THE FUR-SEAL FISHERIES.' 



By Lieut. Washburn Maynard, U. S. N. 



Newport, R. I., November 30, 1874. 

 Sir: In obedience to yonr instructions of tlie 9tli of May, assigning 

 me to tbe duty required by an act of Congress approved April 22, 1874, 

 entitled "An act to enable tlie Secretary of the Treasury to gather 

 authentic information as to the condition of the fur trade in the Terri- 

 tory of Alaska," I have been engaged, as far as has been practicable this 

 season, in making the necessary investigation. My attention has been 

 given chiefly to the fur-seal fisheries, as being the largest and most 

 important branch of tbe fur trade, and especially to ascertaining whether 

 the terras of the lease from the United States to the company now in 

 possession of them have been complied with by said company. I have 

 also liad opportunity to acquire information in regard to the sea-otter 

 trade, and to make an examination of the islands of St. Matthew and 

 St. Lawrence, two large islands in Bering Sea, north of the Pribilof 

 group. 



I have now the honor to submit, for your consideration, the following 

 report in relation to those subjects. 



I am, sir, very resiDectfully, your obedient servant, 



Washburn Maynard, 

 Lieutenant, United /States Navy. 

 Hon. George M. Robeson, 



Secretary of the Navy, 



Navy De])artment, Washington, B. G. 



THE FUR-SEAL FISHERIES. 



The islands of St. Paul and St. George, or the "seal islands," as 

 they are commonly called, are the principal ones of the Pribilof group; 

 the other two, known as the Otter and Walrus islands, being merely 

 islets. They lie in Bering Sea, between 56° and 58° of north latitude 

 and 169° and 171° of west longitude. The former has an area of 33' 

 and the latter of 27 square miles, with, respectively, 42 and 29 miles of 

 shore line. They are enveloped in summer by dense fogs, through 

 which the sun rarely makes its way, and are surrounded in winter by 

 fields of ice driven down from the Arctic by northerly gales. They have 

 no sheltered harbors, but slight indentations in the shore line afford a 

 lee for vessels and a tolerable landing place for boats in certain winds. 



' Published as House Ex. Doc. No. 43, Forty-fourth Congress, first session. 



289 

 H. Doc. 92, pt. 3 19 



