OEAL ARGUMENT OF SIR CHARLES RUSSELL, Q. C. M. P. 51 



132. In tlie second sentence in that they are still dealing- with Pribilof 

 sealing and they say: 



In pelagic sealing, tlio weather is usnally snch as to iudnce a few vessels to go ont 

 in January, but the catohes made in this month are as a rule small. In February, 

 March, and April the conditions are usually better, and larger catches are made. In 

 May and June the seals are found further to the north, and these are good sealing 

 months; while in July, August, and part of September sealing is conducted in 

 Behring Sea, and good catches are often made till such time as the weather becomes 

 80 iincertain and rough as to practically close the season. 



I think that is the nearest approximation to a precise statement as 

 to date. As a matter of fact it may be taken — I do not think this will 

 be seriously at all disputed — that as far as pelagic sealing is concerned, 

 the weather makes it impossible to carry it on after the early part of 

 September in Behring Sea. It is a pursuit wliich needs calm weather 

 for its successful operations, and after the early part of September it is 

 practically at an end. 



The President. — Do those indications relate to the first months of 

 the year — do they relate only to the Beliiing Sea or to tlie Pacific? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — Those earlier ones relate to the Pacific. 



The President. — I should think so the months being February, 

 March and April. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — Those are all south of the Aleutians. 



The President. — They go later into Behring Sea, I am told. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — They go later into Behring Sea. 



Mr. Justice Harlan.— They commence to go into Behring Sea some- 

 time in early April. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — I think there may be certainly a few such 

 cases. 



Mr. Carter. — Bo you mean the seals, or the sealers? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — The sealers I am speaking of. 



Mr. Carter. — They are there in July. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — No; they are earlier than that. 



Sir EiCHARD Webster. — There is abundant evidence of their being 

 earlier than that, in the United States books. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — I do not quite follow this. 



The President. — The sealers, 1 was referring to. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — The sealers go into the Behring Sea, some 

 of them, as Mr. Justice Harlan pointed out, in April; but some of them 

 in May. 



Mr. Justice Harlan. — I meant the seals; they turn northward and 

 commence to enter Behring Sea in April. 



Sir Charles Eussell. — That, Sir, is quite true. 



Now, on the next page, these i^artizan and unfair Commissioners 

 having stated those circnmstances of those earlier months, just let me 

 point out the clear and emphatic way in which, (where they think them- 

 selves warranted), they express themselves about the effect of the 

 jpelagic catch in the early Spring. 



On the top of page 22, there is a paragraph bearing on the point which 

 Senator Morgan was good enough to mention a few minutes ago; it is 

 in conformity with the evidence wliich will be referred to in detail. 

 They say in paragraph 134. 



With seals killed at sea, the skins are never found to be in a "stagey" condition, 

 as has been ascertained by inquiries, specially nuide on this point, and there is, there- 

 fore, no naturally definite close to the time of profitable killing, snch as occurs on 

 the islands. The markedly "stagey" character of the skins at a particular season 

 appears to be confined to those seals which have remained for a considerable time on 

 the land. 



