ORAL AEGUMENT OF CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON, Q. C. 309 



to read them now, but everythiDg: connected with the sealing industry 

 and its progress is there referred to. You will find in the House Exec- 

 utive Documents n° 177, 40th Congress, 2nd session, vol. 13, page 255, 

 the beginning of the cod lishing in that sea: 



Two or three small schooners sailed from Victoria and made fair catch, so much so 

 that the importation of cod into British Columbia has ceased. 



That was in 186(3. 



Then you will recollect, Mr. Senator Morgan, you asked me a ques- 

 tion yesterday about the movements of tlie holluscliikie, and their either 

 going through the other seals or ranging in the rear; and 1 have taken 

 the trouble, as a matter of interest more than anything else, to look 

 into it. If you desire to pursue that, you will find it in Mr. Allen's 

 Monograph on North xVmerican Pinnipeds at page 393; and next, in 

 Mr. Elliott's book, commonly called the Census Keport, page 43. The 

 result is that it seems to vary very much in dilierent rookeries, and 

 their habits are very peculiar. 



in some rookeries they have been by common consent allowed a lane, 

 so that they jiass up the middle, and if they keep to that they are left 

 alone, but if they diverge a loot from it they are torn to pieces. In 

 others they are not allowed the concession of a lane, and are forced 

 then to go all the way round and haul uid in other places. That is the 

 substance of it, and their habits seem very strange and peculiar in that 

 respect. 



Senator Morgan. — I gathered from my view of the evidence that the 

 seal family had some strict regulations like the bees for the different 

 grades, the ])ups, the holluschikies, the males, the females and the old 

 males. It w iss that that prompted me to ask the question. 



Mr. RoBLNsoN, — Yes, it is interesting to look into. They ai-e allowed 

 the lanes and if they go up the lanes they are left alone; but if they 

 stray they are torn to pieces by the owners of the place they intrude 

 upon. 



Senator Morgan. — The point of my question was, whether the seals 

 separated themselves from each other in classes while on the land, so as 

 to provide an opportunity for their being taken in one class without 

 the disturbance of another. 



Mr. KoBiNSON. — Of course, I was not aware of the point you were 

 directing your question to. I have only given you information upon 

 the subject to the extent I have been able to find it. 



Then there was a question that the President asked as to the increase 

 of the sealing fleet alter tlie moduH. I have a little memorandum of 

 how that happened. You must remember that the sealing schooners 

 always clear between January and April, and the modus for the season 

 of 1891 was not signed till the 14th June — that is in our Appendix, vol- 

 ume 3, No. 3, page 18. By that time of course and before the modus was 

 signed all vessels would have cleared, and there were 48 vessels of the 

 United States and 50 for British Columbia making 98. In 1892 there 

 was no modus exi)ected, and on the 18th March Lord Salisbury had 

 objected, as you will find in the Ap])endix n" 3, volume 3, to the British 

 Case, page 160, but on the 18th April the modus was signed for two 

 seasons. 



None having been expected the sealing fleet increased that year, that 

 is to say, 46 United States cleared and 65 British Columbia making 111. 

 On the 18th April the modus was signed for two seasons, and the moment 

 that was agreed upon the fleet fell off. In 1893 the fleet was United 

 States 24 and British Columbia 55. 



