REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 231 



Couseqnciitly, in tlip same niontli, tlie stationiug of the " Kiorioniai'ii " at that 

 ishiud was (liscoutiiuicd, and she was ordered to cruize hctween Nemnro and Haho- 

 dato twice every niontli; the seal-hunting affairs were left to tiie control of tlie 

 branch office at Ncjunro; and three branches of the superintending office were estab- 

 lislied in the islands at Onnehetsu, Nanneho, Toshiniori, where Commissioners were 

 sent respectively with three boats, four boatmen for each boat. 



As to the mode- of hunting, the natives used to shoot seals with bows and arrows 

 while resting upon reefsor rocks. In winter, when the sea is frozen over, they simply 

 chased them over the ice and killed them with clubs, or they used to go in a boat 

 made of skins of sea-horse and whale-bones, wearing a kind of waterproof made of 

 the bladders of sea elephants or sea-horse, and with a head covering made of fox or 

 wolf-skins, thus deceiving seals when approaching them. In this clever manner they 

 used to catch a great many. The boat itself was very simple, but so easy of motion 

 that its progress was very fast, even in a heavy sea-way, and it was quite safe from 

 capsizing. 



The weapons which the natives had in these boats were along harpoon, a club, and 

 a gatf. Wlieu they approached a victim they threw the harpoon, and having made 

 a good hit, the top, or barbed end, which is tied to a long string, separated itself 

 from the pole and remained in the flesh; thus, even if the animal was not killed at 

 one coup, its whereabouts could always be known, as the pole to which the other end 

 of the string is tied acted as a Jloat, and the seal was dragged out and clubbed to 

 death, and then gahed into the boat. 



This mode was considered to be the best way of catching seals, but in modern 

 times it is superseded by the use of guns. 



But seals are very averse to the sound of firing, and the use of the gun is sure to 

 drive them away from the vicinity to some far distant places, and the flocks are 

 thinned year by year. The natives, knowing this by long experience, abstained from 

 using guns, but at the present time, as all foreigners poach with guns, our mode of 

 hunting was also obliged to be similarly changed. 



In April 1875, at Beretarubetsu, near Shibetoro, Itrup, a Russian boat was found 

 anchored, and its master, with three Russians and three Japanese, were seen con- 

 structing a hut on the coast. They were consequently warned off by the Commis- 

 sioners. " 



Again, an information was given to the Commissioners that at Moroco, in the same 

 county, the Americans Ramion Jean(^) and three others built houses, and were 

 carrying on poaching business since October of the preceding year. They were 

 consequently arrested and sent to Hokadat6, and delivered to thehands of the United 

 States Consul. 



In June of the same year ITis Imperial Majesty's ship " Asaraa " entered into the 

 port of Nemuro as a guard-sliip, and cruized about the Kurile group and along the 

 coast of Kitami. 



In September the " Asama" returned, and the " Kioriomaru" and " Genbumaru" 

 set out for a cruize arouiul Itrup. 



In December a schooner, built at Muroran for seal-hunting, was completed and 

 sent to the port of Nemuro. This schooner was named the " Chishimamaru." 



The Regulations for controlling seal flsheries which were issued some years ago, 

 after consultation with the Foreign Office, had to be amended, owing to the territo- 

 rial boundaries being detinitely marked out, consequent upon the exchange of the 

 Kuriles (with Russia) having been effected in September, 1874. Consequently, in 

 April 1876, new regulations for controlling the fisheries in Hokkaido, consisting of 

 three clauses, were issued. 



The flrst clause prohibited any foreign vessels from fishing with any line, net, 

 guns, &c., any fish or sea animal within the range of a gun-shot from the const of 

 Hokkaido or of other islands belonging to the Empire of Japan. 



The second clause decreed that the officials appointed under the Regulations for 



controlling fisheries in the territorial waters of Japan shall order to clear out 



■163 of the boundary any foreign vessel which is suspected of infringing upon the 



prohibition mentioned in the first clause, or if such vessel is thought to have 



already infringed the prohibition, that they shall board the vessel and inspect her 



cargo. 



The third clause decreed that when there is any foreign vessel which has actually 

 infringed the prohibition in the first cl.anse, or refused to clear out of the boundary or 

 to submit to the inspection of cargo mentioned in the second clause, the officials under 

 the Regulations for couti'olling fisheries in the territorial waters of Japan shall take 

 such vessel to the nearest open port, shall deliver it to the Consul of the country to 

 which ii belongs, and upon its being clearly proved to be guilty of the offence after 

 due inquiries, shall demand from the Consul the infliction of due punishment. 



In the same montli, in the Bay of Tsumtan, in the Island of Shikotan, in the 

 county of Hanasaki, an office building and a store-house were built. 



