ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



417 



to the commanding officer requesting that 500 additional cartridges and 

 6 Springfield rifles be sent. No additional cartridges could be sent, as 

 Assistant Agent Lavender, at St. George Island, would probably require 

 some, but the C Springfield rifles were brought ashore. There are now 

 12 Springfield rifles and 540 cartridges on the island belonging to the 

 Government. 



After the lessees' steamer sailed, the natives were allowed to drive sea- 

 lion i)ups for food at Northeast Point. This gave them some fresh meat, 

 which they required, as no seals had been killed since the stagey season 

 began, August 10. About the same time a whale drifted ashore at 

 Northeast Point and the natives saved considerable blubber. 



With this exception, Saturdays for delivering coal and an occasional 

 day for fishing, weather permitting, the natives were kept busy during 

 the autumn at various jobs. Two new watch houses were erected at 

 Halfway Point and Zapadnie, privies constructed at the village, and 

 roads and paths improved; also dug slop holes and sodded up around 

 the natives' houses. Besides this work, men had to watch rookeries. 

 Several days were spent at the wreck of the brig Alexander, lost April 

 12, 1892. Considerable Avood was saved for fuel and later in the season 

 can be brought to the village by boat. The sails, cordage, etc., were 

 headed up in casks ready for removal. The two anchors would have 

 been saved, but the heavy surf prevented the natives from approaching 

 them. 



It was my intention not to kill seals before November 15, so as to take 

 as few stagey ones as possible, but November 10 a fresh gale from the 

 northwest with frequent squalls of snow and hail threatened to drive 

 tlie seals from the island, and there being a possibility of its continu- 

 ing several days, seals were driven and killed the following day. 

 Toward night of the following day the weather, however, moderated. 

 Besides killing seals near the village during the months of November 

 and December, the watchmen at the different stations killed some for 

 food. Pursuant to instructions from the Department, the company 

 was allowed to choose the skins it desired. In case of those killed 

 for food of the watchmen, the men, before leaving the village for the 

 watchhouses, were informed by the company's agent of the kind to kill. 

 The last seals were taken at Northeast Point, and for watchmen's food, 

 on the 16th of December. 



Altogether 780 fur seals were killed, of which number there died on 

 the killing field 1 pup, and on the road from the rookeries 3 seals. I 

 weighed 707 of the above number at the salt house, used Fairbanks 

 scales, and put 20 on at a time when possible. The following are the 

 weights of the 767 fur seals, all of which were killed in November and 

 December, 1892: 



H. Doc. 92- 



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