ON PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 277 



In his reports of 1886 and 1887 George B. Tingle, special Treasury 

 agent in charge of the seal islands, reported having measured the 

 rookeries on the islands, and that the seals had largely increased in 

 number, giving the increase at about 2,000,000. From this report I 

 dissented at the time, as I was unable to see any increase, but on the 

 contrary a perceptible decrease, in the rookeries. I expressed my views 

 to many on the islands, and all agreed that there had been no increase 

 in seal life. I do not think that there was a single person ontheisland 

 except Mr. Tingle who thought there had been increase, or, in fact, 

 that there had not been a decrease in seal life. The measurements of 

 the rookeries on which Mr. Tingle relied were made with a common 

 rope, by ignorant natives, while the seals were absent from the islands, 

 the grounds covered by them being designated by Mr. Tingle from 

 memory. 



That during the three years following 1882, namely, 1883, 1884, and 

 1885, I was not upon the islands; that upon my 



return to said islands in 1880 I noticed a slight H. H. Mrfntyre,p. 45. 

 shrinkage in the breeding areas but am unable to 



indicate the year of the period of my absence in which the decrease of 

 breeding seals began; that from the year 1880 to 1889, inclusive, my obser- 

 vation was continuous and that there was a greater decrease of the seals 

 for each succeeding year of that period, in a cumulative ratio, propor- 

 tionate to the number of seals killed by pelagic sealers. 



In 1886 I again assumed personal direction of the work upon the is- 

 lands, and continued in charge up to and includ- 

 ing 1889. And now. for the first time in my expe- h. E. Mdntyre, p. 50. 

 rience, there was difficulty in securing such skins 



as we wanted. The trouble was not particularly marked in 1886, but in- 

 creased from year to year to an alarming extent, until in 1889, in order 

 to secure the full quota and at the same time turn back to the rooker- 

 ies such breeding bulls as they seemed to absolutely need, Ave were 

 forced to take fully 59 per cent of animals under size, which ought to 

 have been allowed one or two years more growth. Concerning this 

 matter I reported to the Alaska Commercial Company under date of 

 July 16, 1889, as follows: "The 'contrast between the present condition 

 of seal life, and that of the first decade of the lease is so marked that 

 the most inexpert can not fail to notice it. Just when the change com- 

 menced I am unable, from personal observation, to say, tor as you will 

 remember I was in ill health and unable to visit the islands in 1883, 

 1884, and 1885. I left the rookeries in 1882 in their fullest and best 

 condition, and found them in 1886 already showing slight falling oil', 

 and experienced that year for the first time some difficulty in securing 

 just the class of animals in every case that we desired. We, however, 

 obtained the full catch in that and the two following years, finishing 

 the work from the 24th to the 27th of July, but were obliged, particu- 

 larly in 1888, to content ourselves with smaller skins than we had here- 

 tofore taken. This was in part due to the necessity of turning back 

 to the rookeries many half-grown bulls, owing to the notable scarcity 

 of breeding males. I should have been glad to have ordered them 

 killed instead, but under your instructions to see that the best interests 

 of the rookeries were conserved, thought best to reject them. The re- 

 sult of killing from year to year a large and increasing number of small 

 animals is very apparent. We are simply drawing in advance upon 

 the stock that should be kept over for another year's growth." 



