52 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



working gang for the sealing business is none too large now, and many 

 days during the press of the best driving and killing season in June 

 and July they are short handed. 



But if you decide in favor of the third class also, and exclusively, 

 you will settle the matter in the most satisfactory manner with regard 

 to the wishes of the people themselves. Accurate records of the peo- 

 ple living upon the islands at the time of the granting of the lease can 

 be found in the church registers on both islands. A copy of theone on 

 St. Paul I embody in my report, and the record with regard to St. 

 George was in the custody of Father Shaiesneekoflf, of Unalaska, who 

 was absent on the occasion of my being there August, 1873. 



Third. The brewing of beer, or "quas," upon the Pribilof Islands. 

 The existing law, which prohibits the importation, making, or vending 

 of spirituous or fermented liquors in the Territory, is an excellent one, 

 but the natives can evade it almost everywhere, and do so by brewing 

 a species of beer from sugar, rice, flour, etc., with which they become 

 intoxicated; but upon the seal islands this law can be thoroughly 

 enforced, and it should be done rigidly, with honest regard for the best 

 interests of the people there, who had they the opportunity would be in 

 a chronic condition of drunken debauchery. This is only natural on 

 their part, for most of their time is passed in idleness, owing to their 

 position and the character of service they are called upon to render, 

 which engages them scarcely over two working months in the year. 



The Government agent upon these islands can quietly and effectually 

 abate this existing nuisance of beer intoxication bymarking the offend- 

 ing persons and instructing, or rather authorizing, the company's agent 

 to discontinue the selling of sugar, hops, etc., to the i>arties who abuse 

 the privilege of i)urchasing them, and this agent of the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company will cheerfully do so. 



As matters now stand the law is simply nothing in regard to prevent- 

 ing the great evil of intoxication among these simple people, carried 

 out, as it has been, by the Treasury agent in charge of the islands 

 during the season of my residence there in 1872-73. 



The ])hysicians on the two islands should alone have the dispensation 

 of liquor, and they should be well supplied with it for medicinal use only, 

 but to all others living or visiting on the Pribilof Islands the law 

 should be patent and real. 



I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



Henry W. Elliott, 

 Special Agent Treasury JJepartment. 

 Hon. Wm. a. Eichardson, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



Special Agent Bryant : Shipping receipt, quota of 1873. 



Treasury Agent's Office, 



St. Paul Island, May 14, 1874. 



Sir : I hereby certify that the Alaska Commercial Company have this 

 day shipped on board their steamer Alexander, for transshipment at 

 Unalaska, 256 fur-seal skins of last year's catch, being the balance 

 remaining on hand of last year's quota. 



Charles Bryant, 

 Treasury Agent, in Charge of Seal Islands, 

 Collector of Customs, 



San I'ramisco, Cal. 



