ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 215 



islands, respectively, they having been personally in charge of these 

 islands for the past two years. The inclosed tabulated mortality tables 

 made by Dr. C A. Lutz, the resident physician of this island, are correct 

 and AYorthy of consideration. 



I shall confine my remarks to the Island of St. Paul, as I have had 

 no opportunity to visit St. George Island since my arrival here, June 1. 

 I am satisfied, however, from the information I have received from Col. 

 Joseph Mm ray. Treasury agent, now in charge of St. George Island, 

 that the same condition of attairs exists there as on this (St. Paul) island. 

 By referring to the itemized statement of skins taken, you will observe 

 the number of pups killed for food during the fall of 1S8S was 2,178. 

 This was an unusually small number, exce])ting the year previous, but 

 it was adjudged the proper per cent to kill under the existing circum- 

 stances and respecting the future of the rookeries. The killing of a 

 large number of merchantable seals for food followed during the winter. 

 These skins were salted and accepted by the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany as part of their quota of skins for this year. 



The first appearance of the bulls at their usual annual haunts was 

 May 5, but the coming of these animals to the rookeries was unusually 

 late, followed by a late ap))earance of the cows. At first it was sup- 

 I)osed that the severe winter had prevented the seals from returning 

 as in the past, but close observation on the part of Mr. J. P. Manches- 

 ter revealed the fact that it was owing to the scarcity of the seals, 

 wliicb was to him very perceptible as the season advanced, and as the 

 killing by the Alaska Commercial Company proceeded, the daily, weekly, 

 and monthly recei])ts were much smaller than ever before. The small 

 number of pups killed in the fall for food, the late appearance of the 

 bulls and cows the following spring in large schools as in the past, and 

 the alarming decrease in the daily, weekly, and monthly receipts of the 

 Alaska Commt rcial Company, and as a dernier resort by said company 

 to secure their 10(),()00 skins the killing of smaller seals than was cus- 

 tomary, attest conclusively that Mr. J. P. Manchester's observations 

 were undoubtedly correct, that there is a scarcity of seals, and that 

 within the last year or so they are from some cause decreasing far 

 beyond the increase. 



As this is the last year of the present lease and there is a new lease 

 to be made, I would respectfully suggest that it is of vital importance 

 to the existence of seal life that the annual quota in the future be 

 limited to the taking of 00,000 skins as the maximum from the Pribilof 

 Islands, 52,500 from St. Paul, Otter, and Walrus islands, and 7,500 from 

 St. George for the first five years of the lease. At the expiration of 

 said time the number to be increased or decreased, as the Secretary of 

 the Treasury may deem advisable. The work of killing seals and salt- 

 ing skins has been accomplished only through the assistance rendered 

 by labor imported from Unalaska, as the number of laborers on the 

 island was too small to complete the task within the limited time allotted 

 by the Government. By reference to the census, you will see that the 

 inhabitants are annually decreasing, and that the females are largely 

 in excess of the males. Here I will say that I heartily concur with Mr. 

 T. F. Eyan, formerly Treasury agent to these islands, whose letter to 

 the Department bearing date April 8, 1889, upon this subject was 

 referred to me. And in reply to Department letter to me, bearing date 

 May 6, 1889, will say that some way to infuse new life into these few 

 remaining people should be devised by the Department at once and 

 speedily executed before it is too late. It is impossible for the Treas- 

 ury agent in charge to receive reliable information concerning the wishes 

 and condition of the natives elsewhere on the Aleutian chain, whether 



