ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



67 



Here are the drives made each year from 1871 to 1878, both inclusive, 

 from the rookeries iu question: 



(See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fifty-secoud. Congress, second session, Appendix.) 



In an attempt to show that it was not until 1879 that drives were 

 made from certain rookeries which he is pleased to call a "large reser- 

 voir of male life," which had not been disturbed or touched before 1879, 

 Mr. Elliott quotes the Island Journal as follows: 



Page 92, June 9, 1879: Antone Melovedov started with a gang to make a drive at 

 Halfway I'oiut, Polaviua. (Elliott's report (Paris print), 158.) 



Page 93, June 10,1879: The drive to-day (at Polavina) resulted in the taking of 

 1,118 skins. (H.G.Otis.) (Ibid., 159.) 



Page 93, June 11, 1879: The drive from Southwest Bay (Zapadnie) to-day, and 

 1,462 skins taken. (H. G. Otis.) (Ibid., 159.) 



There is not a word in the foregoing, nor is there a word in the 



journal, to show that the drives mentioned were the first that were 



made from those rookeries, but Mr. Elliott is determined to show that 



overdriving is the principal cause of the destruction of the seals, and 



he continues : 



From this day (June 11, 1879) on to the close of that sealing season's work, .luly 

 20, Zapadnie was driven often, and Polavina also; but in 1880 only one drive was 

 made from this reservoir at Zapadnie, * * * and, again iu 1881, it was not driven 

 from at all, and only one drive that vear made from the Polavina reserve. (Elliott's 

 report for 1890, p. 159.) 



Here the gentleman is again in error, for I find that drives were made 

 from Zapadnie or Soutliwest Bay on May 19 and June 7, 1879, only a few 

 days before he discovered that the first drive had been made on the 9th 

 of June. 



And in 1880 four drives were made from Zapadnie and five 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: 



Zapadnie or Southwest Bay : 



1880. Drives. 

 May 14 1 



June 8- 

 12. 

 16. 



Total 



1881. 

 June 7. 



15. 



28. 

 July 6. 



14. 

 Dec. 7. 



Total 



(See Senate Ex. Doc 



6 

 -sc. Olid Congress, second session. Appendix.) 



