86 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1917. 



lowing extract is taken from a report made by Agent Fassett, who 

 gave attention to them after they reached Wasliington early in 1918: 



These shoulders wore packed under the personal superWsion of the writer, as fol- 

 lows: Becaust^ of the importance of keeping manual labor connected with by-products 

 problems on the seal islands at a minimum, the shoulders were removed from the 

 carcasses without especial care. The native foreman merely detailed a few young 

 men to cut off enough shoulders to fill a barrel, and to send them to the salt house for 

 packing. None of the blubber or fat, the sinews, and other parts which it is usual to 

 remove very carefully when preparing seal meat for use on the officers' mess table, was 

 bothered with; whatever was attached to a piece of meat was left there. 



The shoulders were struck in dry salt, using it liberally, and a week later were 

 removed, rinsed, drained, and repacked in the same manner first employed. They 

 were then held in the salt house at a low temperature until a few days prior to shipment 

 by the steamer Roosevelt (about Dec. 1, 1917), when they were again repacked in fresh 

 salt. After receipt in Washington a saturated solution of salt and water (brine pickle) 

 was poured over the contents of the barrel so as completely to cover the same. 



On March 21, 191S, the writer, in the presence of Dr. Holmes, representing Dr. 

 Langworthy, and Mr. W. T. Bower, of this Bureau, withdrew about a dozen shoulders 

 from the barrel, laying them on a table. All appeared to be thoroughly cured and in 

 "sweet" condition. From these two pieces were selected and sent to the office of 

 Home Economics for testing. They were put into fresh water the same evening to 

 dissolve excess salt, and at noon of the 23d were cooked by experts at the Home 

 Economics office. Meat prepared after the manner of kidney stew, ordinary stew, 

 and fried breakfast hash (with onions and potatoes) was found quite palatable. The 

 samples cooked after the manner of ordinary corned beef, fried steak, and baked or 

 roast meat were not so agreeable. The women who did the cooking could not be pre- 

 vailed upon to eat of any of the meat, having conceived a distrust for it on account 

 of the very disagreeable marine odor which it gave off while being prepared. 



The writer found it possible to eat of each sample, but noted that none was equal 

 to that which it is customary to serve on the St. Paul mess table, prepared from fresh 

 seal meat which has been carefully stripped of all fatty matter, and disguised by 

 sauces, aromatic herbs, and vegetables, larding of pork, bacon, etc. 



After a discussion of the matter with Dr. H. F. Moore and Mr. W. T. Bower, the 

 writer is inclined to think that seal shoulders prepared for shipment in the manner 

 herein described will not find a market in the Qnited States, chiefly on account of 

 the very disagreeable marine odor and taste. It is possible that Asiatic Orientals, such 

 as the poorer classes in ('hina and Japan, might absorb a moderate quantity of seal 

 shoulders packed in the manner described. 



Canned meat. — In September, 1917, the Bureau directed the agent 

 at St, Paul to ship samples of canned fur-seal meat. An apparatus 

 for processing the meat preparatory to canning \vas sent to St. Paul 

 Island, but was not landed there in time to permit the preparation of 

 samples before the Roosevelt left the islands in December. 



BRANDED SEALS. 



As in previous years a number of male seals branded when pups in 

 1912 vere killed m 1917. The skins of 25 of these seals killed on St. 

 Paul Island and of 21 on St. George Island were shipped from the 

 Pribilofs in the 3'ear. There were also shipped from St. Paul Island 

 18 skins taken on that island in September, October, and November, 

 1916, and from St. George Island 4 skins taken there in October and 

 November, 1916, aU from male seals which were branded when pups 

 in 1912. 



Certain data were secured in regard to the seals involved and to the 

 skins after removal from the animals. A portion of the data for the 

 skins was recorded at St. Louis in March, 1918. With the exception 

 of the 4 seals killed on St. George Island in October and November, 

 1916, concerning which the data were very incomplete, certain rec- 

 ords secured by the Bureau are shown in the following table : 



