ALONG THE COAST 289 



There have only been two seal killed by the four canoes hunting 

 ofl' Cape Muzon this season, which shows plainly 

 enough that the seal are most all gone. Dan Nathlan, p. 287. 



Fur-seal are not as plentiful on the coast as they used to be. The 

 Indians kill but very few now. In former years 

 they used to get many of them, but the last few Nechantake, jp. 241. 

 years they have become very scarce and the In- 

 dian hunters take very few. 



I believe there has been a great decrease in the number of the fur-seals 

 frequenting the Pribilof Islands. Years ago I 

 used to see a great number of them in Bering Sea Arthur Newman, p. 211. 

 while making passage between Unalaska and the 



Pribilof Islands during the breeding season, but now only a few are 

 seen, and these are observed much nearer to the islands than was for- 

 merly the case. 



Seals were not so thick in the sea that year as they were about four 

 years previous to that time. Seals are likewise 

 rapidly decreasing all along the coast. Osiy,p. 391. 



Seals were much less in numbers off the coast in 1890 than they were 

 about 1885. They have either been destroyed or 

 driven off. We had no trouble in making a sea- William Parker, p. 344. 

 son on the coast, weather permitting, of from 700 

 to 1,300, and now 500 is a good catch. 



Seals are very much more scarce than they were when I began to 

 seal in schooners. I never see any more big herds 

 like I used to, and it is much more difficult to get Wilson Parker, p. 392. 

 to them now than in former years. They have got 

 wild and shy, because they have been hunted too much with guns. 



I used to hunt for seals in the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, but of 

 late years have not done so because the seals do not come into the 

 straits any more. 



There are not as many seal-skins offered for sale now as in former 

 years, and last year our people caught less than Chestoqua Peterson, p. 

 one- eighth of what they used to prior to 1886. 393. 



Do not think there are now as many fur-seals EUah Prokopief,p. 215. 

 as there were thirty years ago, but do not know 

 the cause of the decrease. 



During past four years have not noticed much w. Roberts, p. 2i2. 

 change in number of seal. 



I do know that where Indians formerly went out Abel Ryan, p. 299. 

 and brought back fifteen seals they scarcely bring 

 back one now. 



I noticed a decrease in the number of seals off Wm. Short, p. 348. 

 Cape Flattery when there in 1891, as compared 

 with the other season, 



19 B t$ 



