232 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



The North American Commercial Company I'^ve commenced repair- 

 ing tlie native dwelling liouses, and so far Lave complied with all the 

 requirements of their lease. Tlie United States cutter Bear, Capt. 

 M. A. Healy, anchored off this island June 20, and left on the same 

 day. Captain Healy reported "no pirates in Bering Sea." The Bear 

 delivered to this ishind the boat and fixtures complete asked for by me 

 from the Department. 



The Eev. Sheldon Jackson was a passenger on board the Bear, a.\u\ 

 came ashore and inspected ihe village and schoolhonse. He received 

 a copy of th& school report, and was well pleased with the condition in 

 which he found things. 



On July 31, in company with Mr. Tingle and Professor Elliott, I 

 visited Otter Island, and found, to my surprise, that there Avere seals 

 hauled out, as was usual in the past. 



The United States cutter TUcliard Rush, Capt. W. C. Coulson, arrived 

 here July 17, and reported "no pirates in Bering Sea." Prof. H. W. 

 Elliott, your recent appointee as Treasury agent, has spent the season 

 here, dividing his time between the two islands, and giving his entire 

 attention to the state of the rookeries and the methods used at present 

 in driving and killing the seals; and his report will, no doubt, be of the 

 utmost importance and of great value to the Department. 



Mr. William Palmer, a representative of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 has, by your permission, spent the season on St. Paul collecting speci- 

 mens of various birds and animals, and his incessant labors have been 

 abundantly rewarded. 



The merchantable seal skins in the salt houses on St. Paul and St. 

 George islands, taken from the seals killed for food for the natives 

 during the winter of 1889-90, will be shipped, as per instructions 

 bearing date May 5, per United States cutter Bicliard Rush, Capt. 

 W. C. Coulson commanding, which will leave here early in September, 

 consigned to the collector of customs, San Francisco. The matter will 

 be reported directly to you by Mr. Joseph Murray, who has charge of 

 St. Paul Island for the coming winter. The accompanying communica- 

 tions from the representatives of the Alaska ( 'ommercial Company and 

 the North American Commercial Company will fully explain my actions 

 in the matter. 



The total number of fur seals killed and accepted upon this island 

 by the lessees was 10,830, and the total amount earned by the natives 

 and distributed to them was $0,783.30. Your instructions to me upon 

 this subject of dividing the earnings of the natives and looking after 

 their welfare financially 1 endeavored to follow, but was prevented 

 from doing so by Mr. George P. Tingle, general manager for the lessees. 

 His reasons for so doing are inclosed. 



I regret that I am compelled to report that the seals are rapidly 

 diminishing in numbers, and to such an alarming extent that to check 

 the decrease will require, in my opinion, the most careful consideration 

 of the Department. 



To have a correct understanding of how the annual catch is taken 

 it will be necessary to bear in mind the following facts: First, by the 

 acts of Congress governing the seal fisheries, the season opens June 1 

 and closes July 31, unless otherwise restricted by the Secretary of the 

 Treasury; second, the bull seals arrive at the islands between May 1 

 and June 10, and the cows between June 10 and July 10; third, the 

 large young seals whose skins are merchantable commence coming 

 about the middle of May, gradually increasing in numbers as the cows 

 appear, and with the large young seals comes a small portion of the 



