36 



REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 

 109. Tliese statistics may bo tabulated as follows; 



employed. 



110. In explanation of the above table, it maybe added: 

 (1 ) That the figures given for the Pribyloft' Islands are those 

 of the skins actually accepted for shipment in each year by 

 the lessees, and are therefore neither identical with those 

 representing the shipments made yearly, nor with those 

 elsewhere given for the wholenumber of seals killed in each 

 year; (2) that the relatively small coast catch made by the 

 Indians in their own canoes and without the aid of sealing- 

 vessels is not included in the pelagic catch; (3) that the 

 pelagic catch as given includes skins taken both outside and 

 within Behriug Sea, and both in the eastern and western 

 parts of that sea, as well as such skins as were obtained by 

 raids made on shore on tlie breeding islands. 



Niimberofuien 111. The uumbcr of men employed in the British Colum- 

 bian sealing fleet alone, in this year (1S91), was 1,083, in the 

 United States fleet about 750, making a total of about 1,830 

 persons earning their livelihood by this means, of whom 

 about 1,430 are White and 400 Indians. In the shore seal- 

 ing upon the Pribyloff Islands the number of men employed 

 is about 10 Whites and 80 "natives." 



112. Upon the Pribyloff Islands the whole "native" pop- 

 ulation deriving its support from the industry of killing the 

 fur-seal numbers under 300. Much has been said as to the 

 necessity of providing for the support of these particular 

 " natives." It is not so generally recognized, however, that 

 in British Columbia probably 1,500 or 2,000 natives depend 

 ui^on the earnings of about 370 Indian hunters employed 

 in the sealing fleet. The earnings of these hunters thus 

 represent much of the support of a considerable part of 

 the entire native population of the west coast of Vancouver 

 Island. 



Native inde- 113. The dircct interest in sealing of the Indian tribes of 

 pendent sealing. British Columbia, parts of Alaska, and the State of Wash- 

 ington is, moreover, not confined to their share in pelagic 

 sealing proper. The results of independent hunting, car- 

 ried on for the most part in canoes from the shore by men 



Native in ter 



ests. 



