200 KErORT OP BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



iug was directed to young males, bat about 40,000 females were killed 

 inadvertently. The limit to the number killed was reached only when 

 salt was exhausted. Seals were more abundant at this time than ever 

 since. It also appears that the numbers above quoted as representing 

 seals killed in this year do not include St. George Island, where some 

 30,000 skins are supposed to have been taken.] 



809. 1809. Practically indiscriminate killing appears to have con- 

 tinued in this year, though it is stated that seals were taken only for 

 the subsistence of the natives, and under direction of the Treasury 

 Department. (Census Report, p. 25.) The gentlemen in charge do not 

 seem to have known the number of seals actually killed. Agent 

 Wicker stated that 150,000 skins had been taken on the two islands. 

 Bryant states that this was impossible, as when he left the islands in 

 August only 10,000 skins had been obtained. Mclntyre says that, 

 under the orders given by him, 42,317 seals were to be killed for food 

 on the two islands. Major-General Thomas afterwards ordered that as 

 many seals as should be required for native food be killed. (United 

 States Senate, Ex. Doc. No. 32, 41st Congress, 2nd Session, i^p. 24, 37.) 



Inconsequence of this slaughter in 1808-09, seals are reported to 

 have "disappeared rapidly from the Pribyloft" Islands, but two or three 

 years later began to return in vast numbers" (Bancroft's works, vol. 

 xxxiii, p. 638). Coincidently with this, Bryant states that fur-seals were 

 very abundant along the coasts of Oregon, Washington Territory, and 

 British Columbia as compared with former years (Monograph of North 

 American Pinnipeds, p. 332). Bryant estimated the total number of 

 seals on the islands at this date at 3,230,000. (Monograph of North 

 American Pinnipeds, pp. 390, 392.) 



Mclntyre, Government Agent, after stating that for some years suc- 

 ceeding the discovery of the Pribyloft' Islands 100,000 skins were 

 annually taken by the Russians, adds, " But this it seems was too large 

 a number, for the decrease in the yearly return was constant until 1842, 

 when they had become nearly extinct. In 1858, 31,800 were taken^ 

 which was the largest catch in any one year until 1867, when, as I am 

 informed, 80,000 or 100,000 were secured. From the most careful com- 

 putation I have been able to make, I am of the opinion that no more 

 than 100,000 can be taken annually without incurring the risk of again 

 diminishing the yearly production." (United States Senate, Ex. Doc. 

 No. 32, 41st Congress, 2nd Session.) 



The Alaska Commercial Company was incorporated in this year. 



810. 1870. The general conditions of seal life on the islands remained 

 as described above (under 1868), according to Bryant. 



An Act was passed by Congress providing that seals should be 

 killed on the Pri'byloff Islands only during the months of June, July,. 

 September, and October, that killing should be confined to males, and 

 that the number killed for skins in each year should not exceed 75,000' 

 on St. Paul and 25,000 on St. George. Respecting the number thus 

 fixed, Dall says: "It is probable that 100,000 might be safely killed," 

 but suggests that the number should be increased or diminished as 

 experience proved to be necessary. (Alaska and its Resources, pp. 



496, 497.) 

 137 This was the Alaslia Commercial Company's first year of lease 



of the islands, but no full control was achieved till 1871. Bryant 

 states that in this year the natives, to purchase supplies and for their 

 own food, killed 85,000, mostly 1- and 2-year-old seals. (Monograph of 

 North American Pinnipeds, p. 398.) 



