314 REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



69. Q. Yon have stated that, from your personal observation, you think the seals 

 were as plentiful last year as you have ever seen tliem in Behring Sea? — A. Yes; 

 much more so tlian I ever saw them before. 



70. Q. More so at a distance of 100 to 130 miles from the nearest seal island? — A. 

 Yes. 



71. Q. What course would that lie from the Pribyloff Islands? — A. About west. 



72. Q. At the time you were sealing there were there any other Canadian schooners 

 in your company ? — A. Yes ; the*" Annie C. Moore," the " Carmelite," and the "Ariel." 

 They had all an average catch. 



73. Q, Have you ever heard of the McLeans raiding Copper Islands? — A. Yes. 



74. Q. Do you believe they did actually raid them? — A. Yes. 



75. Q. Did you hear the story of their going, with three boats of the "Webster" 

 and " City of San Diego " in a crowd, landing at a passage between the rocks and 

 the mainland of the island, and standing there, where the water was swift, and 

 shooting the seals as they passed through? — A. Yes; but they lost a great many. I'he 

 captain of the " San Diego " said that they didn't get one-tenth of what they shot. 



76. Q. It is the prevailing opinion among the sealers that the "J. Hamilton Lewis " 

 was seized for landing on the islands? — A. Yes; the Russians had been watching 

 her. She was seized for actually raiding the islands. 



77. Q. You didn't go to the Copper Island side at all? — A. I did not. 



78. Q. In leaving Behring Sea, where did you come out through? — A. Through the 

 Four Mountain Pass. 



79. Q. After you had been warned out, did you speak any other cutter? — A. I did 

 not. 



80. Q. Did you see any seals from the time you were warned out till the time you 

 came through the pass? — A. They were just as thick as ever within 40 miles of the 

 Four Mountain Pass. We were two days sailing through them. It grieved us very 

 much, I can tell you, to sail through seals and couldn't touch them. 



8L Q. The Four Mountain Pass is about what longitude? — A. "172 Pass" we 



call it. 



82. Q. But you say there were plenty of seals from the time you were warned up 



to within 40 miles of this pass? — A. Yes; just as thick as where we had left. 



237 83. Q. Will you state in direct evidence, as though in Court, that, as far as 



your knowledge goes no Canadian sealer, directly or indirectly, ever raided or 



attempted to raid the seal islands? — A. 1 have had ample opportunity of learning if 



such had been the case, and I know of none. 



Captain Cox, continuing, said : I didn't take one "bearing" female seal last season 

 in Behring Sea. 1 have taken a few which were evidently " with milk." 



84. Q. What percentage do you say ? — A. There might be 5 per cent, of what I took 

 which had had young; there was evidence of having had young; whether they had 

 last year or not I do not know. 



(Signed) William Cox. 



Sworn before me this 25th day of January, 1892. 



(Signed) A. R. Milne, Collector of Customs. 



Victoria, B. C, February 15, 1892. 



SEAL-HUNTING IN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEHRING SEA. 



Captain Charles Hackett, master and managing owner of the schooner "Annie C. 

 Moore," of St. John's, New Brunswick, being duly sworn: 



Q. How many years have you been sealing? — A. This is my fifth year. 



Q. You have had reasonable success in seal-hunting? — A. Yes. 



Q. You have followed sealing from San Francisco to Behring Sea? — A. I have. 



Q. What has been the number of your crews? — A. Twenty-three men all told. 



Q. The number of boats your vessel carried? — A. Seven altogether. 



Q. You have had every opportunity of seeing seal life? — A. 1 have. 



Q. On the coast did the seals appear to be as xdeutiful last year as former years? — 

 A. I have found them so. 



Q. Please state how the seals travel? — A. As a rule we find the bearing females by 

 themselves. 



Q. Did the seals appear more timorous last year than former years? — A. I don't 

 think so. 



Q. Are there more seals shot whilst sleeping than travelling? — A. As far as my 

 exi)erieuce has been that about seven-eigiiths, that is seven are shot while sleeping 

 to one travelling. 



