THE DEPONENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. 45 



Frederick Mason, being duly sworn, deposes and says: lam 32 years 

 old. Was born in British Columbia, and now 



reside at New Metlakahtla. Am a hunter by oc- Frederick Mason, p. 284. 

 cupation; have hun ted fur-seal in canoes since I 



was a boy. * * * My hunting lodge has always been on Nicholas 

 Bay, and I have hunted in Queen Charlotte Sound, Dixons Entrance, 

 and off Prince of Wales Island. 



Henry Mason, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 43 

 years of age and reside in San Francisco. My 

 occupation is that of a seal hunter. I went seal- Henry Mason, p. 464. 

 ing on the Umbrina in 1891. * * * * In 1890 

 I went sealing in the schooner Argonaut. 



William Mason, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a 

 seaman by occupation, and I reside in Victoria, 

 British Columbia. I made a sealing cruise in the JVm. Mason, p. 465. 

 British schooner Maybelle, Capt. Hanson, during 



the season of 1891, leaving Victoria in the latter part of January. I 

 was a boat puller. 



Thorwal Mathasan, being duly sworn, deposes and says: My name is 

 Thorwal Mathasan ; my age is 39 years ; occupa- 

 tion, seaman; I reside at Victoria, British Colum- ^ 9 horwal Mathasan > P- 

 bia. I went sealing in 1891 in the Oscar and Hat- 

 tie, * * * as a boat puller. * * * I went sealing again on the 

 28th of January, 1892, in the same vessel. 



Personally appeared before me S. Melavidoff and David Salamatoff, 

 who, being duly sworn, depose and say: We are 



natives of Alaska, are now and have been for the s fi a ^f a J >do ^ Q Q and D ' 

 past twenty years residents of Unalaska. * * * a ama p ' 

 I, S. Melavidoff, am 53 years of age. I, David Salamatoff, am 67 years 

 of age. 



Q. State your age and place of residence. — 

 A. I am thirty- six years of age; have resided f?J on Melovcdo ff etal., 

 on St. Paul Island, Alaska, for the past twenty- p ' 

 four years. 



Q. What is your occupation? — A. I am a sealer; formerly in the em- 

 ploy of the Alaska Commercial Company, and now in the employ of 

 the North American Commercial Company. 



Q. Has your occupation been such as to give you an opportunity to 

 notice from year to year the condition of the rookeries and the peculiar- 

 ities of seal life? — A. Yes; I was chief for about ten years, and during 

 that time had charge of the drives and have always participated in the 

 killing of the seals. 



Anton Melovedoff, being duly sworn, deposes 

 and says : I am thirty-eight (38) years of age and Anton Melovedoff, p. 142. 

 I was born on Kadiak Island, Alaska. I came 



to St. Paul Island in 1801, the first time, and in 1869 the second time. 

 1 have resided here since 1869 and I have been constantly employed 

 among the Alaskan fur-seals in all that time. I have had a large and 

 varied experience in all the details of the business as it has been car- 

 ried on on St. Paul Island, and I have done service in all the depart- 



