PERCENTAGE LOST OF SEALS KILLED. 389 



On my first voyage I think we got two out of Adoiph W. Thompson, 

 every five that we killed. *• 486 ' 



When seal were struck with a spear none were Charlie Tlaksatan, p. 

 lost; lose about 50 per cent when killed with 27 °- 

 shotgun. 



I had in my employ men who are old seal-hunters, and who were 

 formerly engaged in that business, and they have 



often told me "that they lost at least two out of M.L. Washburn, pAS9. 

 every three they killed. 



Deponent is of the opinion that in addition to the seals actually 

 caught a very large number are killed and not 



caught; and he bases this opinion upon the decla- C. A. Williams, p. 538. 

 ration to him of large numbers of persons engaged 



in pelagic sealing. He is not able to state accurately what that pro- 

 portion is, but considers that two-fifths would be a very conservative 

 estimate; that is, of the total number killed three-fifths are secured 

 and two-fifths lost. 



I have heard men say that they killed and recovered 90 per cent of 

 all the seals they fired at, but on examination of 



the accounts of the schooners on which they had 493 e0, ' mUmms > P- 

 been employed previous voyages, I discovered 



that more than ten rounds of ammunition had been used for every 

 skin that the vessel brought home. 



A green hunter would get one out of every five or six that he shot or 

 killed, and an experienced hunter might kill three Jo]m Woodruff ^ 506# 

 or four and get one. 



PERCENTAGE LOST OF SEALS STRUCK. 



The skill of the hunter has a great deal to do with the number of 

 seals secured of those killed or wounded, but the 

 most expert does not get more than half he hits, C. A. Abbey, p. 187. 

 and the average for hunters in general would be 

 about three in ten. 



We secured one out of about every five that we Chas. Adair, p. 400. 

 shot at or killed. 



An experienced hunter would get one out of every three that he shot 

 or killed, and a green hunter would get about one Chas ^ Adair „ 401. 

 out of every seven or eight that he shot or killed. 



It has been my custom in the last few years to examine the logs of 

 sealing vessels and to converse with officers and 



hunters of such vessels in order to obtain what Geo. B. Adams, p. 158. 

 information I could as to the methods employed 



by hunters, and the loss of seals occasioned in such pursuit. From 

 the logs I learned that in many instances one hundred rounds of ammu- 

 nition had been fired to each skin secured, and often more; and on an 

 average J. found that not over five seals to the hundred shots had been 



