ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 25 



that the only effective method was object teaching, for which there 

 existed a scant supply of material. The school had to be closed in April, 

 and owing to the difficulty of many attending during the sealing season 

 it had not been resumed. At the time of my leaving, August 15, a large 

 building was being iitted expressly for the school and a place for the 

 people to assemble. 



The past winter has been the most severe in long-continued cold 

 weather in the memory of the oldest inhabitants of the island. On the 5th 

 of February large bodies of drift ice came down from the north, envel- 

 oping the island on all sides, and did not finally disappear until May, 

 a period of ninety days. Although no considerable ice formed along 

 the shores of the island, huge sheets of this drift ice, 3 or 4 feet thick, were 

 pushed by the tide high on the rocks, and remained, obstructing the 

 rookeries, until late in June before melting. Owing to this cause the 

 seals were a month later than usual in landing, and many landed in a 

 crippled condition, exhibiting evidence of having suffered injury in 

 working through the large bodies of ice to the south of the island. 



May 15, 1871, the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Alexander 

 arrived from San Francisco, having on board the general agent of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company and a number of employees to reside 

 permanently on the island. The steamer had also as passengers the 

 Russo-Greek bishop from San Francisco, with his attendants, making a 

 parochial visit and to minister to the spiritual wants of the people. The 

 steamer having touched at St. George, in accordance with verbal orders 

 given him by me Special Agent Samuel Falconer came to confer with 

 me in regard to the affairs of that island. The steamer brought all 

 needful supplies and material for conducting the business of taking seal 

 skins. These were landed and a small number of seal skins shipped 

 (3,448, as per certificate dated May 19, 1871). The steamer sailed on the 

 19th for San Francisco. 



A small number of seals were taken for food during the month of 

 May and the skins salted. 



June 1, the seals being present in sufficient numbers, the company 

 commenced taking skins. This employed all the natives steadily, the 

 working force of the island being just sufficient to perform the work in 

 the given time. 



June 11 the company's bark Cyane arrived from San Francisco laden 

 with lumber, wood, and salt for the island. There were several fami- 

 hes residing on the island who came here in the employ of the former 

 Russian Fur Company from the island of Kadiak. At the time of the 

 transfer of the Territory four of these contracted to work in the employ 

 of WilHams & Havens, of New London, Conn., to be returned by them 

 to Kadiak at the end of the sealing season of 1869. It not being con- 

 venient for the agent of Williams & Havens to do this, they agreed with 

 him to cancel said contract and received 1100 each instead of the con- 

 veyance to Kadiak and have since resided on the island, sharing with 

 the other natives in the labor and proceeds of the sealing business. As 

 the bark Cyane was to return by way of Kadiak, and the agent gave 

 them permission to take passage, four families availed themselves of it. 

 These contained eight adults and five children. 



The bark having landed her supplies, sailed again on the IGth for San 

 Francisco, via Unalaska and Kadiak, and the sealing was continued 

 until July 31. 



July 31, the steamer Alexander arrived from San Francisco with sup- 

 plies for the ensuing winter. After landing part of her cargo, on August 

 1 the steamer visited the island of St. George to land supplies and to 



