342 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^E. 



the Indians and white hunters off the beach in the surf at Gray's 

 Harbor, a stretch of less than twenty miles ; here some fifty to 

 a hundred are taken every year, while not half that number 

 can be obtained from all the rest of the Washington and Oregon 

 coast-line J there is nothing in the external appearance of this 

 reach to cause its selection by the sea-otters, except perhaps 

 that it may be a little less rocky. 



*'As matters are now conducted by the hunting-parties, the 

 sea-otters at Saanach and the Chernobours do not have a day's 

 rest during the whole year. Parties relieve each other in succes- 

 sion, and a continuous warfare is maintained. This persistence 

 is stimulated by the traders, and is rendered still more deadly 

 to the sea-otter by the use of rifles of the best make, wdiich, in 

 the hands of the young and ambitious natives, in spite of the 

 warnings of the old men, must result in the extermination of 

 these animals, as no authority exists in the land to prevent it. 

 These same old men, in order to successfully compete with their 

 rivals, have to drop their bone-spears and arrows, and take up 

 lire-arms in self-defense. So the bad work goes on rapidly, 

 though a majority of the natives and the traders deprecate it. 

 With a view to check this evil and to perpetuate the life of the 

 sea-otter in the Territory, I otter the following suggestions to 

 the Department : 



" 1st. Prohibit the use of firearms of any description in the 

 hunting of the sea-otter in the Territory of Alaska. 



'' 2d. Make it unlawful for any party or parties to hunt this 

 animal during the months of June, July, and August, fixing a 

 suitable penalty, fine, or punishment. 



" The first proposition gives the sea-otter a chance to live ; 

 and, with the second, may possibly promote an increase in the 

 number of this valuable animal. 



''The enforcement by the Government of this prohibition 

 will not be diflicult, as it is desired by a great majority of the 

 natives and all the traders having any real interest in the per- 

 petuation of the business. A good deputy attached to the 

 customs, whose salary and expenses might be more than paid 

 by a trifling tax on each otter-skin, say $1, could, if provided 

 with a sound whale-l»oat, make his headquarters at Saanach 

 and Belcovski and carry the law into effect. The trade of the 

 Kodiak district centers at the village of that name, and the 

 presence of the collector or his deputy will exert authority, and 

 cause the old native hunters and many of the younger who 



