ALASKA. 243 



" 77/ r //(/•-. sra/.v (' scjicMts 'j ;istuiii>li us l>y llicir ;;real miin- 

 bers, jis tlioy «:;rauually come up on to tlieir bieedin^^placcs, 

 notwithstanding liarsli and foolish treatment of them, eontinued 

 almost half a century (until 1824) without mercy. 



"In the first years, on ISaint J^aul's Island, from ."i(),(M)() to 

 00,0(10 were taken annually, and on JSaint George from 40,000 

 to 50,000 every year. Such horrible killing was neither neces- 

 sary nor demanded. The skins were ire(|uently taken without 

 aijy list or count. In 1803, 8()0,()0() seal-skins had accumulated, 

 and it was impossible to make advantageous sale of so many 

 slvins; for in this great number so many were spoiled that it 

 became necessary to cut or throw into the sea 700,000 pelts! 

 If G. Kezanov (our minister to Japan) had not given this his 

 attention, and put himselt between the animals and this foolish 

 management of them, it appears plainly to me that these crea- 

 tures Avould have long ago changed for the worse. 



" Of the number of skins taken up to 1817, 1 have no knowl- 

 edge to rely upon, but from that time, and up to the present 

 writing, I have true and reliable accounts, which I put in the 

 appendix to this volume. From these lists it will be seen that 

 still in 1820, ou both islands, there were killed more than 50,000 

 seals, viz, on Saint Paul's, 39,700 j and on Saint George, 10,250. 

 There were eye-wituesses to the reason for this diminution of 

 the seals, and it is only wonderful besides that they are still 

 existing, as they have been treated almost without mercy so 

 many years. The cows produce only one pup each every year. 

 They have known deadly enemies, and also are still exposed to 

 many foes unknown. From this killing of the seals they steadily 

 grew less, except ou one occasion, which was on Saint George's 

 Island, where an opportunity was given suddenly to kill a large 

 number; but the circumstances do not seem to be important. 

 On one occasion a drive was made of 15,000 male and female 

 seals, but the night was dark, and it was not practicable to 

 separate the cows from the males ; and they were, therefore, 

 allowed to stand over until daylight should come. The men 

 put in charge of the herding of the drove were careless, and 

 the seals took advantage of this negligence, and made an 

 attempt to escape by throwing themselves from the blufts over 

 the beach near by into the sea ; but, as this bluti" was steep, 

 high, rough, and slippery, they fell over and were all injured. 

 Now, for the first time, great numbers of seals were missed, 

 and why, it was not signilicant or apparent; but on the follow- 

 ing year, instead of the appearance and catch of 40,000 or 



