INCREASE. 265 



same good management, upon cessation of marine killing, will rapidly 

 augment both herds again, for no animals are more susceptible to good 

 treatment in breeding than these. Their marine enemies, aside from 

 man, are a constant factor of destruction in disregard of which they 

 multiply. 



In all tliese years seals of all classes were present at the islands in 

 vast numbers, so that the annual catch of 100,000 

 skins, 80,000 on St. Paul and 20,000 on St. George, m. g. Otis, p. 85. 

 was taken with great ease and facility, the killing 



season proper extending over a period of only about forty-five days in 

 each year, and the actual working days being only from thirty- two to 

 thirty-five in each year. 



During my term of service at the islands I made careful and elabo- 

 rate reports each year to the Secretary of the Treasury. In one of these 

 reports, dated July 30, 1881, I embodied a compilation from the official 

 records covering a period from 1871 to 1881, with the object of showing 

 the relative abundance of the seal life during those years. The table 

 was preceded in my report by the following explanatory language: 

 "The following table, covering a period of eleven years, shows: (1) The 

 number of seal- skins taken in each sealing season proper on St. Paul's 

 Island; (2) the number of days expended in the work; (3) the number 

 of sealers engaged ; (4) the average number of skins taken per day ; and 

 (5) the average daily catch per man engaged; and it is confidently sub- 

 mitted as the most solid ground we have to stand upon in attempting 

 an answer to the inquiry, l Are the fur-seals of Alaska increasing or 

 diminishing in numbers?'" 



Briefly summarized, the table shows that the working days for seal- 

 ing proper were reduced from 55 in 1871 to 35 in 1881; that the aver- 

 age daily catch was increased from 1,375 in 1871 to 2,158 in 1881, and 

 that the daily average catch per man employed was increased from 21 

 in 1871 to 32 in 1881. 



The plain lesson taught by these figures and comparisons is that the 

 vast increase in the seal life due to the proper and adequate protection 

 of the rookeries and of the waters adjacent thereto made it possible for 

 lessees to take the full quota of 100,000 skins in a very short period of 

 from thirty-three to thirty-five working days. In truth, so abundant 

 were the seals during these years that after the close of the sealing 

 season, about July 20, when the entire number of 100,000 skins had 

 been taken, the rookeries and hauling grounds still held a vast popu- 

 lation of these animals and it required an expert to perceive the fact 

 that they had been depleted at all. 



During those years the sealing season commenced about June 1st to 

 4th and closed invariably before the 20th of July, so that the disturb- 

 ance to the herd was confined to the shortest possible period of time 

 and reduced to the minimum. The effect of this was of course most 

 excellent. In addition to which fact the skins were alwas in prime 

 condition during that period; whereas, later on, the "stagey" season 

 commences, when the skins are inferior and not marketable. 



The conspicuous fact most apparent to me during all those years was 

 that by the enforcement of the wise laws enacted by Congress early 

 after the acquisition of Alaska, this precious animal life could be and 

 was protected and preserved in the fullest measure, and that being so 

 protected the natural increase of the herds more than offset the annual 

 killing, great as it was. * * * 



