ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 265 



I have found the natives of this island an exceedingly easy people to 

 govern and <;ontrol. The Government agent in charge being the sole 

 representative and executive of the law, is, as you are aware, neces- 

 sarily brought into very close and intimate relations with these people, 

 having to do with the minutest details of their everyday life. 



My comparatively brief experience in governing them convinces me 

 that"^ a policy of kindness, with firmness and an appeal to their man- 

 hood and womanhood, hold the best promise of good results, having 

 in view their happiness and their advancement to a higher and a better 

 civilization. 



I believe that it would be difficult to find anywhere within the juris- 

 diction of our Government any people so easy to control, considering 

 that they are kept in enforced idleness ten mouths of each year. 



I regard their readiness to comply with any and all rules and regula- 

 tions of this office for their government as testifying to their manhood 

 and good citizenship. In this connection it affords me great pleasure 

 to report that during the time that I have had immediate charge there 

 have been but three instances of violation of any rule or regulation. 

 These were mild cases of partial intoxication during' their holiday fes- 

 tivities. There has been no drunkenness or brawling in the village 

 streets or in the homes of the people; not a single breach of the peace. 



It is a source of gratification to be able to state that the journals of 

 this office show that in this regard the winter just closed presents an 

 exception to those of any of the preceding twenty years. 



The fact is patent that but little advancement has been made by the 

 natives of this island toward an intelligent American citizenship during 

 the twenty years that they have been nominally citizens of the Kepublic; 

 tliat not to exceed 10 per cent of them, who during the time mentioned 

 have attended English schools, speak the English language. This may 

 be explained by the well-kuown objection of the parents to their chil- 

 dren learning to speak English, and to the further fact that the services 

 of their church, the Greek Catholic, are conducted wholly in the Russian 

 and Aleutian languages. 



The small advancement made by the pupils in the schools is attribu- 

 table, also, in large measure to the fact that the schools have been- 

 conducted by persons not trained to the profession of teaching. 



It is in my opinion to be regretted that the Department, in granting 

 the new lease of the Seal Islands, did not reserve to itself the employ- 

 ment of the school-teachers, who should hold certificates showing their 

 qualification to teach, at least, the primary branches in our common 

 schools. 



In relation to the condition of the seal rookeries and hauling grounds 

 of this island, I do not feel called upon to go into details in view of the 

 full and exhaustive manner in which the subject is treated in your 

 report of this year; and also in view of the forthcoming report of Prof. 

 H. W. Elliott, who was sent by the Department especially to examine 

 and report upon the condition of seal life on this and the island of St. 

 George. 



But I desire to add my testimony to that of my associates as to the 

 deplorable condition of the seal grounds upon this island. The large 

 grass-grown areas of these grounds, until a comparatively recent period 

 <)ccui)ied en masse by seals to be numbered by the million, and now 

 wholly deserted; the driving and redriving from all of the hauling 

 grounds on this island by the lessees, during the present season, in 

 their efforts to obtain their quota, and the meager results attained, tell 



