78 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



those that were lost, must have reached 300,000 seals that were destroyed. Of this 

 number three-fourths were females, that are not killable seals on the islands and are 

 not counted in the Pribilof catch. 



The verification of this calculation is ahnost perfect in 1892, when the pelagic 

 sealers took 73,000 seals, and in 1891, when they took 68,000. The close approxima- 

 tion of these figures shows that the loss of the seals on the islands was due to pelagic 

 sealing and not to the want of virility in the bulls on 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 569,065 (273,000 of which were females) is an evil that requires to 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 the United States of all 

 possible advantage and compensation derived from its eliorts to save the species. 

 What the United States has done, or omitted to do, to deserve treatment at the hands 

 of this tribunal that will expose its lawful industries to ruin, its revenues to deple- 

 tion, and its wards on the Pribilof Islands to the loss of their only valuable industry 

 will be an inquiry that will seriously challenge the justice of such an award, in the 

 estimate 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 wheu the treaty was made and before ratifications were exchanged. This 

 subject was not referred to in any of the correspondence between the Governments, 

 and the treaty is silent as to this supposed mismanagement. 



Will the tribunal, in such a case, make an objection to protecting and preserving the 

 fur seals on the water because Great Britain has not thought it proper or necessary 

 to call the methods into question, or the United States into account for its manner of 

 dealing with that subject on land? True, if it can be shown that the depletion of 

 the herd is due to that cause, and not to pelagic hunting, that is a just and proper 

 inquiry. If it is due to both causes, this tribunal will deal with the pelagic evil, 

 that is submitted to its consideration, and leave it to the nations concerned in the 

 protection of seal life to deal with the evil on land. 



If the United States are not so wise in caring for the seals on land as the pelagic 

 hunters are in caring for them at sea, as seems to be asserted, they are quite as 

 earnest in the wish to do so. They destroy no female seals, while the pelagic hunter 

 never spares one. They do not fire upon the breeding rookeries when the seals are 

 massed, many of them asleep, with double-barreled shotguns and buckshot car- 

 tridges. They do not kill indiscriminately all seals that come in sight. 



The United'States permit no female seals to be killed; wliile 75 per cent of those 

 killed by the pelagic hunter are females heavy with young and almost helpless. 



In that condition, as well as in accordance with a law of their nature, which is an 

 important fact in connection with their domesticity, the female fur seals require a 

 great deal of sleep. When asleep, they turn upon their backs, fold their flippers 

 over their breasts, and curving their hind flippers upward, they form their bodies as 

 a sort of boat, the spinal column representing the keel. They can only breathe 

 the upper air; they can not, like a fish, extract air from the water. After inhaling 

 the air the nostrils close firmly together, and the air, heated by their bodies, expands 

 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. AVe know nothing of their habits at night while in the ocean. On land 

 they are so boisterous at night with their bowlings that sleep would seem to be 

 impossible, except from sheer exhaustion. They have not a keen vision, and the 

 suulight is paiuful to them, so that they leave the land and go to sea on days that 

 are bright. This causes them to seek a summer home in a place where fogs and rains 

 prevail. Yet they must have warmth. Nature has amply provided for this necessity 

 by giving them a double coating of thick, strong hair, and of the thickest and finest 

 fur that was ever bestowed upon any species of animals. It is as impervious to 

 water as the down of an eider duck. The pups are born without this fur, and hence 

 their aversion to swimming until it has grown out; and this detains them on land 

 for four months, at least, during which period they can subsist only on the milk of 

 the cow seals. While their vision is not keen, their auditory organs and sense of 

 smell are exceedingly acute. They are attracted by sounds as few other animals 

 are. In this faculty they make a close approach to the endowments of mankind. 

 Sir John Thompson is amused at an account, read by Mr. Justice Harlan, of the 

 seals being attracted in great numbers near to the shore at Hoy by the ringing of a 

 church bell. In his credulous sport over this incident Sir John forgot that it is the 

 personal observation of Mr. Low, one of the greatest naturalists who ever lived, 

 the friend and companion of Cuvier, and is more than confirmed by M. Peron, whom 

 France has honored in the most conspicuous way. His abilities as a naturalist, 



