24 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



board as passeuger Stephen N. Biiynitzky, esq., a clerk of the Depart- 

 ment, with authority to take charge of the islands and allow nie to 

 report for duty in the Atlantic States, and now beg leave to submit the 

 following report : 



For the details of my administration from the time of my taking 

 charge of the seal islands, July 10, 1870, until the departure of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Consiantine, October 12 of the 

 same year, I beg leave to refer to my former reports, dated July 14 

 and October 12, respectively. The sealing season had so nearly 

 expired at that time that only 1,60(> seals were taken for their skins. 



November 2 about 4 inches of snow fell, and, it becoming sufficiently 

 cold for the purpose, the natives commenced taking their supply of 

 winter food and completed it the 11th of the same mouth, taking in all 

 2,800 young seals. These were obtained by driving the females with 

 their young to the uplands, where the pups were caught and examined, 

 males only being selected for this purpose, the others being allowed 

 to return to the rookery. Those selected are driven to the village and 

 slaughtered, after which the chiefs apportion to each family its part. 

 Some families preserve by salting; others suspend the carcass on poles, 

 allowing them to freeze, and are so preserved for eating fresh. These 

 pups at the time are 4 months old, and weigh on an average 36^ pounds. 

 Their skins have no commercial value. 



The principal occupation of the natives during the winter mouths is 

 hunting foxes, which abound in large numbers on the island, for their 

 skins for sale, and shooting such small game for food as can be found 

 at that time of year. The present year the company has paid pre- 

 miums to the parties getting the three highest numbers, and under this 

 stimulant 1,400 were taken during the months of November, December, 

 January, and February. 



During the holidays, from Christmas to Lent, there was much drunk- 

 enness from beer made by fermenting sugar and flour together. The 

 evil became so great that it was found necessary to restrict the sale of 

 sugar to a bare ration, sufficient for their tea, and even then so strong 

 was their appetite that they would associate together and save their 

 small allowance until enough could be had to have a holiday, as they 

 term it. This was especially the case on birth and saint days. Fortu- 

 nately, it does not make them quarrelsome. Twice I found it necessary 

 to interpose my authority to prevent disturbance among the natives, 

 and once a difficulty occurred between the first chief, when drunk, and 

 one of the employees of the company, which led to some dissatisfaction 

 among the people, but the trouble was amicably arranged. 



There is no authority in the native government or provision for 

 punishing crime other than the church by penance, and this seems 

 insufficient for this kind of misdemeanor. It would seem worthy of 

 consideration whether authority should not be given the officer in 

 charge of the island to impose small fines in these cases and apply the 

 proceeds to relieving the necessities of the poor. 



The only possible place where a school could be accommodated was 

 the dining room of the employees of the company, and that could be had 

 only two hours each afternoon. As early as practicable a school was 

 opened, and botli parents and children were deeply interested in its 

 success. It was attended by 29 scholars between the ages of 5 and 18, 

 the average attendance being 95 per cent. All learned the alphabet, 

 and many to read simple sentences. But great difficulty was experi- 

 enced in enabling them to understand the meaning, their isolated con- 

 dition being unfavorable to the development of ideas, and it was found 



