308 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



time, but the indications are that an appropriation fully as large will 

 be necessary for the coming" year. The natives have no way of sustain- 

 ing themselves on these barren islands except by their earnings from 

 killing seal for the North American Commercial Company, and the pro- 

 ceeds of the sale of blue-fox skins. Since the catch of seals was limited 

 to 7,500 and the killing of foxes prohibited (in 1891) the earnings of 

 the natives have been small as comi^ared with former years. 



This prohibition against taking foxes became necessary on account 

 of the immense slaughter (about 1,500) that took place in 1890. I am 

 informed by Treasury Agent Brown that before leaving the islands he 

 gave the natives i)ermission to trap foxes for two months, commencing 

 No\eoiber 15. It is upon St. George Island that most of the foxes 

 are taken, it being better adapted to supplying food for them by reason 

 of the large number of birds that resort to this island to nest in the 

 cliff's and rocks. It is also upon this island that a great number of 

 moles are found, which constitute quite a factor in their supply of win- 

 ter food. In a letter just received from Treasury Agent A. W. Laven- 

 der, in charge of St. George Island, dated November 22, he says: 



We began to trap foxes on the 15tli, as our iustrnctious told us to, and up to date 

 the natives have obtained 250 to 300 skins; had foxes been as plenty as they were 

 the tirst season that I was here (1890), the first seven days they would have caught 

 near 600 ; in fact one-half of the whole catch is made the lirst week. I have allowed 

 the natives 12 traps each, as near as I could, although I well know that some of them 

 have more than that number. There are about 325 trajis out altogether. How is 

 that for an island of this size? There will not be much need to invite instructions 

 about trapping foxes if time is the limit in which foxes are taken instead of a limit 

 in the number taken. 



It will be noticed that this is the condition of affairs after a year's 

 rest in the taking of foxes, and if the present methods are to be con- 

 tinued extermination at an early period seems probable. Especially 

 will this be true if the natives receive anything like a fair value for the 

 skins, for in their straitened circumstances each native will try and 

 secure the greatest number possible. 



The skin of the blue fox sells readily from $12 to $20 in the San 

 Francisco market, but the price paid the natives is usually from $1 to 

 $2 per skin. I had applications from outside parties for the privilege 

 of buying fox skins of the natives, but I did not deem it advisable to 

 grant this privilege, and would advise against it if a fair price can be 

 obtained for the skins from the lessees and the proceeds used in a 

 proper manner for the maintenance of the natives. So valuable has 

 the fur of this animal become that white men have obtained the priv- 

 ilege of stocking some of the Alaskan islands with blue foxes, at con- 

 siderable exi)ense, and breed them for commercial purposes. 



The steel trap now used permits no selection of sex, and I would 

 therefore suggest that there be substituted for it the large wooden box 

 trap. If the latter were used the vixens could be turned away and 

 only the mature males taken, thus providing for a sure annual increase. 

 If this were done — a fair price being obtained for the skins and the 

 same put into a co^mmunity fund, as is now done with the proceeds of 

 their labor in taking the seal skins — an industry would soon be built 

 utp that would greatly assist in making the natives self-supporting. 



In my instructio/ns of 1891 I was informed that the natives were con- 

 sidered wards of the Government. In view of this and the further fact 

 that Congress is called upon to make appropriations for their sui)port, 

 it would seem to be well to formulate some regulations covering this 

 question. 



