THE DEPONENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. 9 



a day in which I did not have a chance to examine the rookeries and 

 observe rookery life in its varied forms. In all ray work upon the 

 islands I was constantly attended by native Aleuts, who assisted in 

 transporting- my instruments and other impedimenta. Several of these 

 could speak fair English. Our intimate daily relations, winch extended 

 over nearly three months, were under conditions that offered neither 

 incentive to secrecy nor to deception, and, while their general views on 

 and theory of seal life are to be received with caution, they are keen 

 observers of little details, and from them, their friends, and old Russian 

 records on the islands I received many valuable hints of a natural his- 

 tory and historical character. 



Peter Brown, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am the native 

 chief of the Makah Indians; am about 55 years 

 old, and reside on the Neah Bay Reservation, in Peier Broion,p.sn. 

 the County of Clallam, and State of Washington, 



United States of America. I am acquainted with the habits of my peo- 

 ple and the methods adopted by them in hunting the fur-seal 1 am 

 the master and one third owner of the fishing schooner James G. Swan. 

 I have been engaged in hunting seals with spears, more or less, all of my 

 \fe. 

 1 



Thomas Brown, being duly sworn, deposes and says: My age is 31 

 years; my residence is Victoria, British Columbia; 



occupation, seaman. I went sealing in 18S9 from } ^ ia8 Brown (No ' 1} ' 

 San Francisco, Cal. (I do not remember the name of 1>m ' 

 the vessel), Capt. Scott was master. * * * In 1890 I went sealing 

 again in the schooner Sea Lion, Madison, master. * * * I was boat- 

 puller. * * * In 1891, in the month of February, I sailed from 

 Victoria, British Columbia, on the schooner Thistle, Nicherson, mas- 

 ter. * * * I signed as boat-puller. 



Thomas Brown, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I reside 

 in San Francisco. My occupation is that of a 



laborer. I made a sealing voyage to the North ™° mas Brown ( No - 2 )> 

 Pacific and Bering Sea on the Alexander, of p ' 

 which Capt. McLean was master. 



Charles Bryant, being duly sworn, deposes and says : I am a resident 

 of Mattapoisett, Plymouth County, State of Massachusetts, and am 72 

 years of age. From 1810 to 1858, I was engaged in whaling in the 

 North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. The latter portion of the time 

 I was captain of a whaling vessel. I then retired 

 to a farm located in the town of Fairhaven. in Charles Bryant, p. 3. 

 Bristol County, State aforesaid. In September, 



1868, I was appointed a special Treasury agent to go to the Pribilof 

 Islands to investigate and to report as to the habits of the fur-seal, the 

 condition of the islands, and the most advantageous plan to adopt for 

 the government and management of the same. Pursuant to such 

 appointment I proceeded to the Pacific coast and in March, 1809, I 

 landed on St. Paul Island and remained there until September of the 

 same year. I then returned to Washington and laid my report before 

 the Treasury Department. I again went back to the islands in July, 

 1870, and remained until the fall of 1871. Then, in April, 1872, 1 again 

 arrived on St. Paul Island, this time in the capacity of special agent 

 of the Treasury Department in charge of the seal islands, i was upon 



