tbau fonuerlv. 



REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 31 



Weather aud other obvious circumstances, including 

 those connected witli the uncertain status of the sealers in 

 respect to seizure, have of course affected tlie figures for 

 the various years to a considerable extent; but speaking 

 generally, the results show a remarkable uniformity, and 

 taking into consideration the measures adopted in 1801 

 under the modus vivotdi, the results of pelagic sealing in 

 this year are particularly noteworthy and to the point, see- 

 ing that of the fifty schooners employed, nearly all were 

 turned back before the expiry of the usual hunting season. 



88. At sea, however, it is generally acknowledged that 

 the seals are becoming from year to year more and more 

 difficult of approach and capture, facts specially noted by 

 the native independent hunters, because specially afit'ecting 

 their catch by reason of the greater distance fi-om shore to 

 which it is now necessary to go in search of seals. 



89. While, therefore, it is certain that, in recent years, , ^p".-f "/'1-? 

 the number of seals to be found upon the Pribyloif Islands isiaiuiL' '^ ° ' 

 has very considerably decreased, it is uncertain to what 



extent this particular decrease has been compensated for, 

 or is counterbalanced by the greater dispersion of seals at 

 sea. Under all the circumstances, it must be considered 

 as a remarkable evidence of the resistance of seal life to 

 unfavourable treatment, that the apparent decrease upon 

 the islands has not been even greater. 



90. Kespecting the actual amount of this decrease upoh 

 the Pribyloff Islands, it is difficult to arrive at anything 

 like precise conclusions, in consequence of the lack of trust- 

 worthy evidence of a comparable nature for the various 

 years. A study of the available published data, made in 

 connection with a personal examination of the various 

 breeding grounds themselves, has convinced us, however, 

 that some, if not all, the estimates of the total number of 

 seals made in the earlier years of the term of the Alaska 

 Commercial Company have been greatly exaggerated, while 

 reports made in 1890, however accurate in themselves, have, 

 because compared with these overdrawn estimates, exag- 

 gerated the amount of the decrease. 



91. The alarming forecasts as to the condition of the 

 breeding islands based upon reports made in 1890, have, 

 fortunately, not been verified by the facts in 1891, as per- 

 sonally observed by us. If, indeed, the correctness of some 

 of these reports for 1890 be admitted, the rookeries nuist 

 have materially improved in condition in 1891, while all 

 the evidence collected indicates that they were, in 1891, in 

 at least as good condition as they were in the preceding- 

 year. 



92. On the Commander Islands, where the breeding rook- c^"™'°" ^""e " 

 eries have undoubtedly been more carefully aud systemat- laiauda." 

 ically supervised, the number of seals seen has gradually 

 increased for many years, and has in late years ap]>arently 



held its own up to the present year, in which a decrease 

 has been noted. There is reason to believe, however, that 

 the increase ceased in 1S89 or 1890, and was replaced by a 

 deficit in 1891 in consequence of the number of skins taken 

 in the two foregoing years, which greatly exceeded the 



