FUR SEALS. 161 
"As the seals are not wholly at rest until the females arrive, great care is 
necessary in selecting the time and place from which to drive. These points are 
determined by a head-man, who assumes the whole control of this part of the bus- 
iness. In the month of May, only the small number required by the natives for 
food are driven. In June, when the seals are more numerous, they are driven and 
killed for their skins, although the percentage of prime skins is at this time very 
small, often not twenty per cent, of the whole flock driven. About the middle of 
July, the females go off into the water, and there is a period of general rest among 
all the seals, during which time the natives desist entirely from killing for ten to 
fifteen days. At the close of this period, the great body of yearling seals arrive. 
These, mixing with the younger class of males, spread over the uplands, and greatly 
increase the difficulty of killing properly. Up to this time, there having been no 
females with the seals driven up for killing, it was only necessary to distinguish 
ages ; this the difference in size enables them to do very easily. Now, however, 
nearly one -half are females, and the slight difference between these and the younger 
males, renders it necessary for the head-man to see every seal killed, and only a 
strong interest in the preservation of the stock can insure the proper care. Sep- 
tember and October are considered the best months for taking the seals. 
"Besides the skin, each seal will yield one gallon and a half of oil, and the 
linings of all the throats are saved and salted as an article of trade to other ports 
in the territory, these being used by the natives for making water -proof frocks to 
wear in their skin -canoes when hunting the sea -otter or fishing. These parts have 
no very great commercial value, though they are considered by the natives as indis- 
pensable to them. 
"Mode of Curing the Skins. — The skins are all taken to the salt -houses, and 
are salted in kenches, or square bins, the skins being spread down, flesh -side up, 
and a layer of salt spread over them. They remain thus packed for thirty or forty 
days, when they are taken from the bins ; the salt is removed, and the skins are 
folded together, the flesh -side in, and sprinkled as they are folded with a quantity 
of clean salt. They are then ready for shipment. 
"Number op Seals frequenting the Island. — There are at least twelve miles of 
shore -line on the island of St. Paul's occupied by the seals as breeding -ground, with 
an average width of fifteen rods. There being about twenty seals to the square 
rod, gives one million one hundred and fifty -two thousand as the whole number of 
breeding males and females. Deducting one -tenth for males, leaves one million 
thirty- seven thousand and eight hundred breeding females. Allowing one -half of 
the present year's pups to be females, this will add half a million of breeding females 
Marine Mammals —21. 
