FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 57 



This year 135 skins were taken and sold at a price aggregating 

 $4,117 (price paid the hunters and not the London price). In num- 

 bers this is a big decrease from last year, when the natives secured 

 396 skins. Prices received for the skins averaged much higher than 

 in 1909, when $18.60 was received per skin, as compared with $30.50 

 this year. 



The Biorka Island parties secured 50 skins, the Wrangell Island 

 parties 13, and the Tava Island parties 72. The largest number 

 secured by any one boat was 8. 



In outfitting these boats the hunter, who is head man, furnishes the 

 boat and gun, while the rowers furnish the ammunition and food. 

 The gross proceeds arising from the sale of the skins taken are divided 

 equally among the crew, with the exception of the hunter, who gets 

 $3 or $4 more than the others. 



The hunting parties return to Sitka the latter part of May. A 

 committee of two is then appointed to supervise the sale of the skins, 

 which usually takes place on a date between June 1 and 5, when the 

 buyers from the States have reached Sitka. On sale day the skins 

 are all brought to one house, where they are sorted into three sizes — 

 "small," "medium," and "large" — care being taken to keep each 

 boat's catch separate from the others. The "small" skins are 

 those of the pups born during the previous two years. The ' ' medium" 

 skins are said to have the best fur, but the buyers prefer the "large" 

 ones on account of their size. The buyers are not allowed to pick 

 out the choice skins and bid on these alone, but must take them as 

 they run, the subdivision in the beginning being made merely in 

 order that the buyers may see what they are bidding on. 



These skins are usually much sought after by the dealers, because, 

 being taken by the natives, and a certificate from the collector of 

 customs to this effect being attached to the catch, they can, under the 

 law, be sent abroad to be cleaned and dyed and brought back to be 

 sold in our markets. The possession of such a certificate is con- 

 sidered to add about $10 to the value of the skin. 



The Japanese schooners were again troublesome. During bad 

 weather, when the natives could not go out with their small boats, 

 the schooners came in close, and then when the good weather came 

 they would work out just ahead of the native boats and pick up most 

 of the seals. 



The Japanese sealing schooner Raise Maru, which was seized on 

 May 3, 1909, by the deputy marshal at Sitka, is still at that place. 

 The crew were charged with killing seals within the 3-mile limit, and 

 also landing on certain islands near by. They were tried at Juneau 

 in September of the same year and acquitted, but the owners failed 

 to resume possession of their vessel after their release. 



