ARGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 95 



one of the rookeries (Tolstoi) on and about which dead 

 pups were s])ecially observed by the British Commissioners 

 (ill 181)1) than an esstimated distance of a quarter of a mile. 

 No evidence is given to show that the collection of the 

 drives was limited to this distance from the rookery, nor 

 is it stated that either of these gentlemen ever saw one of 

 the drives of 1891 collected. Although the drives taken 

 from the vicinity of Tolstoi are recorded as drives from 

 "Middle Hill," it must be remembered tliat the slopes of 

 Middle Hill and Tolstoi are continuous, and the drivers 

 doubtless go where the seals they were instructed to pro- 

 cure could be obtained. 



[b.) Epidemic Disease. — This, it is stated, is treated of in united states 

 the United States Case. It is, however, in the place ^^''®' p- ^^^• 

 cited, merely stated that no sickness had been previously 

 observed among the seals on the Pribyloff Islands, and 

 that no dead adults were found. The British Commission- 

 ers themselves make a statement identical with the first 

 (para. 32). As to the second, it does not necessarily follow 

 that an epidemic fatal to young animals should be equally 

 fatal in the case of adults. 



(c.) Crushing of Pups in Stampedes. — The assertion made pageoo. 

 by the United States that no evidence is given by the Brit- ,f^-J^^'i..^*i™ 

 ish Commissioners under this head is incorrect. The Com- port,"parus. 331- 

 missioners quote statements from Bryant (Allen's Mono-^'^^- 

 graph) and Baron Nordenskjold as to the facility with 

 which stampedes may be caused, and their results. If 

 lurther evidence as to the general timidity of the animals 

 is required, this will be found in the British Counter-Case. British conn- 



[d.) Raids. — The possibility of the occurrence of raids ^^''p^^^^^'P-i^^- 

 is not directly denied by the United States, though ^^^^ ' 

 116 statemeuis are made for the purpose of minimizing 

 their probability. It is further asserted that as the 

 dead pui)s were found at several rookeries, several distinct 

 raids wcuild be required to account for their occurrence. 

 It will be found, however, that large numbers of dead British Com. 

 pups were discovered upon two rookeiies only, both on St. ^j^^s'^nera' Ke. 

 Paul Island, as explained by the British Commissioners. 347.' ^^^^' 



The facility with which raids might be made without 

 any knowledge on the part of the guardians of the islands 

 is illustrated, however, by the following facts referring to 

 raids made in 1890 and 1891, when more than ordinary 

 precautions against raids were taken. 



The master of the "Challenge" and two of his crew British conn- 

 describe at length a raid on St. George Island, of which [/j^^'^^'j'A.Pi'ejJ- 

 nothing was known at the time it was made. i82,'i84. 



One of the crew of the "Borealis" gives an account of ibid., p. isa. 

 the raid of that vessel on Zapadnie Eookery, St. Paul 

 Island, while a cutter, whose li;;hts could be seen, was 

 anchored within 2 miles of them. The raid was suc- 

 cessfully made without anything being known of it on the 

 islands. The same rookery was raided in the autumn of 

 1890 by the "Adele," and nothing was known of the raid 

 by those on the islands. •■ 



