ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 89 



lu tbis position she remaiued for eleven days, after whicli she took 

 her departure through the night and has not been seen here since. 



I have, however, learned through Captain Erskine that a small ves- 

 sel answering her description has been seen around Otter Island. 

 This is the same little schooner and captain that was here killing seals 

 two years ago during my absence East, and was allowed to slip through 

 the hands of William J. Mclntyre, who was then in charge of the island. 



I am also informed that the schooner Ocean Spray has been around 

 your island this season killing seals, and has since been seized by Colo- 

 nel Wood, deputy collector at Unalaska, and taken to San Francisco 

 via Sitka. 



It would appear from the way those small vessels are cruising around 

 our islands, shooting and spearing seals contrary to law, that the serv- 

 ice of a revenue cutter is much wanted. In fact, I know of no part 

 of the Territory where a cutter is any more needed than here dur- 

 ing the summer season, and I would request that the attention of the 

 Secretary be called to this fact, for unless the islands are protected in 

 some such way as this there will be others engage in the enterprise in 

 future. 



Ko doubt captains or commanders of cutters will use very plausible 

 arguments against coming here, but I see no reason why a vessel could 

 not visit the islands with perfect safety, say once in ten days, with 

 headquarters at Unalaska. 



Eeceipts for Government and native coal, also for 20 barrels fish, have 

 been forwarded you in a separate inclosure. 

 I am, respectfully, 



Samuel Falconer, 

 Late Assistant Treasury Agent. 



Oapt. Chas. Bryant, 



Agent in Charge of Seal Islands. 



H. R. Mclntyre, agent of Ala sTia Commercial Company; poaching 



schooners. 



San Francisco, August 15, 1876. 



Sir : I regret to report that the agents of the Government and com- 

 pany in charge of the seal islands have not been entirely successful in 

 protecting them from marauders during the past sealing season. 



On the 13th of June, 1876, the schooner Ocean Spray, Butler, master, 

 brought to the islands a piratical crew, commanded by one Dr. Thatcher, 

 who was formerly connected with a similar expedition in the schooner 

 San Diego., and comprising, in addition to the usual number of sailors, 

 twenty-six Indians from British Columbia, with an interpreter from 

 Victoria. By stress of weather a canoe load of Indians, with Dr. 

 Thatcher, was thrown upon St. Paul Island after attempting unsuccess- 

 fully to gain a footing upon Otter Island, and from these men we learned 

 that the Ocean Spray is owned in San Francisco and chartered for this 

 cruise by one Frank Howell and his partner, by the name of Mbby or 

 Mbbetto. From the admissions of Dr. Thatcher it appears that he 

 intended to place his entire force of Indians upon Otter Island, armed 

 with modern weapons, and to hold it against any force from St. Paul, 

 while his crew proceeded to capture seals on and about the islands. 

 This design was frustrated only by the unusual prevalence of fog, 



