26 THE DEPONENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. 



Martin Harmon, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I reside at 



Victoria, British Columbia. I am by occupation 



Martin Hannon, p. 445. a seal hunter. Have been engaged in sealing the 



last three years on the British schooners Triumph, 



Walter Rich, Borealis, Umbrina, and the German schooner Adele. 



Alexander Hansson, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I 

 am 34 years of age, a native of Sitka, Alaska, and 

 Alex. Hansson, p. 116. was educated in the public schools of California, 

 and afterwards attended school six years in Lovisa, 

 Finland, returning to the United States in 1875, when 18 years old. I 

 immediately took service as second mate on the schooner Matthew Turner, 

 and later on the steamer Dora, vessels ot the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany sailing to Alaska, and was employed a greater part of the time, 

 for two years and a half, in the Unalaska district. In 1886 I went to 

 St. Paul Island of the Pribilof group, and have since remained there 

 f'onstantly from that time until August, 1891. I was employed there 

 in various occupations in connection with sealing, but chiefly in hand- 

 ling seal-skins and as as one of the " killing gang," and am familiar with 

 every phase of the business. 



Q. What is your name, age, residence, and occupation 1 ? — A. My 

 name is H. Harmsen; age, 38 5 residence, San 

 H. Harmsen, p. 442. Francisco; occupation, mariner. 



Q. Are you an American citizen! — A. Yes, sir. 

 Q. Have you ever been engaged in the business of catching seals in 

 the Pacific or Bering Sea"? — A. Certainly. 

 Q. For how long a period? — A. Since 1877. 



Q. Have you been master of vessels thus engaged, or any officer in 

 any official capacity ? — A. Yes, sir ; since 1880 I have been master. 



Alfred Harris, being duly sworn, says: I am 40 years of age, a citi- 

 zen of the United States and a resident of the 



Alfred Harris, p. 529. city of New York. For twelve years prior to Feb- 

 ruary 1, 1892, I was a member of the firm of Har- 

 ris & Bussak, which still does a large wholesale fur business in the city 

 of New York. I am now associated with this firm in its business and 

 have charge of its manufacturing department. I am authorized to sign 

 the firm name to the annexed statement, and the reason why I sign it, 

 instead of one of the partners, is that I have a much more intimate 

 knowledge of all branches of the business than any one else. We are 

 manufacturers of furs of all kinds, and a large proportion of our busi- 

 ness consists in the manufacture of seal-skin articles. Between the 

 years 1880 and 1890 we handled per annum on an average 12,000 fur- 

 seal skins of the three catches. Between 1885 and 1890 we handled 

 from 35,000 to 40,000 Alaska skins, which had been dressed and dyed in 

 London. 



James Harrison, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I reside at 

 Victoria, British Columbia, and am by occupation 

 James Harrison, p. 326. seafaring man. I have had experience in the seal- 

 hunting business. First went out sealing as boat- 

 puller along the Northern Pacific coast about the 26th of June, 1891; 

 sailed from Victoria, British Columbia, in the schooner Triumph. * * * 

 I sailed again about February 12, 1892, iu the same vessel. 



