306 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



Browu, as directed, who was to temporarily be in charge during my 

 absence, and on the same day departed for Unalaska and Port Town- 

 send, arriving at the latter place June 24. 



After completing my labors in the Puget Sound country I was di- 

 rected to come to Washington, and was engaged at the State Depart- 

 ment in the Bering Sea case until September 26, when I was again 

 ordered to San Francisco to take evidence in the counter case. I 

 returned to Washington November 20, and since that time have been 

 engaged at the State Department in pursuance of instructions from the 

 honorable Secretary of State. 



My duties connected with the State Department have been incessant, 

 and of such a nature that, since June 10, I have had but little time to 

 devote to my duties as the chief executive officer of the islands. As a 

 result of my year's work, I have accumulated a lajge amount of evi- 

 dence relating to seal life, which has been transmitted to the honorable 

 Secretary of State, and will be used with other evidence in connection 

 with the Bering Sea arbitration case. 



The reports of Treasury Agents J. Stanley-Brown, Joseph Murray, 

 and A. W. Lavender for 1892 are on die with the Department, and set 

 forth very fully matters of interest connected with the islands. Espe- 

 cially is this the case with the report of Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, who was 

 the agent in charge after my departure June 10, and I would respect- 

 fully call attention to the same.as correctly expressing my own views 

 upon the various subjects of which it treats. It is in line with the 

 re]>orts made by the agents the year previous, and I would respect- 

 fully urge that the Department take action on the recommendations 

 contained therein. 



Before leaving the islands in 1891 I left strict instructions that no 

 fur seal should be killed during the stagey season, and no pup seals 

 should be killed at any time. The stagey period for that year was 

 determined to be between the dates of August 12 and October 25. 

 Notwithstanding my instructions in this respect, Agent S. E. Nettleton, 

 of St. George Island, permitted the natives to drive at various times and 

 kill for food 282 seals. A portion of the skins was rejected by the agent 

 of the company on account of being stagey, but were subseciuently 

 accepted by them in San Francisco. The agent claimed that the natives 

 demanded seal meat for food, but I am of the opinion that this did not 

 warrant disobedience on his part of positive instructions upon this 

 subject, especially as there was plenty of other food supplies on the 

 island at the time. 



I would reiterate what was said in my former report that the fur 

 seals should not be killed or disturbed during this eventful period of 

 their existence. It is at this time that the seals are vshedding their 

 hair. The liarems are broken up and the bulls, cows, holluschickie, and 

 pups are mingling together, and it is impossible to make a drive with- 

 out having more or less number of female seals in it. 



WRECKED SAILOKS. 



April 12 the whaling vessel Alexander^ of San Francisco, with a 

 crew of 29 men, was wrecked on St. Paul Island. The crew were all 

 saved, but the A^essel was a total loss. The crew were destitute and 

 had to be cared for by the North American Commercial Company until 

 the arrival of the revenue cutter Bear, June 2. As they were making 

 considerable trouble on the island, I requested Captain Healy to remove 

 them to Unalaska, which he made arrangements to do. 



