1, 898, 867

2. 040, 016

REAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS.

Exhibit H.

379

A. BILL to anieuil All act ootitlud "An act to provide for the protection of tlu^ .saluiMn fisheries of

Alaska."

Be it eiiacu'd by fhe Soiate and House of Uepresentatives of the United States of Avierica
in Congress assembled, That the act approved March seconfl, eighteen liundred and
tijfhty-nine, entitled "An act to provide for tlie protection of the salmon iisheriesof
Alaska,'" is hereby amended and reenacted. as follows:

Skction 1. That the erection of dams, barricades, lisli wheels, fences, traps, pound
nets, or any tixed or stationary obstructions in any part of the rivers or streams of
Alaska, or to lish for or catch salmon or salmon trout, in any manner or by any means,
witli the purpose or result of jneventinjr or impeding the ascent of salnirm orsalmon
trout to their spawning ground, is,leelared to be unlawful, and the .Secretary of the
Tri'iisury is hereby authorizod an<l directed to remove sucli obstructions and to estab-
lish a?td enforce such regulations and surveillance as may be necessary to insure that
this prohibition and all other provisions of law rehiting to the salmon lislieries of
Alaska are strictly complied with.

Skc. 2. That it shall be unlawful to tish, catch, or kill any salmon or salmon trout
of any variety, except with rod or spear, above tlu! tide waters of .'iny of the creeks
or rivers of less than live huudre<l feet wide in the Territory of Alaska, or to lav or
set any drift net, set net, or seine ior any purpose, across the tide w.iters of any river
or stream for a distance of more tliau one-third of the width of such nver, stream,
or channel, or lay or .set any seine or net wit bin on(! hundred yards ol' any other net
or seine which is being laid or set in said stream or chaiii-el, or to take, kill, or lish
for salmon in any manner or by iiny uieaus in any of the waters of the Territory of
Alaska, either in the streams or tide waters, from noon on Saturday of each week
until six o'clock [lost meridian of theSuuday following, or to tish for, or catch, or kill in
any manner, or by any appliances, excejjt by rod ors]>car, any salino]i or salmon trout
in any stream of less than one hundred yards in width in the s;iid Territory of Alaska
between the hours of six o'clock in tlie morning and six o'clock in the evening of the
same day of each and every day of the week.

Si;c. 3. That the .Secretary of the Treasury may, at his discretion, set aside certain
streams as spawning grounds, in which no fishing will be; ])eruiitted; and wheu, in
his Judgment, the results of tishing operations on any stream iinlicate that the
number of salmon taken is larger than the capacity of the stream to produce, he is
authorized to establish weekly close seasons, to limit the duration of the fishing
season, or to proliibi*: tisiiing entirely for one year or more, so as to permit the
salmon to increase.

Ufa:. 4. That to enforcie the provisions of law herein, and sucli regulations as the
Secretary of the Treasury may establish in ]>ursuance tliereof. he is authorized and
directed to appoint one inspector of lislieries ,at a salary of ten <lollars per ilay,
and two assistant inspectors at a salary of eight dollars each jier day, and he will
annually submit to Congress estimates to cover the salaries and actual traveling
expenses of the oHicers hereby authorized and for such other ex](en<lituros as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of the law herein.

.Sr.c. 5. That any person violating the provisions of this ait, or the regulations
established in pursuance thereof, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a
line n6t exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment at hard lal)or for a term of
ninety days, or both such line and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court:
And provided further, I'hat in case of the violation of any of the jirovisions of sec-
tion one of this act, and conviction thereof, a further line of two hundred and fifty
dollars per diem will be imposed for each day that the obstruction or obstructions
therein are maintained after notice tt remove the same. .Said notice may be given
by any Government officer or private citizen.

i i

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