58 FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 



In 1909 revenue cutters seized the Japanese sealing schooners 

 Saikai Maru and Kinsei Maru, and charged them with sealing within 

 the 3-mile limit of the Pribilof Islands. The captured vessels were 

 taken to Unalaska and later the officers and men were carried to 

 Valdez, where all were tried and convicted at the November term of 

 court. Condemnation proceedings against the vessels were insti- 

 tuted, and on April 18 of this year the deputy marshal at Unalaska 

 sold the vessels with their stores and equipment, the Kinsei Maru 

 bringing $4,600 and the Saikai Maru $321.50. When seized the 

 schooners had 660 seal skins, and these sold for $21,780. The vessels 

 were purchased by Mr. Fred Shroeder, of Dutch Harbor, who renamed 

 the Kinsei Maru the Elvira, and outfitted and sent her out this year 

 on a sea-otter cruise. The skins sold have been included in the 

 statistical tables of this report. 



This year the Treasury Department adopted the policy of permit- 

 ting sealing vessels to take on merely enough water to carry them to 

 the nearest United States port, or if homeward bound, to take them 

 home. Heretofore the vessels have taken aboard water whenever 

 and wherever they pleased, thus being enabled to extend their cruise 

 indefinitely. Several sealing vessels which visited ports in southeast 

 and central Alaska were affected by this rule. Under the law no 

 resident of the United States is permitted to furnish supplies to a 

 sealer at any time. 



The lease of the North American Commercial Co. of the Pribilof 

 Islands expired this year, and the Government, through this Depart- 

 ment, took possession of the islands. From St. Paul Island 10,754 

 skins were shipped, while St. George shipped 2,834, a total of 13,586. 



MISCELLANEOUS AQUATIC MAMMALS. 



HAIR SEALS. 



These animals are to be found all along the coast of Alaska, occur- 

 ring in places in almost countless numbers. While they form a very 

 insignificant part of the commerce in which the white traders par- 

 ticipate, owing to the fact that their fur is worthless, they are of 

 immense value to the natives, for from the flesh and oil is secured a 

 considerable part of the winter food, while the skins are highly prized 

 for covering the kayaks and umiaks, and for boot soles, trousers, 

 mittens, clothing bags, and caps, and when cut into strips make a 

 very strong and durable cord. The coast natives also barter the 

 flesh, oil, and skins with the interior tribes for reindeer hides and furs, 

 thus creating a very important branch of trade of which it is impos- 

 sible to form an accurate idea, owing to the inaccessibility of most of 

 the tribes and the secrecy they observe when discussing such matters 

 with white men. 



