THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 



57 



three or four weeks that they are engaged in the work. 

 grounds on the sand-flats immediately 

 adjacent to the killing-grounds, being ob- 

 tained without the slightest difficulty. 



Here also was the site of a village, once 

 the largest one ou this island ere its trans- 

 fer to the sole control and charge of the 

 old Russian-American Company, ten years 

 after its discovery in 17S7. The ancient 

 cemetery and the turf lines of the decayed 

 barraboras are still plainly visible. 



The company's steamer runs up here, 

 watching her opportunity, and drops her 

 anchor, as indicated on the general chart, 

 right south of the salt-house, in about four 

 fathoms of water ; and the skins are in- 

 variably hustled aboard, no time being lost, 

 because it is an exceedingly uncertain place 

 to safely load the vessel. 



There is no impression in my mind really 

 more vivid, than is the one which was 

 planted there during the afternoon of that 

 July day, when I first made my survey of 

 this ground ; indeed, whenever I pause to 

 think of the subject, the great rookery of 

 Novastoshnah rises promptly to my view, 

 and I am fairly rendered dumb when I try 

 to speak in definition of the spectacle. In 

 the first place, this slope from Sea Lion 

 neck to the summit of Hutchinson's hill 



The "holluschickie" are driven from the large hauling- 



uit\ Mah 



NORTH EAST POINT 



Scale: 



«°ofc 



is a long mile, smooth and gradual from the sea to the hill-top ; the parade ground lying between is also nearly 

 three-quarters of a mile in width, sheer and unbroken. Now, upon that area before my eyes, this day and date of 

 which I have spoken, were the forms of not less than three-fourths of a million seals — pause a moment — think 

 of the number — three-fourths of a million seals moving in one solid mass from sleep to frolicksome gambols, 

 backward, forward, over, around, changing and interchanging their heavy squadrons, until the whole mind is so 

 confused and charmed by the vastuess of mighty hosts that it refuses to analyze any further. Then, too, I remember 

 that the day was one of exceeding beauty for that region; it was a swift alternation over head of those characteristic 

 rain fogs, between the succession of which the sun breaks out with transcendent brilliancy through the misty halos 

 about it ; this parade-field reflected the light like a mirror, and the seals, when they broke apart here and there for 

 a moment, just enough to show its surface, seemed as though they walked upon the water. What a scene to put 

 upon canvas — that amphibian host involved in those alternate rainbow lights and blue-gray shadows of the fog! 



Recapitulation of the estimates of number of seals. — Below is a recapitulation of these figures made 

 from my surveys of the area and position of the breeding grounds of St. Paul island, between the 10th and 18th of 

 July, 1872, confirmed and revised to that date in 1874. It is the first survey ever made on the island of its rookeries : 



Breeding-grounds of the fur-seal, on St. Paul island. 



"Reef rookery" has 4,016 feet of sea-margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground for 



"Gorbotch rookery" has 3,660 feet of sea-margin, with 100 feet of average depth, making ground for 



"Lagoon rookery" has 750 feet of sea-margin, with 100 feet of average depth, making ground for 



"Nak Speel rookery" has 400 feet of sea-margin, with 40 feet of average depth, making ground for 



''Lukannon rookery" has 2,270 feet of sea margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making grouud for 



"Keetavie rookery" has 2,200 feet of sea-margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground fur 



" Tolstoi rookery " has 3,000 feet of sea margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground for 



"Zapaduie rookery" has 5,880 feet of sea-margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground for 



" Polaviua rookery " has 4,000 feet of sea-margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground for 



"Novastoshuah, or Northeast point" has 15,840 feet of sea-margin, with 150 feet of average depth, making ground for. 



A grand total of breeding-seals and young for St. Paul island in 1874 of 



Number of 

 seals, male, 

 female, and 

 young. 



301, 000 



183, 000 



37, 000 



8,000 



170, 000 



165, 000 



225,000 



411,000 



300, 000 



1,200,000 



3, 030, 000 



