ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 155 



native food to be used during the past winter. The supplies to be sub- 

 stituted for this seal food will be furnished to both islands for the com- 

 ing year and no pup seals will be allowed to be killed. 



I recommend that an order be issued by you authorizing lard to be 

 issued by the Alaska Commercial Company as one of the articles of 

 jsubstituted food in the place of condensed milk. The milk will be sub- 

 stituted on sale in place of sugar, and obtainable by the natives in that 

 way. The fat of the lard seems to be desirable. 



The skins of the pup seals killed for food have heretofore been used 

 by the natives in the manufacture of blankets, rugs, and other articles 

 for sale, and the proceeds have been considered a sort of perquisite of 

 the natives. They have sold these articles to whalers and others, and 

 it is said that these same articles afforded 'the natives au opportunity 

 of trading for illicit supplies. The advertisement and sale of even pup 

 seal skins by the Government or its agents in San Francisco or elsewhere 

 might and would probably affect to some extent the seal market in 

 London, where all the skins are sold at auction, and possibly be a seri- 

 ous injury to the lessees of the fur-seal islands. It therefore becomes a 

 serious question as to what ought to be done with these pup seal skins. 



There are now in store on St. George Island the 1,028 skins taken 

 there last fall. They were salted and properly cared for by the agent 

 in charge. They are not of great value, being worth in San Francisco 

 but little more than the cost of salting, bundling, transportation, and 

 selling. 



If they are sold by the Alaska Commercial Company, or if they are, 

 as heretofore, used by the natives in constructing articles for sale, and 

 the articles sold by the Alaska Commercial Company for the benefit of 

 the natives, or whatever disposition be made of them, the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company desire that their rights be protected, and that no use 

 be made of these skins which will affect the general market or come in 

 competition with them. If no more are killed the solution is easy, but 

 if, after trial, the seal meat shall again be thought necessary for the 

 health of the natives, and the killing of pup seals be continued, the ques- 

 tion of the disposal of the skins becomes important. I desire instruc- 

 tions as to the disposition of the skins on hand, and for the future 

 disposition of any that may be accumulated. 



The agent in charge of St. George Island reports to me that evidences 

 of a partial raid by a marauding vessel upon the sealing grounds of 

 that island were discovered, and the vessel seen off the grounds on the 

 4th of October last. The success of the effort and the number of seals 

 taken were not ascertained, but the conclusion was that nothing of any 

 serious moment was accomplished. I am of the opinion that a Govern- 

 ment cutter should keep pretty close guard of both islands from the 

 close of the killing season, September 30 or August 15, to the last of 

 October, It is during this time that marauders will be troublesome, 

 if at all. If it were generally understood that a Government vessel 

 was on the lookout, no unlawful attempt to capture seals would be 

 likely to occur. Captain Healey, of the Convin, on his return from St. 

 Lawrence Bay with the Rodgers crew, detailed Lieutenant Lutz and 

 two men to remain uj)ou Otter Island and protect that island from 

 parties who may attempt to kill seals there. 



There have been 24 deaths on St. Paul Island since January 1, 1882, 

 19 of which have occurred since the 19th of the present month. An 

 epidemic of pneumonia has attacked the natives here and elsewhere 

 with, fatal violence. St. George' Island has been very healthy, only 1 



