54 ALASKA INDTTSTRTES. 



concerning the taking of seals by the Alaska Commercial Company, 

 their compliance with the laws of the United States and tlio lease under 

 which they have been acting, and the various changes in the rookeries. 



To Mr. Bryant, as agent in charge of tlie seal islands, more properly 

 belonged the duty to apprise the Department of the changes in the 

 rookeries and the habits of this valuable animal, which constitutes the 

 chief, if not the only, source of revenue derived by the Government 

 from the possessions acquired from Russia. 



The reports submitted by Mr. Bryant to the Department at various 

 times dift'er so widely from my views that I feel it incumbent upon me 

 to communicate to the Department a summary of the result of my 

 operations during my residence on this island. 



The report that I now have the honor to submit is based upon per- 

 sonal observations carefully made during the past four years, and is m 

 the main corroborated by Mr. H. W. Elliott, who was at one time sta- 

 tioned Avith me on this island as an agent of the Treasury. I shall also 

 speak on other topics of interest relating to the island and its inhabit- 

 ants. 



THE ISLAND OF ST. aEORGE. 



This island is much smaller than St. Paul; is situated in latitude 56° 

 19' JC" north, and longitude IGO^ 19' 0" west; is 10 miles long, with 

 an average breadth of about 3i miles, and has an area of 27 square 

 miles. The shores of the island are bold and rocky, and the cliffs are 

 in many places perpendicular, and rise to a height of nearly 1,000 feet. 

 The sides of these cliffs are the favorite resort of myriads of waterfowl, 

 which come here every season to breed; while others breed under the 

 rocks in the center of the island. During the spring and early summer 

 months the natives very readily secure, without incurring much dan- 

 ger, all the eggs they desire. By stationing themselves along the edges 

 of the cliflls, they entrap a great many of the birds by means of a net 

 fastened over a hoop attached to the end of a long pole. 



The island is entirely destitute of timber. There is a heavy growth 

 of grass during the summer, of an excellent quality, affording good 

 pasturage for cattle, and sheep, and goats. 



The only wild animals besides the seal are the blue and white fox. 

 The latter were very numerous when the island was first discovered 

 by the Russians. The white fox evidently made its way to the island on 

 the ice from the Arctic or mainland during some severe winter; but the 

 a])pearance of the blue fox is unaccountable, as the Pribilof Islands 

 and Attn, in the extreme western end of the Aleutian chain, are the 

 only places in America where they are known to exist. 



St. George is ISO miles from the Aleutian Islands, 38 from St. Paul, 

 and about 000 from the Arctic Ocean. 



The mean temperature during the winter is about 2(»o F., and in sum- 

 mer 43°. A great quantity of snow falls during the winter, most of 

 wliich, liowever, is carried off' by the strong winds which blow gener- 

 ally from the north in the winter season. During the summer it rains 

 almost constantly, which, with the dense fogs that prevail during this 

 season, accounts for the humidity of the atmosphere of the islands and 

 their adaptation to the peculiar habits of the I'ur seal. 



THE HABITS OF THE FUR SEAL. 



About the 1st of May the bulls first make their appearance, approach- 

 ing the shore with great caution and raising their heads at intervals 

 well out of water. If everything appears satisfactory they haul up and 



