228 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



an examination. (Find copy of liis certificate inclosed.) I summoned a 

 jury of six natives, and after a tliorougii investigation they certified tliat 

 it was a case of suicide. (Copy of their certificate inclosed.) I concurred. 

 January 7, 1889, Aggie Kusliin, a native, and his wife got drunk from 

 drinking quas, andlie assaulted Ins wife. I fined him $10 and put him 

 in irons for two days and cut off his supplies of sweetmeats for about 

 two months. The flue was j>laced to the credit of the general fund. I 

 think it is the duty of the United States Government to furnish the 

 Government officers on each island one good surfboat. The Govern- 

 ment officers are called upon to use boats quite often, and having none 

 are obliged to borrow of the Alaska Commercial Company. They are 

 always very kind and obliging; still, the Government should not use up 

 their jjroperty. 



The first bull seal made his appearance at this island May 3, 1889. 



On January 1 . 1889, the census of St. Paul Islaud was as follows : Nati ve 

 population, 223'; number of families, 05. Males: Adults, 48; from 5 to 

 17 years, 23; under 5 years, 17. Females: Adults, 70; from 5 to 17 

 years, 37 ; under 5 years, 22. Females in excess of males, 47. Mar- 

 riages in 1888, 2 ; births, 12 ; deaths, 27. 



We had no communication with the outside world from the departure 

 of the Alaska Commercial Company's schooner Pearl, October 2, 1888, 

 until the arrival of the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer St. Paul, 

 June 1, 1889. The usual watch of natives was continued while tliere 

 were any seals on the island. No pirate schooners around the island 

 in sight during the time and up to date, June 1, 1889. 

 Eespectfully, yours, 



J. P. Manchester, 



Assistant Treasury Agent. 



Hon. C. J. GoFF, 



Treasiiry Agent, St. Paul Island, AlasM. 



Special Agent Goff; Supplemental Report for 1889. 



CLARKSBURa, W. Va., December 23, 1889. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following supplementary to my 

 annual report of the operations and conditions of the Seal Islands, 

 Alaska, for the season of 1889. 



On September 22 the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Pora 

 arrived at St. Paul Island, having on board Mr., S. E. Nettletou, your 

 recent appointee as agent to the seal fisheries, who is now in cbarge of 

 the island, I having returned to my home for the winter, as per instruc- 

 tions bearing date August 10, 1889. After the closing of the sealing 

 season, which was July 31, I visited the rookeries daily and made a 

 careful survey of them to ascertain as near as possible the condition 

 of the present seal life with tlie past. From the first I was forcibly 

 impressed with the decrease in number, taking as a guide the report 

 of my predecessor, the Hon. George E. Tingle; but thinking I might 

 be mistaken, and not wishing to sound a needless alarm to the Depart- 

 ment, I ventured the suggestion of taking 00,000 seals as the maxi- 

 mum for the first five years of the new lease, the number to be increased 

 or decreased as the Secretary may deem advisable. I now, without 

 hesitation, after a more careful observation of the entire situation, 

 think that my suggestion of 00,000 was too high, and won Id respect- 

 fully insert instead 50,000 as the maximum, the number to be increased 



