176 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
coast of Washington and Vancouver Jsland from Destruction Island 
northward to Nootka Sound. The foregoing vessels cruised 1,820 
miles and 1,981 miles, respectively, during this patrol. 
The cutter Ingham departed from the Puget Sound Navy Yard 
on April 4 to patrol the Strait of Juan de Fuca and waters off the 
west coasts of Vancouver Island and British Columbia to Dixon 
Entrance, and returned to the Navy Yard on April 20, having cruised 
3,889 miles. The cutter Haida made a round trip from Juneau to 
Kodiak Island in the fur-seal patrol from April 20-29, during which it 
cruised 1,985 miles. 
Seven vessels of the Coast Guard which were assigned to the regular 
Bering Sea patrol participated in the seal patrol in that region, as well 
as during their journey north as occasion arose. These included the 
Atalanta, which had engaged in the seal patrol in the spring off the 
Northwest Coast, and which sailed from Seattle on June 20 for Unalaska 
for patrol in Bristol Bay waters until September 13. The patrol boat 
Hermes left San Pedro on April 14 for a cruise northward into Bristol 
Bay, via the Inside Passage, and returned to San Pedro on July 7. 
The cutter Duane sailed from Oakland on April 17 and patrolled North 
Pacific waters and Bristol Bay until it was relieved at Dutch Harbor 
on July 20. The patrol boat Morris was on this special patrol from 
the time of its departure from Seattle on May 20 for Unalaska, via 
the Inside Passage, until its return to Seward on June 22. The cutter 
Itasca sailed from San Diego on May 25 direct for Unalaska, and 
patrolled in Bering Sea, Norton Sound, and westward to Attu, calling 
also at Nome and St. Lawrence Island, until it was relieved at Dutch 
Harbor on September 14. The patrol boat Alert left Ketchikan on 
July 1 for Port Moller and Bering Sea and was relieved at Unalaska 
on September 9. Superseding the Northland, the cutter Spencer made 
the annual cruise to the Arctic Ocean, sailing from Seattle on July 25 
and patrolling in Bering Sea and adjacent waters until it was relieved 
at Dutch Harbor on September 5. 
BurEAv oF FISHERIES 
The Bureau of Fisheries vessel Scoter was assigned to patrol the 
waters off the coast of Washington, principally in the vicinity of Neah 
Bay, during the period of sealing operations by the native Indians. 
rae ay left Seattle for this duty on April 5 and returned there on 
pril 30. 
Warden J. Steele Culbertson was detailed for a short time in April 
to make a general investigation of sealing operations carried on by 
various Indian tribes on the Olympic Peninsula. Particular attention 
was given to the matter of assuring compliance with treaty provisions 
and the law giving effect thereto concerning the prohibition of the use 
of firearms or motorboats in the taking of fur seals by the aborigines. 
SEALING PRIVILEGES ACCORDED ABORIGINES 
Under the terms of the pelagic sealing treaty of July 7, 1911, Indians 
and other aborigines dwelling on the coasts of North America are priv- 
ileged to hunt fur seals by primitive methods. In 1939 there were 
taken and duly authenticated, by officials of the respective Govern- 
ments, 637 fur-seal skins, of which 61 were taken by Indians under 
