ALASKA INDUSTRIES, 230 



of your predecessor in 1888 is so astounding- that those who can not 

 see the rookeries and hauhng grounds for themselves may well be par- 

 doned for doubting what is. I am sorry to say, only painful though it 

 be to all who are interested, the whole truth must nevertheless be told, 

 and that is that the seals have been steadily decreasing since 1880, and 

 the days are passed and gone when they could be counted on the rook- 

 eries by the millions. I have carefully examined the rookeries and 

 hauling grounds at Starry Ateel north and east, and I find somewhat 

 less than half the ground covered when compared with former years. 

 I accompanied the uatives when they went to make a drive irom East 

 Kookery, and we walked along the beach from Little East to East 

 llookery without finding one seal till we came to the breeding grounds 

 proper. Either Mr. Lavender or I was present at every killing made; 

 we saw the numbers that we turned away, and we counted the skins of 

 all that were killed, and we find that what is true of one rookery is 

 true of them all — the seals are not on them. 



iSTow that the seals have disappeared the natives are very much 

 alarmed, and they anxiously inquire what will the Government do for 

 them in their destitution. They have earned during the present season 

 $1, fill. 90, which, I need scarcely add, will be entirely inadequate to 

 supply food and clothing for a year for a population of 90 people. 1 

 never knew a people so attached to a church as these poor creatures, 

 and now they are in great tribulation because they ha^e no means to 

 contribute to its supi^ort, nor to the su])port of the priest and his 

 family. At one of their many meetings they requested me to write for 

 them to the Eussian-Greek Church Consistory at San Francisco and 

 appeal for aid for their priest and church until such times as the seal 

 fisheries should recover and make them self supporting. In justice to 

 the priest, I may tell you that he was the first to say he should not 

 have any share of the earnings of this season, and that he would not 

 take any money from the people until times mended, and that he could 

 aflbrd to pay; otherwise he should apply to the consistory fur a ]>osition 

 in another locality. 



I have endeavored to impress upon them the fact that they are not 

 to be abandoned to their fate; that the Government will not allow 

 them to starve or suffer, but will take care of the people and of the 

 rookeries until the rookeries are built up and fully replenished, M^hen 

 prosperity and happiness will return to the island once more. 



All of which is most respectfully submitted. 



Joseph Murray, 

 First Assistant Agent, St. George Island. 

 Hon. Charles J. Goff, 



Agent in charge of Seal Islands, AlasJca. 



C. — Inclosure with Goff's Annual Beport for 1S90; Eejwrt of Assistant Ar/ent A. TV. 



Lavender. 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. George Island, Bering Sea, July 26, 1890. 

 Sir: I have the honor to make you the following report of this 

 season's sealing by the North American Commercial Company, and to 

 oft'er such recommendations as in my judgment should be enforced by 

 the Government for the protection of these rookeries during the next 

 six or seven years; also to report to you the condition of the natives 

 and their houses, and to ask that such repairs to their houses as are 



