ALASKA. INDUSTRIES. 



237 



young, in 1850 must be canceled (minu^. They probably die in pro- 

 portion of one-eighth of the whole number every year. 



2. For the first four years of "zapooska," until the new females begin 

 to bear, their number will be generally less. 



3. A constant number of seals will c(mtinue during the first six years 

 of their "zapooska;" in twelve, these seals will double; in fourteen 

 years they will have increased threefold; and after fifteen years of this 

 "zapooska" or saving of 7,060, in the first year, 24:, 000 may be taken 

 from them; in the second, 28,000; in the third, 32,000; in the fourth, 

 36,000; in the fifth, 41,000; thus in five years more than 160,000 can be 

 taken. Then, under the supervision of persons who will see that one- 

 fifth of the seals be steadily spared, 32,000 may be taken every year for 

 a long time. 



4. Moreover, from the production of fifteen years' "zapooska" there 

 can be taken from 60,000 to 70,000 "holluschickie," which, together with 

 1 60,000 seals, makes 230,000. 



5. If this "zapooska" for the next fifteen years is not made for the 

 seal life diminution will certainly ensue, and all this time, with all 

 possible effort, no more than 50,000 seals will be taken. 



Here it should be said that this hypothetical table of the probable 

 increase of seals is made on the supposition of the decrease of females, 

 and an average is taken accordingly. Furthermore, on the island of 

 St. Paul, in 1836-37, instead of 7,900 seals being killed, but 4,860 were 

 taken. Hence it follows that these 1,500 females thns saved in two 

 years, and which are omitted from the table, will also make a very sig- 

 nificant addition to the incoming seals.^ 



Table I, Part II. — Bishop Veniaminov^ e Zapieska, etc., showing the seal catch during 

 the period of gradual diminution of life on the islands, from 1817 down to 1837. 



a Left to breed. 



Grand total for St. Paul Island 464,259 



Grand total for St. George Island 114, 665 



Total catch during nineteen years of diminution 578, 924 



-I translate this chapter of Veniamiuov's without abridgment, although it is full 

 of errors, to show that Avhile the Russians gave this matter evidently much thought 

 at headquarters, yet they failed to send someone on to the ground, who, by first making 

 himself acquainted with the habits of the seals from close observation of their lives, 

 should then be fitted to prepare rules and regulations founded upon this knowledge. 

 These suggestions of Vcniaminov were, however, a vast improvement on the work as 

 it was conducted, and they were adopted at once ; but it was not until 1845 that the 

 great importance of never disturbing the breeding seals was recognized. — H. ^^^ E. 



