44 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



years and 4 months; average length of life of those now living, 22 

 years and 11 months. It will be seen that the severity of the climate 

 is not favorable to longevity. During the winter and spring following 

 there has been, up to August 1, 2 births and 12 deaths, mostly from 

 consumi)tion. 



A schoolhouse was fitted up and properly constructed and a school 

 commenced October 2 and continued eight mouths, but on account of 

 a prejudice among tlie people who have a fear that in learning English 

 their children will forget their Eussian and weaken their attachment 

 to their church only 7 attended regularly. Under the assiduous care of 

 the teacher these made very commendable progress. There were at 

 the same time three classes taught by natives, two in Eussian and one 

 in Aleut; in all, 17 scholars attended schools of all kinds. Assistant 

 Agent Samuel Falconer reports the same difficulties existing on the 

 island of St. George in regard to securing attendance at school. (See 

 copies of his report inclosed herewith.) The GO tons of coal accepted 

 in lieu of 60 cords of wood for gratuitous distribution was divided 

 according to the population, 40 tons being received at St. Paul and 20 

 tons landed on St. George. It was stored until the severity of the 

 weather rendered its use necessary, in December, 1872, when it was dis- 

 tributed by the chiefs in weekly rations, and lasted until March 1, 1873, 

 after which the supply on hand by the Alaska Commercial Company 

 for sale lasted until May. 



The store was well supplied with dry goods and provisions of good 

 quality and sold at low prices and in such quantities as desired, except 

 the article of sugar, the sale of which was limited to one half pound 

 per person per week. This was necessary to prevent as much as pos- 

 sible the manufacture of quas, or native beer, and the drunkenness pro- 

 duced by its use, and it is believed that during the holy days very little 

 of the small quantity sold was used for tea, being saved in small 

 parcels until suflflcient had accumulated to brew into beer. 



The ice pack that completely inclosed the island in February re- 

 mained until May 23, when it broke up and drifted to southwest, ren- 

 dering it for the first time possible for a vessel to approach the island. 

 The steamer Alexander arrived May 28, bringing mails, etc., from San 

 Francisco, having on board the general agent of the Alaska Commer- 

 cial Company and a number of employees of the company to carry on 

 the sealing. The steamer also brought as passengers from Uualaska 

 the men that belong to the island who took passage to that place in 

 September, 1872, to winter there. The steamer also brought two car- 

 penters from San Francisco to frame and build a church for the natives, 

 the people of both St. Paul and St. George having last year agreed 

 with the Alaska Commercial Company to furnish the materials and a 

 part of the labor for this purpose, to pay for which a fund nearly suf- 

 ficient has been already accumulated by setting aside for that object 

 two first-class shares of the seal fund annually. The materials have 

 since then been landed on the island, and the church on St. Paul has 

 been raised and boarded and will be completed before another year; 

 that on St. George will be built during the ensuing winter. 



The steamers, having finished unloading and taken on board the bal- 

 ance of skins left on the island to fill the quota of 1872, again sailed lor 

 Unalaska June 2 to reload at that place with lumber, coal, salt, and 

 stores for the use of the islands, she being employed to ply between 

 that place and the seal islands until the end of tlie sealing season. 



Immediately after the departure of the steamer the sealing com- 

 menced, and all the natives of the islands worked continuously, Sunday 



