30 OEAL ARGUMENT OF SIR CHARLES RUSSELL, Q. C. M. P. 



agement of the United States lessees, because I do not suppose the 

 Executive of the United States knew very much about it, the Ishmds 

 had readied. It would be impossible, I submit, to select a stronger 

 passage in confirmation of the general results at which Mr. Elliott has 

 arrived than that passage which I have just read. My learned friend 

 is good enough in this connection to refer me to the monograph of Mr. 

 Allen, published in the Washington Government Printing Oflice in 1880, 

 where he gives the picture of things as he found it in 18(59 at page 385, 

 and what is the contrast between the two statements? You have heard 

 Mr. Stanley-Brown's ingenuous description, and this is what Mr. Allen 

 says. 



General Foster. — I think you will find that is quoting Mr. Bryant. 



Sir Charles Russell. — I am obliged ; I see it is in inverted commas. 



General Foster. — Mr. Allen was never there. 



Sir Charles Russell. — IS^o doubt, it was Mr. Bryant who was on 

 the Islands, I forget for how long. 



General Foster. — For a good many years. 



Sir Charles Russell. — Yes; and perhaps that makes it more val- 

 uable than the opinion of Mr. Allen, if Mr. Allen was not, as my friend 

 says, on the Island, 



I begin at the bottom of page 382. 



The male fur-seal attains its full growth and strength at the age of six or seven 

 years, when it weighs, at the time of lauding, from three hundred and fifty pounds 

 to four hundred; in exceptional cases a weight of four hundred and fifty pounds is 

 attained. The males acquire the power of procreation in the fourth year, and at five 

 years share largely in the duty of reproduction. The females bring forth young in 

 their Iburth year. 



That difl'ers from the opinion of others, who say that it is in the third 

 year. Then he goes on to describe the arrival on page 384 at the bottom 

 of the page. 



By the middle of June, 



And this date is not unimportant with reference to another matter 

 which I shall have to describe, he says: 



all the males, except the great body of the yearlings have arrived. 



1 think I ought to read a little higher up, to explain how the bulls 

 proceed. At the top of page 384- he says this, which perhaps I ought 

 to read. 



On their arrival at the island the full grown seals separate from the younger, the 

 former hauling up on the shore singly or in groups of two or three, separated by 

 quite wide intervals. 



Then a little lower down he says : 



It is only the " beachmasters", or breeding bulls, on the rookery that remain con- 

 tinuously in their places, for if they were to leave them tLey would be immediately 

 occu])ied by some other beachmaster, and they could regain possession only by a 

 victory over the trespasser. The struggle among the old bulls goes on until the 

 breeding grounds are fully occupied, averaging one old male to each square rod of 

 space, while the younger, meantime, find their way to the upland. During the lat- 

 ter portion of the lauding' time there is a large excess of old males that cannot find 

 room on the breeding places; these pass up with the younger seals and congregate 

 along the u])per edge of the rookery, and watch for a chance to charge down and 

 fill any vacancies that may occur. These, to distinguish them from the beachmas- 

 ters, are called the "reserves", while those younger than five years are denominated 

 by the natives " holluschucke ", a term denoting bachelors or unmarried seals. It is 

 from these latter that the seals are selected to kill for their skins. 



By the middle of June all the nuvles, except the great body of the yearlings, have 

 arrived; the rookery is filled with the beachmasters; the reserves all occupy the 

 most advantageous position for seizing, upon any vacancies, and the bachelors spread 

 over the adjoining uplands. At this time the first females make their appearance. 



