OPINIONS OF PELAGIC SEALERS. 501 



The seals are gradually being - killed off by the hunters, and some- 

 thing should be done to protect them and stop the 

 killing of female seals or they will soon be all K w.Soron,p.m. 

 gone. 



Q. Is it your opinion if sealing continues unrestricted that they will 

 be soon exterminated 1 ? — A. It is my opinion that 



if sealing continues as usual they will be soon ex- ^ ustave Sundvall, p. 

 terminated, and not before a great while, either. 



I am satisfied from my experience that they must protect the seals 

 in Bering Sea. If not they will soon be killed off. 



It may also be necessary to protect them in the Adolph TV. Thompson, 

 North Pacific, for the catch in those waters are #• 486 - 

 nearly all females carrying their young. 



I think if sealing was stopped in Bering Sea that seal would become 

 more plentiful along the coast, and if it is not Fctvr Trear8heit p 27 i 

 stopped the herd will soon be destroyed. 



If it be the desire of the Government to perpetuate them, it is very 

 important that they be protected in the North 

 Pacific as well as in the Bering Sea, since it has Michael White, p. 491. 

 been my observation that the seals are easily 



alarmed, and the killing of them with firearms has a tendency to 

 frighten the herd; nor do I think it possible to preserve the herd if the 

 great slaughter of female seals is to be continued. I also believe that 

 if sealing is stopped in the Bering Sea only, such fact would tend to 

 increase the price of seal-skins, and there would be a much larger fieet 

 fitted out for sealing in the Pacific than now, which would destroy the 

 herd and prevent it from going into the Bering Sea. This opinion is 

 based on the well known fact that the value of seal-skins is increased 

 by the decrease in the number taken ; and the higher the price of skins 

 the greater the inducement to fishermen to hunt them in the North 

 Pacific, which would soon destroy the seal-fishing industry everywhere. 



Opinions of Indian Hunters, 



Page 247 of Tlie Case. 



I think the white men should be stopped from killing seal off the 

 coast of Alaska so that they will become plenty ^ at00 v 237 

 again. ; 



We believe that in order to permanently pre- Jno. Alexandroff etal, 

 serve the fur-seal life pelagic hunting should be P- 229# 

 stopped. 



If pelagic sealing was stopped in Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean, 

 seals would become plentiful once more and the 

 natives of Alaska could again make money by Adam A y° n]cee > P- 2j5 - 

 catching them. 



And they will soon be all gone unless schooners Johnny Baronovitch, p. 

 are all stopped from hunting seal along the coast 27(i * 

 of Alaska. 



