RECORD OF J. W. BEAMAN. 273 



September 25. The seals are largely diminished in numbers on the plateau of the 

 Eeef. Evidently they live more in the water and haul out less frequently and for 

 shorter periods at this season. 



September 30. Pups are still abundant on the south shore of the bluff under the 

 village, and in the water edge along the edge. On Speel are three old bulls which 

 seem to have come back to their old camping ground. 



Octobers. The sea-lion drive from Northeast Point arrived at G p. in., having 

 left Northeast Point at noon Sunday, the quickest drive on record. The 195 sea lions 

 killed were all females. ' 



October 20. In a drive for food from Lukanin 10 females were killed by accident. 

 The seals still hold the plateau of the Eeef in about the same number as upon the 25th 

 ultimo. 



October 21. On Speel the cows and pups are holding both sides of the point. 

 One old bull is hauled up among the cows. The pups are still nursing. 



October 25. No seals are hauled south of the village. It is evident that many 

 cows and pups have gone since the cold weather set in. 



October 26. Permission was granted to kill 5,000 male pups. Complaint was 

 made that it would be difficult to get 5,000 pups of sufficient size if the females were 

 excluded. Permission to include females was positively refused. 



October 29. Upon knocking down a pod of pups driven from Lukanin such a 

 large proportion were found to be females that orders were given to kill each one 

 separately after examination ; 540 were killed. 



October 30. In the morning the balance of the drive was killed 335. Direction 

 was given to the chief to see that the female pups were driven back into the water. 

 Undoubtedly a large number of these will be unable to recover from the effects of the 

 drive and will perish. 2 



October 31. From a drive of pups at Kitovi 999 were killed. Care had evidently 

 been used in selecting this lot, as only one or two females were noticed. 



November 1. The pups which were killed by accident or exhausted on the drive 

 from Kitovi were brought up in a wagon and distributed 90 in all; 7 were reported 

 crushed by the larger seals while sorting the sexes. These were too small for food or 

 use. Ten were brought in by the men engaged in the work of selection. A total of 

 1,106 from Kitovi were killed, making 1,985 pups to date. A number of pup car- 

 casses weighed 8 to 10 pounds each after the viscera, pelt, and blubber had been 

 removed. 3 



November 3. At a drive of pups from Lukanin 1,142 were killed; 42 which had 

 been killed in selecting or on the drive were brought in by the men. 



1 In this indiscriminate slaughter of the sea lions we probably have the cause of their great dimi- 

 nution. 



2 The probable careless methods of handling these pups in preceding seasons here suggested is 

 worthy of note. The agent during this season seems to have given the matter close personal attention, 

 and it is strange, in view of what he found, that the wasteful practice should have been allowed to 

 continue. It is not likely that this agent's course of action endeared him to the natives, but it was 

 certainly directed toward the best interests of the Government. 



:! As the skins of these pups, if allowed to grow up, would have been worth to the Government 

 in tax alone $3, it becomes evident that the supplying of pup meat to the Aleuts was an expensive 

 luxury. 



