166 ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 



Without fully indorsing what Bryant says on this subject, he may be quoted. He 

 writes: " When the sun shines for two or tliree hours and the rocks become heated, 

 there are occasional deaths among the beachmasters and very young pups from sun- 

 stroke, the symptoms being a nervous Jerking of the limbs, followed by convulsions 

 and death. Fortunately the occurrences are rare, and it was only in 1874 that any 

 appreciable number were lost from this cause. That year young seals died about 

 the 1st August. 



Were sunstroke suggested as the probable cause that led to the death of the pups 

 found on St. Paul Island in 1891 and 1892, the positions in which they were found 

 and the nature of the ground in which they lay would favor this theory. Were the 

 sun to shine for even a few hours upon the smooth hard grovmd of the rookeries, it 

 would become so hot that serious injury or death to the young seals might be the 

 consequence, as it is well known that even the old seals dislike and are seriously 

 affected by heat. 



Special inquiry was made by me at the Commander Islands during the first week 

 in September as to whether young seals had been found dead in 1892 in larger 

 numbers than usual, and several of the oldest natives were questioned by me on this 

 point. 



I was told by them that none had been seen there but a few that had been killed 

 by the surf or had wandered away from the rookery-grounds and yet there were 

 many schooners sailing from United States ports sealing in the vicinity of these 

 islands during the whole season, and in July and August a great many schooners 

 came from the Amerif^an coast and sealed in Asiatic Avaters; many thousand skins 

 were taken there, probably more than in any season on the American side of Behring 

 Sea, but no increased mortality was noticeable in the number of dead pups on the 

 rookeries. The skins of the dead pups that die on the Commander Islands are taken 

 oif by the natives and a small price is paid for them at the Company's store. The 

 men examined by me had been recently at the rookeries for the purpose of procuring 

 such skins and reported that they had got no more than usual, and the agent of the 

 Company corroborated their statements. 



I remind you, Mr, President, just before I break off, that now you 

 liave got what Mr. Macoun had not, because it did not exist. We have 

 got now the report from the Russian Government that there had been 

 a large amount of pelagic sealing close in — so much so that wounded 

 seals and dead seals were picked up iu territorial waters, and were 

 washed ashore; and yet there is not a suggestion by anybody that 

 there had been a death of pups on the Commander Islands in 1892 

 from that cause. 



Senator Morgan. — Sir Richard, I wish to ask you, please, does any 

 witness speak positively of the fact that the surf ever killed a pup 

 seal? 



Sir Richard Webster. — Oh yes ; several. 



Senator Morgan. — From personal observation? 



Sir Richard Webster. — Elliott, Allen, Bryant — I think all the 

 authorities who studied seal life during the last twenty years, referred 

 to the fact of pup seals being killed by surf upon the beach, when they 

 are caught. 



Senator Morgan. — I have heard that, but I have not yet heard any 

 statement from a witness who was able to say upon his own knowledge 

 that a pup seal was killed by the surf. 



Sir Richard Webster. — I think I am right in saying that Elliott 

 spoke from his own knowledge, for he studied the subject intimately on 

 the islands for some years; but I will look, Senator. I believe there is 

 also evidence of it. 



Senator Morgan. — I would like to know. 



The President.— Sir Richard, I believe you suppose that this 

 extraordinary disease which carried off' a number of seals from this 

 place was the reason of this great mortality in 1891. Is there any infor- 

 mation about what that disease might be? 



Sir Richard Webster. — No. It is very strange. In the first place, 

 it is purely local, which is in itself remarkable. When I come to deal 



