38 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



Business methods. — The companj^ pays 40 cents for the labor of 

 taking eacli skin. The natives take the skins on tlie gi-onnd; each 

 man talljdng his work and giving the result at the close of the day to 

 his chief or foreman. When the skins ai-e brought up and counted 

 into the salt houses, where the agent of tlie company receives them 

 from the hands of the natives, the two tallies usually correspond very 

 closely, if they are not entirely alike. When the quota of skins is 

 taken, at the close of two, three, or four weeks of labor, as the case 

 may be, the total sum for the entire catch is paid over in a lump to 

 the chiefs, and these men divide it among the laborers according to 

 their standing as workmen, which they themselves have exhibited on 

 their special tally sticks. For instance, at the annual divisions, or 

 "catch" settlement, made by the natives on St. Paul Island among 

 themselves, in 1872, when I was present, the proceeds of their work 

 for that season in taking and skinning 75,000 seals, at 40 cents per 

 skin, with extra work connected with it, making the sum of 130,0.37,37, 

 was divided among them in this way: There were 7-4 shares made up, 

 representing 74 men, though in fact only 56 men worked, but they 

 wished to give a certain proportion to their church, a certain propor- 

 tion to their priests, and a certain proportion to their widows; so they 

 water their stock, commercially speaking. The 74 shares were pro- 

 portioned as follows : 



Each. 



37 first-class shares, at $451.22 



23 second-class shares, at - . - 406. 08 



4 third-class shares, at 360. 97 



10 fourth-class shares, at 315. 85 



These shares do not represent more than 50 able-bodied men. 



In August, 1873, while on St. George Island, I was present at a 

 similar division, under similar circumstances, which caused them to 

 divide among themselves the proceeds of their work in taking and 

 skinning 25,000 seals, at 40 cents a skin, $10,000. They made the 

 following subdivision : 



Per share. 

 17 shares each, 961 skins. $384.40 



2 shares each, 935 skins 374. 00 



3 shares each. 821 skins 328.40 



1 share each, 820 skins. 328.00 



3 shares each, 770 skins 308. 00 



3 shares each, 400 skins 160.00 



These 29 shares referred to represent only 25 able-bodied men; 2 

 of them were women. This method of division, as above given, is 

 the result of their own choice. It is an imiDossible thing for the -com- 

 pany to decide their relative merits as workmen on the ground, so they 

 have wisely turned its entire discussion over to them. Whatever they 

 do they must agree to — whatever the company might do they ijossibly 

 and i^robably Avould never clearly understand, and hence dissatisfac- 

 tion and suspicion would inevitably arise; as it is, tlie whole subject 

 is most satisfactorily settled. 



the business concerned. 



The methods of the Alaska Commercial Company, — Living as 

 the seal islanders do, and doing what the}^ do, the seal's life is natu- 

 rally their great study and objective point. It nourishes and sustains 

 them. Without it they say they could not live, and they tell the 

 truth. Hence their attention to the few simple requirements of the 



