IMPROVEMENT OVER RUSSIAN METHODS OF TAKING. 253 



duced. Under better management, the quality of the catch sent to 

 market constantly improved. The shins averaged larger and more 

 uniform in size than had been formerly secured. 



Formerly it was customary to drive from Halfway Point and south- 

 west Bay to the village grounds, but it was found 

 to be less trying to the seals and better economy H. S. Molntyre, p. 55. 

 of labor to kill nearer to these rookeries. Mule 



teams and boats on St. Paul and pack animals on St. George were ac- 

 cordingly supplied several years ago for transporting the skins from 

 these more distant points, and the killing has since been conducted as 

 near the rookeries as practicable. 



Many improvements were introduced by the Americans upon Russian 

 methods, more particularly in systematizing the 



work upon the slaughter grounds, in providing h. H. Molntyre, p. 58. 

 convenient buildings in which to salt and bundle 



the skins, and in furnishing means for transporting them from the field 

 to the salt houses and thence to the vessels; but the management of 

 the rookeries as regards their preservation and growth has varied very 

 little since 1835 or 1840, when the Russians awoke to the fact that all 

 of the females and a proper proportion of the males should be spared. 



In the Russian times, before 1808, the seals were always driven across 

 the Island of St. Paul from North East Point to 



the village salt house — a distance of 12A miles — Anton Melovedoff, p. 142. 

 but when the Alaska Commercial Company leased 



the islands they stopped long driving and built salt houses near to the 

 hauling grounds, so that by 1879 no seals were driven more than 2 miles. 



Never since the islands have been American property has there been 

 indiscriminate killing done upon them, nor has 

 tl i ere been a desire on the part of anyone connected l. A . Noyes, p. 83. 

 with them to injure or damage or waste seal life; 



on the contrary, everything has been done by the lessees, past and pres- 

 ent, and by the United States, to foster and protect it, and to improve 

 the methods of driving the seals, so that the herds might grow and 

 thrive and increase, and perpetuate themselves indefinitely. Laws, 

 rules, and regulations were made from time to time, prompted by expe- 

 rience, with a view to add to the value of the property, and to abolish 

 everything that was not beneficial and in strict accord with the most 

 humane principles. To this end all long drives were prohibited, and 

 arrangements made by which the killing grounds have been brought 

 as near the hauling grounds as is practicable without being injurious 

 to the breeding rookeries. 



Before the Alaska Commercial Company leased the seal islands in 

 1870, it was a common practice to drive seals from 

 North East Point to the village on St. Paul Island, ./. c. Redpath, p. 150. 

 a distance of 12 miles, and from Zapadnie to the 



village on St. George Island, a distance of 6 miles, across a very rough 

 and rugged country. 



From Halfway Point and from Zapadnie on St. Paul Island, seals were 

 driven, respectively, 5 and miles. 



When the Alaska Commercial Company took control of the islands 

 the drive from North East Point was prohibited, and a salt house and 



