RECORD FOR 1889. 283 



RECORD KEPT BY J. P. MANCHESTER. 



October 30. The heavy gale has done damage in killing pups on different parts 

 of the islands 5 the damage to seal life by such storms as this must be great. 1 



November 9. Driving of pups for winter food, begun on the 5th, was completed 

 to-day. 2 



November 24. A drive of seals. could not be made to-day, all being in the water 

 on account of the snow and wind. 



November 26. A drive from Reef was secured and 104 killed. The bachelors are 

 very scarce now on this side of the island, and when you find them they are mixed up 

 with the cows. 



December 11.- -Three unsuccessful attempts to get a drive have been made since 

 the 1st instant. The seals have all gone from this end of the island, with the exception 

 of a few at Tolstoi, and they can not be reached. A good many seals are reported 

 still at Northeast Point. 



December 13. After many efforts, a drive of seals was made from Tolstoi and 206 

 were killed. Seals are very scarce, except at Northeast Point. The bad weather of 

 the fall probably accounts for it. 



December 26. The boats went to Sea Lion Rock, securing 78 seals. 



1889. 



May 3. One bull seal is reported on Sea Lion Rock. 



May 4. The chief reports 1 bull seal this afternoon on Reef. The ice about the 

 island makes it hard for the bulls to land. 



May 7. Three bull seals are on the Reef; 1 on Kitovi. 



May 10. Eight bulls are on the Reef; I on Zoltoi; 20 on Northeast Point, and 21 

 at Southwest Bay, English Bay, Tolstoi, Lukanin and Kitovi; total to date, 50. The 

 bulls are hauling faster than last year, but the spring is very late. The island is still 

 surrounded with ice and plenty of deep snow lies on the beaches. 



May 11. Three bulls are on the village reef (Lagoon); 9 on Tolstoi. 



May 22. Natives kill 124 seals on Sea Lion Rock. 



May 31. "Killers" are numerous about the island. 



June 4. A visit to Tolstoi showed 2 cows and about 200 or 300 killable seals. 



June 7. Only about 60 seals are on the reef; about 200 on Southwest Bay; very 

 few at English Bay and Tolstoi. 



June 10. Made a drive from reef; obtained 120 only. A good many cows with 

 pups are reported on the rookery. 



June 26. The killing of 4,200 seals to date is reported from St. George; killed 

 1,314 seals to-day from English Bay and Middle Hill. At Northeast Point 441 were 

 taken. 



June 27. Killed seals at Southwest Bay, 311; and at Northeast Point, 844. 

 About 2,000 killable seals were found on Otter Island. 



1 This statement is too vague to be of value, but it is probable that here as later the phenomenon 

 of dead pups on the sands of English Bay, Zoltoi, and elsewhere, after a heavy gale, is alluded to. 

 The investigations of 1896 and 1897 show that these were wormy pups washed from the rookery fronts 

 and deposited on the sand beaches. Few pups are killed by the surf. 



2 In view of the continued decrease of the young male life on the hauling grounds this premature 

 killing of its product seems wholly inexcusable. 



15184, PT 2 3 



