ALASKA FUR-SEAL ROOKERIES, 1910. 17 



generally speaking the infractions of the law throughout the season 

 were of minor importance. 



Pelagic sealing, on the part of the Japanese, continued with 

 unabated vigor. During this season 25 vessels were reported, 7 more 

 than hi 1909, and the reports in Capt. Foley's office in Unalaska show 

 that each schooner carried approximately 25 to 40 men and from 

 5 to 10 boats. Furthermore, several of these ships cleared from 

 Japan early in the year, and, arriving at various points from Cali- 

 fornia to Sitka, followed the herd to the breeding grounds in Bering 

 Sea. In the vicinity of St. Paul Island, none ventured, so far as 

 known, within the 3-mile zone, but in one or two instances violations 

 were reported by the natives on St. George, where the revenue-cutter 

 patrol is far less vigilant. On June 28 the Tokai Maru was seized 

 and fined for violation of the alien fishing law, and on July 25 the 

 Toro Maru was seized and fined for violation of the custom laws 

 (section 2773 of the Revised Statutes). On July 18 two row boats 

 were sighted in the vicinity of Zapadni, on St. George, so close to 

 shore that one was seen to contain at least one unskinned seal. 

 And again during foggy weather on July 30 two boats' crews from 

 the schooner Hoko Maru landed at Northeast Point and Lukanin, 

 respectively, and the next day 4 sailors from the Toro Maru were 

 captured en route to Zapadni. Though pleading stress of weather, 

 all were taken into custody and were subsequently tried in Unalaska. 



Generally speaking, the fleet operated to the east and north of St. 

 Paul, presumably in the path of the seals leaving the Reef, Kitovi, 

 Lukanin, the Polovinas, and Northeast Point. On July 10 the steamer 

 Homer reported at least a dozen schooners with their attendant 

 boats, which had formed a great circle between St. Paul and St. 

 George and were slaughtering the seals compelled to cross the line 

 of fire at two points. Although the nearest of these vessels was at 

 least 8 miles from the shores of St. Paul, the reports of the shotguns 

 could be heard distinctly on land, and a count I made on that day 

 from 11.20 to 11.50 a. m. showed that 228 shots were fired, an average 

 of 7.6 per minute. 



In this connection it may be mentioned that on certain days, 

 owing to meteorological conditions, sounds travel amazing distances. 

 According to Capt. Quinan, shots were heard one day in July seem- 

 ingly well within the 3-mile zone, but with the lifting of the fog the 

 nearest boat was fully 7 miles distant. Somewhat later in the month 

 a fusilade was distinctly heard on St. Paul, but with the clearing 

 away of the mists not a single boat could be detected even with 

 powerful glasses used from the top of a 70-foot hill. It thus becomes 

 apparent that alleged transgressions, based on this species of evi- 

 dence alone, are far from being trustworthy. 



