ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 103 



meet there the 225,000 young females; in other words, the polygamous 

 habit of this animal is such that, by its own volition, I do not think 

 that more than one male annually out of fifteen born is needed on 

 the breeding grounds in the future; but in my calculations, to be 

 within the margin and to make sure that I save 2-year-old males 

 enough every season, I will more than double this proportion, and set 

 aside every fifth one of the young males in question ; that ^^'ill leave 

 180,000 seals in good condition that can be safeh^ killed every j-ear 

 without the slightest injury to the perpetuation of the stock itself 

 forever in all its original integrity. ^ 



In the above showing I have put the very extreme estimate uj)on 

 the loss sustained at sea bj^ the pup seals too large, I am morally cer- 

 tain ; but in attempting to draw this line safely I wish to place the 

 matter in the very worst light in which it can be put, and to give the 

 seals the full benefit of every doubt. Surely I have clearlj^ presented 

 the case, and certainly no one will question the premises after they 

 have studied the habit and disposition of the rookeries; hence, it is a 

 IDOsitive and tenable statement that no danger of the slightest appre- 

 ciable degree of injury to the interests of the Government on the seal 

 islands of Alaska exists as long as the ijresent law protecting it, and 

 the management executing it, continues. 



Course pursued by the seals after leaving the islands. — 

 These fur seals of the Pribilof group, after leaving the islands in the 

 autumn and early winter, do not visit land again until the time of 

 their return in the following spring and earl}^ summer, to these same 

 rookery and hauling grounds, unless they touch, as thej' are navi- 

 gating their lengthened journey back, at the Russian Copper and 

 Bering islands, 700 miles to the westward of the Pribilof group. 

 They leave the islands by independent squads, each one looking out 

 for itself. Apparentlj^ all turn bj^ common consent to the south, dis- 

 appearing toward the horizon, and are soon lost in the vast expanse 

 below, where they spread themselves over the entire North Pacific 

 as far south as the fortj'^-eighth and even the forty-seventh paral- 

 lels of north latitude. Over the immense area between Japan and 

 Oregon, doubtless, many extensive submarine fishing shoals and banks 

 are known to them. At least it is definitely understood that Bering 

 Sea does not contain them long when thej'^ depart from the breeding 

 rookeries and the hauling grounds therein. While it is carried in 

 mind that they sleep and rest in the water with soundness and with 

 the greatest comfort on its surface, and that even when around the 

 land, during the summer, they frequently put off from the beaches to 

 take a bath and a quiet snooze just beyond the surf, we can readily 



' When regarding the subject in 1872-73 of how many siirphis yonng males could 

 be wisely taken from the Pribilof stock. I satisfied myself that more than 100,000 

 could be drawn upon annually for their skins, and hence was impressed with the 

 idea that the business might be safely developed to a greater maximum; since 

 then, however, I have been giving attention to the-other side of the question, 

 which involves the market for the skins and the practical working of any sliding 

 scale of increased killing, such as I then recommended. A careful review of the 

 whole matter modifies my original idea and causes me to think that, all things 

 considered, it is better to •• let well enough alone." Although it would be a most 

 interesting commercial experiment to develop the yield of the Pribilof Islands to 

 their full capacity, yet, in view of the anomalous and curious features of the case, 

 it is wiser to be satisfied with the assured guarantj' of perpetuation in all original 

 integrity, which the experience of the last ten years gives us on the present basis 

 of 100.000, than to risk it by possibly doubling the revenue therefrom. Therefore. 

 I am not now in favor of my earlier proposition of gradually increasing the kill- 

 ing, until the maximum niTmber of surplus • • holluschickie " should be ascertained. 



