REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. ' 315 



Q. Please state about the average distance tliat seals are ^liot while sleeping? — 

 A. From 10 to 15 yards. 



Q. What do you consider the proportion of seals lost as coni])ared to the whole 

 that are hit in pelagic sealing? — A. One of my hunters, named Folger, kil led over 400 

 seals during the season, and only lost live seals; the exact number is hard for a 

 master to say, but I believe that 5 per cent, would be the outside. 



Q. <Ja]itain Hackett, would you consider that a hunter tliat lost more than live in 

 the hundred would not be a good hunter? — A. I certainly do. 



Q. Do you mean by being lost, that is by sinking? — A. When I say lost I mean by 

 sinking. 



Q. When a seal is shot in the head you generally get him, and mostly all the seal 

 are shot in the head? — A. They are; and when we shoot them from the deck of the 

 schooner, to lower the boat and bring the vessel to generally is from ten to fifteen 

 minutes; but we always get the seal floating. 



Q. From actual observation, then, you would say that the actual loss during the 

 seasons you have been sealing will not exceed 5 jier cent. ? — A. I certainly say so. 



Q. Are there more lost on the coast than in Behring Sea? — A. In the Bcliriug Sea 

 the percentage of loss would not be 5 per cent. 



Cj. Have you observed in any month a greater number of females than in other 

 mouths; that is, on the coast have you observed a greater number of females taken 

 during the months of April and May? — A. I have not observed any difierence. 



Q. What proportion of females were in your catch last year (1890), and also in 

 ISUl? — A. In 1890 about one-quarter were females, and in 1891 about half and half. 



Q. Would this percentage apply to your catch in Behring Sea as well as on the~ 

 coast? — A. Yes; the percentage of females in 1890 would be about one-quarter, and 

 in 1891 about half and half. 



Q. What was your catch in 1890?— A. About 1,.500. 



Q. What was your catch in 1891?— A. 2,070 seals. 



Q. What proportion of females Avith pup did you observe taken on the coast dur- 

 ing the past two years? — A. About half and half. 



Q. What proportion of females with jiup did yon observe in Behring Sea? — A. In 

 a catch of 1,555 seals in Behring Sea last year I had only ten females with pnp ; those 

 with pup were taken between the 15th and last of July, and that those I'emales 

 killed with pup appeared to come from the westward and got mixed with grouj)S of 

 other female seals which had their young and were entirely dried up. 



Q. Do you find many yearling pups in Behring Sea? — A. No; I have found no 

 yearling pups in Behring Sea; we get what we call the white-boll j^ pu])s; they are 

 from two- to three-year-old pups, and we get quite a number of barren cows. 



Q. What do you mean regarding barren cows? — A. I mean those who have not 

 borne young during that year. 



Q. Did you notice if the seals were smaller in size last year? — A. I did not; they 

 were as large as any year. 

 238 Q. Whilst in Behring Sea last year were the seals as numerous as you have 



seen them before? — A. They were more numerous than I have ever seen them 

 before. 



Q. What age is a seal-skin at its best? — A. I consider at 3 years old. 



Q. What has been the distance from the Pribyloff Islands that you were while 

 sealing any year in Behring Sea? — A. From 50 to 100 miles, and was never nearer 

 than 50 miles. 



Q. You were warned out of the Sea last year? — A. I was. 



Q. Were the seals plentiful at the tiuie? — A. They were quite numerous. 



Q. How far were you from land when warned? — A. About 100 miles to the west- 

 ward of Pribyloff Islands. 



Q. Had you not been ordered out of the Sea your catch would have been good? — 

 A. My catch would have been at least 3,000 seals. 



Q. Have you ever heard of any Canadian vessels during the years that you have 

 been employed in the sealing industry raiding the Pribyloff seal island in Behring 

 Sea? — A. I have not. 



Q. Yould would have certainly heard of it had it occurred? — A. Had that been 

 done, I would have heard it; I am acquainted with all the princijjal sealing men. 



(Signed) Chas. Hackett. 



Sworn before me this 15th day of February, 1892. 



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



