REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. B5 



fact that for a number of years the Indians scarcely hunted the far seal 

 (§502).] 



1868. 5,000 fur seals are said to have been killed about the Strait of 

 Fuca in tliis year.* 



1809, Bryant speaks of the abundance of fur seals ofi" Ihe coasts of 

 Oregon, Washington, and British Cohinibia in this as compared with 

 former years.t 



1872. Captain Lewis, then connected with the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany, stated that in 1872 "immense numbers of fur-seal pups and 

 yearlings" were observed in the ocean oft' Vancouver Island and the 

 entrance to Fuca Straits. That he had never during thirty years of 

 previous service on the north-west coast seen or heard of such an abun- 

 dance of fur-seals. He thought that " 8,000 or 9,000 skins, chietiy pups 

 and yearlings," weie taken. t 



1873. Captain Lewis, previously cited, stated that in this year very 

 few fur-seals were seen off the British Columbian coast. His figures 

 showed only "600 or 700 skins; these were all older ones."§ 



1806 to 1880. Writing in 1880, Judge J. G. Swan says : " This unprec- 

 edented number of seals which made their appearance, a number which 

 seems to have increased evety season since 1800, will give employment 

 to a larger tleet of vessels another year. || 



1880. Fur-seals were reported in great abundance 100 to 300 miles 

 offshore, by vessels making for the Strait of Fuca. 



According to Judge J. G. Swan,^] the canoe catch of Neah Bay 

 (Makah) Indians in this year was 1,558. 



1881. Mr. Marsilliot, second engineer of United States Eevenue Cut- 

 ter "Wolcott," states that in this year fur-seals were very abundant in 

 Puget Sound, and were taken as far in as Hoods Canal.** 



1888. Judge J. G. Swan, in a letter to Senator Holph, says: "Seals 

 are reported as being unusually numerous this season, and are in 

 myriads. California steamers report running through one herd which 

 extended 100 miles, and the seals appeared to be as thick as they could 

 swim."tt 



1889. Captain J. D. Warren, who has been actively engaged in seal- 

 ing for twenty years, states that during that time he has noticed no 

 diminution in the number of seals at sea, but, if any change at all, an 

 increase. f|: 



1889. Captain W. O'Leary, with four years' experience, says: "I do 

 not think there is any decrease in the number of seals entering Behring 

 Sea. I never saw so many seals along the coast as there were this 

 year, and in Behring Sea they were more numerous than I ever saw 

 before." §§ 



1890. Mr. A. R. Milne, Collector of Customs at Victoria, summariz- 

 ing the information obtained by him from sealers respecting that season, 

 says: "I can now safely repeat what I have already said and written, 

 that owners and masters do not entertain the slightest idea that the 

 seals are at all scarcer." He adds, that statements made to a contrary 



* Dall. "Alaska and its Resources," p. 493. 



t "Monograph of North American Pinniprds," p. 332. 



t Quoted by Elliott, United States Census Report, p. 166. 

 § United States Census Report, p. 166. 



II "Fisherv Industries of the United States," vol. ii, p. 397. 

 IT Ibid., p."394. 



** Quoted by Judge J. G. Swan in Ball. "United States Fishery Commission," vol. 

 iil,p.206. 



tt ParlianieTitary Paper [C. 6131], p. 192. 

 tt Ibid., p. 356. 

 §§ Ibid., p. 357. 



B S, PT VI 5 



