THE DEPONENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. 19 



for the past twenty-four years, and am now, employed by the Alaska 

 Commercial Company, the former lessees of the seal islands, and my 

 opportunity for gathering' the facts herein set forth has been of the 

 most favorable character, both at the seal islands as well as in the 

 Bering Sea. I am not now and never have been in the employ of the 

 present lessees of the seal islands. 



Elias Esaiassen, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith: I reside at 

 the settlement known as Soldovoi, on Cooks In- 

 let, Alaska, and have lived in the immediate Elias Esaiassen, p. 230. 

 neighborhood four years. I am a miner and pros- 

 pector by occupation, and have no knowledge of or experience in fur- 

 seal life above the inlet. 



George Fairchild, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: Ire- 

 side in San Francisco. I am a sailor by occupa- 

 tion. I made a sealing voyage to the North Pa- George Fairchild, p. 423. 

 cine and Bering Sea on the Sadie Clyde, of which 

 Capt. Dockerty was master. I was a boat-puller. 



Samuel Falconer, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 61 years 

 of age, and am now a wool-grower by occupation. 

 My residence is Falconer, McLean County, State Samuel Falconer, p. 163. 

 of North Dakota. In 1808, during the month of 

 October, I went to Sitka, being located there as deputy collector of cus- 

 toms, in which position I remained until September, 1869. 



I tben was employed until September, 1870, as purser on board the 

 steamer Constantine, plying monthly between Port Townsend and Sitka. 

 In October, 1870, having been appointed assistant Treasury agent for 

 the seal islands, I proceeded to said islands, and from that time until 

 August, 1876, I remained constantly in charge of St. George Island, 

 excepting during the winter of 1874-'75. For a few days during each 

 one of these years I visited the Island of St. Paul, never remaining 

 there for any length of time, however. It was necessary, in order that 

 I might fulfill the duties of my office as agent, to make a very careful 

 and full study of seal life, my observations being, of course, confined 

 to St. George Island, and I therefore examined the rookeries and their 

 occupants with the particular purpose of acquainting myself with the 

 habits and peculiarities of the Alaska fur seal, and I endeavored to 

 verify all my observations by particularly interrogating the natives on 

 the islands as to each doubtful point. 



F. F. Feeny, a resident of Long Island, St. Paul Harbor, Kadiak 

 Alaska, being duly sworn, saith: I have resided 

 in Alaska over twenty years. I am owner and F. F. Feeny, p. 220. 

 captain of a hunting and trading schooner. I have 

 been along the coast from Unimak Pass to Sitka. I have never hunted 

 fur seal regularly, but have killed them when I came across them. 



Vassili Feodor, being duly sworn, deposes and saith: I am a native 

 of Alaska, and reside at the settlement known as 

 Soldovoi, on Cooks Inlet, Alaska, where I have Vassili Feodor, p. 230. 

 lived all my life. I am by occupation a hunter of 

 all fur-bearing animals except the fur seal, which I am told it is un- 

 lawful to kill. 



