500 THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



Three "killers" are seeu passing along the side of the reef in the direction of 

 Otter Island. There is no special commotion among seals. They are evidently 

 feeding, judging from the gulls alighting in their wake. 



It is plainly not true that all the pups turn gray. Many are now in color exactly 

 like the yearlings the brown ones. These pups are just as large and sometimes 

 larger than the gray ones. There is just the same distinction in the pups as in the 

 yearlings, and, for that matter, the cows themselves individuality of color. 



The count for St. Paul Island being completed, after discussing the situation it was 

 agreed between Mr. Macoun and myself that 20 per cent would cover the loss of pups 

 included in the count of August and not recognizable in the count just concluded. 



The count of starving pups includes only those weak, emaciated, and plainly 

 about to die, and was made by Colonel Murray and Mr. Barrett-Hamilton, assisted by 

 Jacob Kochuteu, a native. The count is necessarily only approximate arid is an 

 underestimate rather than an overestimate. 



OCTOBER 2 AND 3. 



It has been impossible to get on board the Bear. The weather continued rough 

 and stormy with no lauding through Friday and Saturday. The Bear still keeps 

 her anchorage off the village cove. It is impossible to get out to the rookeries on 

 account of the weather and also because of the necessity for getting off the moment 

 the sea goes down enough to permit sending out a boat. 



OCTOBER 4. 



There being a landing this morning, Colonel Murray, Mr. Barrett-Hamilton, Mr. 

 Macoun, and myself went aboard the Bear with our baggage. The ship steamed 

 immediately for St. George Island, and landed us at 4.30. 



A boat's crew in charge of Lieutenant Hooker of the Grant was also put ashore. 

 These boat's crews are landed for the defense of the rookeries in the absence of the 

 cutters from the sea. 



OCTOBER 5. 

 ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 



As the weather was very uncertain and the captain very anxious to get back to 

 Dutch Harbor, it was thought best to send Treasury Agent Judge and Mr. Barrett- 

 Hamilton to count East and Little East rookeries. Colonel Murray was left to obtain 

 the statistics of the killings on St. George. Mr. Macoun and myself set out for 

 Zapadni rookery at 6 o'clock, counting that rookery, Staraya Artel, and North on our 

 way home, arriving at 1 o'clock. East and Little East having been counted and the 

 other work done, we went at once on board the ship, leaving Mr. Barrett Hamilton on 

 the island to be picked up later with the lieutenant and boat's crew. 



The count of dead pups on St. George was a surprise and extremely unsatisfactory. 

 But one whole pup carcass was seen by me. This was on Zapadni. Mr. Barrett- 

 Hamilton afterwards reported one from East rookery. The skeletons, skins, or skulls 

 were all that could be recognized. The foxes, which were numerous, furnish the 

 explanation. They have long since eaten up the earlier dead pups and are apparently 

 disposing of the starving pups as soon as they die. In one case appearances seem to 

 indicate that a pup had been eaten into while still alive but too weak to escape. The 

 carcass was warm and the blood fresh. 



