328 cause. 



That cue reason for deponent's opinion that the total number of 

 seals in the Pacific and Bering Sea has diminished 



Herman Liebes,p. 514. very rapidly is the fact — which deponent knows 

 from the fact that he buys so large a portion 

 of the poachers' catch — that there are now engaged on what is called 

 "poaching" about eighty vessels, and that about five years ago 

 not more than ten vessels were engaged in poaching; and that the total 

 number of skins brought in by the whole eighty vessels is now not very 

 much greater than the number brought in five years by ten vessels. 

 The poaching vessels a few years ago have been known to get as many 

 as 3,000 or 4,000 skins, and deponent has bought 4, 000 skins from one 

 vessel, whereas no poaching vessel now gets more than a few hundred 

 with the same size crew. One vessel last year sailing from Victoria 

 made a catch of 1,900 skins, but this is now an altogether exceptional 

 catch, and this vessel had a crew twice as large as poaching vessels 

 formerly carried, and was equipped with from twelve to fifteen boats 

 instead of five or six. One or two other poaching vessels also made 

 largo catches — that is, over 1,200 skins — but the average catch of the 

 poaching vessels is not more than a few hundred each. This is true, 

 although the poaching vessels are now equipped with much more ex- 

 perienced shooters, with better rifles, and with bettor boats than any 

 of the vessels had five years ago. Many of the poaching vessels now 

 have boats pointed at both ends, so that they can go backward or for- 

 ward with equal ease; and the old poacher only had ordinary ships' 

 boats. Deponent knows this to be true, because he has seen the boats 

 and talked with the captains of the schooners about them. 



I never saw many sealing schooners before 1SS4, but they have been 

 coming more and more every year since, and 1 



Aggei Eushen,p. 128. notice that as the schooners multiply in the sea 

 the seals decrease on the rookeries. 



From 1885 to the present time the fleet of predatory vessels has con- 

 H.H.Mchityre^.n. stantly increased in proportion as the seal herd 



has decreased. * * * 

 A very noticeable decrease in the herd commenced, as I havealready 

 pointed out, in 1880, and was coincident in time and proportionate in 

 eztent with the number of seals destroyed in the water. The business of 

 pelagic sealing in Bering Sea first assumed considerable proportions 

 in 1884, and in that year dead pup seals first became numerous enough 

 upon the rookeries to excite remark upon the islands. As the sealing 

 fleet increased the starved animals became more numerous. In 1887 

 fourteen vessels were seized for illegal sealing, and the effect was seen 

 in the following year when a much less number engaged in the business 

 and the Bering Sea catch amounted, as I am informed, to about 34,000 

 skins against about 19,000 or 20,000 in 1888. The failure of the United 

 Stales Government to vigorously pursue in 1888 and the following 

 years the repressive policy so auspiciously begun in 1887, led to a large 

 increase of the sealing fleet and corresponding destruction of the herd, 

 but the prohibition of pelagic sealing nevertheless continued, and the 

 usual proclamation was published by the Government warning all 

 parties not to kill seals in Bering Sea or waters adjacent to the Alas- 

 kan coast. 



