INCREASE. 263 



then was located, and now recollect the condition of said rookeries, and 

 the approximate area which each of them covered at different times 

 during my experience on said islands; that I have carefully examined 

 the lines drawn by H. fl. Mclntyre on exhibits signed by him and 

 marked Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, indicating the grounds cov- 

 ered by said rookeries on St. Paul Island in the year 1870 and the year 

 1882, and that the red line shows the approximate area- so covered in 

 1809, and the blue line the approximate area so covered in 1882; that 

 I have indicated to the best of my recollection the grounds covered by 

 breeding rookeries on St. George Island in the year 1874, by a red line, 

 and the grounds so covered in the year 1884 by a blue line, on the ex- 

 hibits signed by me and marked Exhibits H, I, J, and K; that the 

 grounds so indicated are practically correct and represent approxi- 

 mately the area covered by breeding seals on said St. George Island in 

 said years of 1874 and 1884. 



I further depose and say I have examined the charts of said St. Paul 

 and St. George islands, made as I am informed and believe by J. Stan- 

 ley Brown; that to the best of my knowledge the spaces represented 

 on said charts as grounds over which the bachelor seals have hauled at 

 various times during my experience are practically correct. 



I may state that the sum of my observations in the above relation on 

 the Pribilof Islands at the close of the season of 

 1878 clearly indicated that since 1S70 the rook- j m . M. Morton, p. 68. 

 eries had increased in an appreciable manner, and 



I may add that such was the opinion of everybody on the islands who 

 had given the subject any careful study. During the years I have 

 mentioned, to wit, from 1870 to 1878 inclusive, the stock of killable 

 seals was always more than sufficient to meet the annual demands made 

 upon it by the lessees and still leave in reserve a proper supply of males 

 for future use on the rookeries. 



I have already stated that my personal observation and investigation 

 of the conditions at the islands from 1870 to 1878, 

 inclusive, showed that during those years a steady j. m. Morton, p. 69. 

 expansion of the breeding rookeries took place. 



I am also informed and believe that such expansion continued up to the 

 year 1882 or 18S3. During this period of general increase it is notable 

 that the destruction of animals from pelagic sealing was comparatively 

 unimportant. But a few vessels up to this time had made predatory 

 excursions in Bering Sea, and the number of seals obtained by them 

 is known to have been small. 



While I was on St. George Island there was a perceptible increase 

 in the number of seals, there being more in 1881 

 thau at any time previous while I was there. j. h. Moulton, p. 71. 



When the Alaska Commercial Company obtained the lease in 1870, 

 of the right to take seals for their skins, I 

 instructed the superintendent and agents of the g. Nlebaum, p. 77. 

 company in regard to the way in which the work 



had been done, and outlined to them the policy to be pursued in the 

 future. The lease of the Alaska Commercial Company had twenty 

 years to run, and it was for our interests that the very best methods 

 should be adopted for managing not only the "bachelors," then ready 

 for slaughter, but also the breeding herds upon which the future of our 



