478 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



breeding grounds in 1872, trying to land and repelled in vicous battle 

 oifered and waged by the old bulls'? Then, thotisands and thousmids 

 of these young hulls were incessantly essaying to land on the rookery sea 

 margins, and were as incessantly fought off by the elder, heavier see- 

 catchie then in possession of the water's edge. 



I have been carefully watching the field this morning, on these two 

 great breeding grounds. The cows are arriving; and, it was at this 

 time and occasion, in 1872, that the polseecatchie appeared, as I have 

 above noted. But, not a single example presents itself to my eye this 

 morning. Where are these young bulls which must step in next year to 

 suj)ply those vacancies which the law of nature is to create in the ranks 

 of the old bulls? These seals are not here to-day; will they appear 

 later? 



There has been no change in the numbers of the old bulls on the 

 rookeries since the 10th instant : none whatever ; and there are frequent 

 intervals on these sea margins to all these rookeries where vacancies 

 exist from 15 to 40 feet wide between the located old bulls. Thus every 

 inducement is offered to a young bull to land without the fear even of 

 being obliged to fight savagely, which must have prevailed in its mind 

 in 1872, and which then, did not deter it from incessant attempt to land 

 on the breeding ground. 



Are these young half bulls all gone? If so, then everything else 

 will soon follow, unless the check is applied. Then, again, in this con- 

 nection, let me put it on record as I come in now from the field that 

 none of the scattered bulls 7iow hauled out on the rookery grounds, are 

 those known as half hulls, or polseecatchie. 



Only 78 skins taken from the drive at Northeast Point to-day. First 

 drive of the season up there. 



June 19, 1890. — I ascended the basaltic ridge between Lukannon 

 sands and the village lakes this morning between 8 and 9 o'clock. Not 

 a single seal, old or young, on these hauling grounds and sands of Lukan- 

 non. From the summit of Telegraph Hill I had a full sweep of English 

 Bay. Only a small squad of perhaps 150 holluschickie under Middle 

 Hill, and another small pod at the intersection of the sand beach with 

 Tolstoi rookery. 



A small drive from English Bay was made yesterday ; some 300 skins 

 taken. The first drive from Northeast Point yesterday gave only 78 

 skins. Whether this trouble begins on the rookeries or on the killing 

 grounds, I have to find out, and it is important to know. 



Not a single holluschak of any age whatsoever on Zoltoi sands this 

 day, and there has not been a killable seal thus far there this season. 



June 21, 1890. — From the high sand dunes of Tolstoi, I have a frill 

 survey of English Bay. A few hundred holluschickie only, under Mid- 

 dle Hill : and right down under me at the intersection of the sand beach 

 with the breeding ground of Tolstoi, are a few more, 200. The weather 

 has been good for hauling ever since the last drive (17th) from this 

 place, yet it has not filled up any better than this. 



From this time on, the killable holluschickie should appear in as good 

 or better number up to the Fourth of July — better form than they will 

 thereafter. In other words, the best classes of these killable seals, 

 viz, the 2, 3, and 4 year olds, were here, now, in their finest form and 

 number for the year, during the seasons of 1872-1874. 



From the Volcanic ridge I had a clear view of Lukannon beach and 

 hauling grounds. Not a seal of any age upon it, and the weather 

 superb for seals to haul in — cool, moist, and foggy. 



iiundayj June 22, 1890. — Fine weather for hauling continues, but the 



