134 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



last animal report (save tlie slight increase caused by marriages of 

 women from abroad), and this despite the fact that the condition of the 

 l^eople in the matter of physical comforts and wealth is exceptionally 

 good for a primitive race. Chronic diseases of long standing, and dis- 

 eases of a scrofulous character seem to be deep rooted in the constitu- 

 tions of this simple peox)le. 



The earnings of the native sealers on St. Paul Island amounted for 

 the year to $32,104.40 (not including considerable payments for miscel- 

 laneous labor), obtained from the following sources, viz: 



79,445 prime seal skins, at 40 cents $31, 778. 00 



555 cut seal skins, at 20 cents 111. 00 



264 sea-lion skins, at 60 cents 158. 40 



GHjarrels intestines, at $6 57.00 



Total 32,104.40 



This aggregate sum was divided by the chiefs and people upon a 

 community plan of their own and distributed among the entire resident 

 native population in the following i^roportions, viz : 



61 first-class shares at $406.55 $24,799.55 



16 second-class shares at $369.05 5,904.80 



2 third-class shares at $300 600.00 



4 special appropriations 350. 05 



3 chiefs, each $150 extra 450.00 



Total 32,104.40 



Three first-class shares, amounting to $1,219.65, were appropriated 

 to pay for the translation of the Russian Church service into the Aleu- 

 tian language. 



The earnings of the native sealers on St. George Island amounted to 

 $8,000, being the proceeds of 20,000 prime seal skins at 40 cents each, 

 which sum was divided and distributed as follows : 



10 shares, at $400 $4,000.00 



4 shares, at $385 1,540.00 



5 shares, at $272 1,360.00 



2 shares, at $50 100.00 



Church appropriation 1> 000. 00 



Total - 8,000.00 



In addition to the above there was earned by the St. George people 

 during the year the sum of $2,135.25 by taking sea-lion and fox skins 

 and performing other labor. 



Repressive measures heretofore used against the manufacture and 

 use of quas, or home-brewed beer, have been continued with good 

 effect. Drunkenness among the people has been reduced to the miui- 

 mum. I consider this course necessary to the salvation of this people. 

 There is good reason to believe that with free trade in rum and furs on 

 these islands, both people and seals would practically disappear within 

 the next decade. 



The venerable Bishop E^estor, head of the Russian Greek Church in 

 America, visited these islands early in the present season on a religious 

 mission. He preached to tlie people, and, in compliance with the 

 expressed wish of the President, instructed them in the principles of a 

 ]rurer morality and a higher form of (dvilization, reminding them of 

 their duties, religious and civil, and adjuring them to abandon the evils 



