70 THE DEPONENTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE. 



Alaska for thirteen years, and for the last five years have been travel- 

 ing, in the early summer months of each year, buying furs from Kadiak 

 Island east to Prince William "Sound west; occasionally I made trips 

 as far east as Yakutat Bay and as far west as Chignic Bay. * * * 

 I annually visit nearly all the settlements in this region and many of 

 the uninhabited islands. 



I, Seth M. Washburn, depose and on oath say: That I am 42 years 

 of age, and reside in Bethel, Vermont, where I have 



Seth M. Washburn, p. been a merchant since 1878. I was born in Ran- 

 154: * dolph, Vermont, and lived there until 1874. I was 



a graduate of the State Normal School of Vermont, and in 1874 was 

 employed by the Alaska Commercial Company, the late lessees of the 

 Alaska seal fisheries, to go to the island of St. Paul, of the Pribilof 

 group, as assistant agent and teacher. I went there in 1874 and re- 

 mained continuously until 1877, my residence there covering four seal- 

 ing seasons. My duties as assistant agent required me to familiarize 

 myself with the habits of the seals, the manner of driving them from 

 the rookeries, and the killing them and preserving their skins. In do- 

 ing this the rookeries were under my daily observation. Moreover, 

 from the isolated character of the life on St. Paul Island and the fact 

 that the whole business and resources of the islanders and the other 

 employes of the lessees were based on the seal product, the habits and 

 peculiarities of these animals was the principal and overshadowing 

 subject of conversation and observation among the inhabitants. 



Elkan Wasserinann, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I 

 am 53 years of age. I reside in San Francisco. 



Elkan Wassermann, p. My occupation is that of a merchant. I have 

 534 - been engaged in buying furs for the last thirty 



years. I have examined and bought a great number of seal-fur skins 

 during that time. Some were skins taken by hunters off the coast of 

 California, and others from the coasts of British Columbia, Alaska, 

 and Japan; and I have also bought skins from other dealers. Some 

 were shot and some were speared. 



Watkins, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That I am a native 



Makak Indian, and reside at Neah Bay, on the 



Watkins, p. 394. Indian Reservation, in the State of Washington, 



United States of America. My age is about 35 



years, and I am a hunter and fisherman by occupation. I have been 



hunting seals all my life or since I was old enough. Previous to ten 



years ago I always hunted seals with a spear in a large canoe, and from 



20 to 30 miles around Cape Flattery and Irom 60 to 100 miles up and 



down the coast. 



Daniel Webster, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am GO years 

 of age, and am a resident of Oakland Cal. ; my 

 Danl. Webster, p. 179. occupation is that of local agent for the North 

 American Commercial Company, and at present I 

 am stationed on St. George Island, of the Pribilof Group, Alaska. I have 

 been in Alaskan waters every year but two since I was 14 years of age. 

 I first went to Bering Sea in 1845 on a whaling voyage, and annually 

 visited those waters in that pursuit until 1808, at which time the pur- 

 chase and transfer of Alaska was made to the United States; since 

 that time I have been engaged in the taking of fur-seals for their skins. 



