428 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



Assistant Aycnt 'Laiender; Report for 1S9S. 



St. GEORCfE Island, May 1, 1893. 



Sir: I liave the lioiior to make you this synopsis of my report on the 

 general condition of everything on this island that comes under the 

 supervision of the officer in charge. My report made September 7, 1892, 

 doubtless you have seen. 



First. 1 inclose you a statement of seals killed from the end of the 

 stagey season, October 20, to November 19, 1892, inclusive, showing 

 that there were 11 drives of seals made, out of which 349 were killed and 

 their skins accepted by the agent of the lessees. These 349 skins taken 

 are now in the salt house, and completed our quota of 2,500 allowed to 

 be killed on this island out of the 7,500 allowed to be killed on both 

 islands under the modus vivendi. 



Killable seals were very scarce on the rookeries and I had considerable 

 difficulty in obtaining the number required, and was.obliged to go upon 

 the rookeries and select the killable seals from among the cows after 

 driving both together a short distance. This I thought preferable to 

 driving a large number of cows to the killing grounds before making 

 the selection. Prior to 1890 but one-fifth as many seals were taken 

 yearly on this island as were taken on St. Paul, and it is my opinion 

 that the condition of the rookeries at the present time will not admit 

 of a larger proportion being taken out of the yearly catch without injury 

 to the breeding grounds. 



No hulluschicke hauled out by themselves after October 28; the pups 

 had most all gone, and there were but a few cows left upon the rookeries 

 on that date. There has been a marked dimunition of seals upon tnis 

 island since 1890. A few fur seals have been reported seen by the natives 

 around the island all winter. The first bull seal hauled out on East 

 rookery this year was on April 29. 



TRAPPING OF FOXES. 



Second. I inclose you a statement of the number of foxes taken by 

 traps and in other ways during the past winter between November 15, 

 1892, and January 20, 1893. This statement will show you that there 

 were 928 foxes killed, of which the skins of 921 were accepted and 7 

 rejected, they being worthless. The amount of money advanced by 

 the North American Commercial Company, pending a decision from 

 the Department, was $2 per skin, or il,842, all of which has been 

 judiciously used for the maintenance of the natives, with the exception 

 of $431 still in the handsof the company, on which orders will be issued 

 weekly lor the maintenance of the persons to whom the credit belongs. 

 No Government orders have been issued to any i^erson having a credit 

 on their fox-skin account. 



There were 25 persons engaged in trapping and they have in use 

 about 300 traps. Besides the number trapped, there was a large 

 number of foxes taken from their burrows with a long j)iece of whale- 

 bone, which prior to 1891 they did not use. No foxes were taken on 

 this island during the winter of 1891-92. The catch the past winter, 

 in my opinion, was altogether too large; about 250 more than should 

 have been caught. 



This industry, from which the Government derives a large revenue, 

 if properly protected would go a long way toward maintaining the 

 natives, now that the money paid them for taking seals is not enough 

 for their support. The number of foxes trapped should be the guide 

 to go by, instead of the dates between which they may be trapped. I 

 do not think that any could be taken on the island during the coming 



