ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 133 



any degree of correctness. As well as I can judge, after close obser- 

 vation, it is increased rather than diminished since last year. Several 

 of the principal rookeries and hauling grounds show a steady and 

 unmistakable expansion over former years. Others show some changes 

 in their boundaries, but no contraction is apparent. On the sand 

 beaches, bluffs, and plateaus, apart from the breeding rookeries, there 

 is a conspicuous surplus of large males without harems — capable bulls 

 who have been elbowed out of the family circle. This fact may be 

 taken as evidence that more than enough young males have been annu- 

 ually spared in recent years to supply all the requirements for breeding 

 l^urposes. 



The size of the harems (which are each lorded over by a single big 

 bull) varies greatly. As a rule they embrace from fifteen to twenty 

 cows each, occasionally as many as forty and even fifty, frequently not 

 more than from three to five. One fact is quite evident : The bulls 

 invariably gather about them as many cows as each can court, cajole, 

 or capture, be the number more or less. 



After the killing of more than 75,000 young male seals, or bachelors, 

 on St. Paul Island within the short space of six weeks, a very large 

 number of good, killable animals remain. 



On St. George Island, as shown by the report of Assistant Treasury 

 Agent Moulton, the same favorable condition of the seal life substan- 

 tially obtains, the animals api)earing in lesser numbers, of course. 

 Captain Moulton says : 



All classes of seals are here in the usual numbers, the class required for their skins 

 arriving in greater numbers in June of this year than in June of last year. All the 

 breeding rookeries are in the most satisfactory condition, there not being apparently 

 any falling off in the numbers of breeding seals, either male or female. After frequent 

 and careful inspection of the several breeding rookeries, I am of opinion that no injury 

 has been done to the seal life by taking 20,000 seals for their skins. 



I have visited this island (St. George) since the close of the sealing 

 season, and found many killable seals on the hauling grounds, and can 

 verify the above opinion of my assistant. 



After this, my second season's, experience at the seal islands, I am 

 satisfied that the maximum number (100,000) of seals allowed by law to 

 be killed annually for their skins may be taken each year in the future 

 without detriment to this valuable interest of the Government and 

 people and without endangering the indefinite perpetuity of the seal 

 life, unless, indeed, unknown enemies rise up and destroy it, or the 

 animals change their habits and seek other resorts for their kind, of 

 which there is now no apparent prospect. 



How much impression may in time be made upon their numbers here 

 by the reported lawless and indiscriminate killing of female seals in 

 and about the Straits of Fuca on their annual migrations northward it 

 is difficult to estimate. I have heretofore called your attention to this 

 waste. 



THE NATIVE PEOPLE. 



The native population of St. Paul Island, as shown by the census 

 taken on the 1st of January, 1880, embraced 83 resident families and a 

 total of 278 souls. During the year there were 9 marriages, 19 births, 

 and 18 deaths on this island. 



St. George Island, by the census taken July 1, 1880, had a total 

 poj)ulation of 92 souls; the families numbered 25, and there were 4 

 marriages, 5 births, and 6 deaths during the year. 



The natural increase in population is thus shown to be very slow; in 

 fact, the population of the islands has remained stationary since my 



