16 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



of necessity, I called on the chiefs at each island to give me a state- 

 ment of the actual wants of the population. 



From the information so obtained and from the absence of provisions 

 in the stores of Hutchinson, Kohl & Co. and Williams & Havens, it 

 became apparent that measures should be taken for supplying the 

 natives from such stores as were put on board the revenue steamer 

 Lincoln in prevision of that emergency. 1 therefore requested the 

 commander of the Lincoln to land on the islands all the bread and 

 flour which might be possibly spared from his vessel, as well as the 

 provisions specially ordered by Department's telegram to the collector 

 of customs at San Francisco dated June 8, 1870. 



The following supplies were put at my disposition : Bread and flour, 

 20,000 pounds; sugar, 4,000 pounds; tea, 525 pounds; salt (as per 

 report of July 5), 10 tons. 



The native population on St. Paul being 240, and on St. George 132, 

 all these stores will be divided between the two islands to correspond 

 as nearly as possible with the proportion of said population. 



The amount of provisions usually required per month for an average 

 family of six persons, as stated by the chiefs, has been, since the treaty 

 of cession, as follows: Bread and flour, 120 pounds; sugar, 15 jjounds; 

 tea, 3 pounds; seal flesh from GO animals of medium size. 



These figures, when multiplied by the number of average families 

 (62 X 6=372), give the amounts required for one month on both islands : 

 Bread and flour, 7,440 jDounds; tea, 186 pounds; sugar, 930 pounds; 

 seal flesh from 3,720 animals. 



As my calculations at San Francisco had to be reduced to the lowest 

 rates in view of the fact that the LAncoln would take a large quantity 

 of coal at Nanaimo, it necessarily follows that the provisions now on 

 hand can not last four months, as I expected, if no reduction is made 

 from the reqnisition of the chiefs. 



It being desirable to satisfy the natives to the same extent as was 

 done under the control of private companies, I determined to issue 

 rations without reduction, in the hope that the Department will find 

 means to forward more supplies during the three months from the date 

 of this letter, through which period my present supplies will carry me 

 at the above rates. 



The mode of issuing and distributing provisions, determined npon 

 after consultation with the chiefs, will be on each island as follows: A 

 committee of three chiefs elected by the people will receive every week 

 from the officer in charge a weekly proportion of provisions and receipt 

 for the same in a book provided for that purpose. The distribution 

 will be made by the chiefs under the supervision of said oflicer. 



As to the seal flesh, I determined to allow the killing from time to 

 time of such numbers of seals as will be actually eaten. No killing 

 will be permitted for the purpose of putting up dried seal flesh for the 

 coming winter, unless the prohibition contained in my instructions is 

 expressly revoked by further orders from the Department. 



In regard to the skins of animals which will be killed for flesh, I con- 

 sidered but just tnat the natives should salt, i^reserve, and hold at the 

 disposition of the Government such quantity of choice skins from each 

 killing as will be sufficient to cover the actual cost of provisions and 

 salt issued to them up to the date of said killing, adopting the usual 

 market price of skins on the islands (40 cents) as a standard of calcu- 

 lation. By this arrangement, after three months from date, a lot of 

 2,100 choice skins on St. Paul and 1,500 on St. George will be held free 

 of any private claim at the disposition of the Treasury Department. 



