THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 93 



The original lease stipulnteil a idice of 2 silver rubles ($1.33) per skin accepted 

 by the compauy, but in a subsequent supplementary contract the tax, from 1877 on, 

 was reduced to 1.75 rubles ($1.17) for the first 30,000 skins. The natives received for 

 their work 1 ruble (G6| cents) per skin for the first 30,000, and one-half ruble (33J 

 cents) for each skin over 30,000. The company had to pay a yearly rental of 5,000 

 rubles, and to contribute a consideraljle amount toward the su])port of the natives.' 



There being no serviceable buildings left by the old company, Hutchinson, Kohl, 

 Philijjpeus & Co. had to build a number of houses on both islands to accommodate 

 their goods and their men. Salt-houses were erected on all the rookeries, and near 

 each a small frame-hut for occupancy by the comjiany's "sealer" during the killing 

 st^ason. In the nuiin village on IJering Island several large stores and warehouses, a 

 <'ow stable, boat-house, bathhouse, besides two dwelling-lumses were built, as well as 

 similar tbougli somewhat smaller structures in the main village on Copper Island. 

 Tliese are all frame-houses built of California or Tuget Sound lumber by an American 

 head carpenter with tiie assistance of native workingmen. 



AltlKHigh under no legal obligation to do so, the company gradually built and 

 presented to nearly all the families on both islands commodious frame liouses, mostly 

 with 4 rooms, similarly built, tlie natives receiving full title to them. 



By careful management the seal rookeries, which at the beginning of the com- 

 pany's term scarcely yielded 30,000 skins annually, toward the end produced about 

 .50,000 a year, the annual average between 18S0 and 1SS9 being nearly 45,000. Among 

 the entries in the diaries of the company's agents during this i)eiiod are many like 

 the following: "Natives say there are a good many female seals this year, and holos- 

 tiaks, too" (I>ering Island, July 23, 1877). "As>istant Starsliemx (chief) has been on 

 South Rookery: reports that both holostiaks and females are double in quantity as 

 has been before, but not many old bulls. On the North Rookery there are more seals, 

 too" (Bering Island, August 12, 1877). " Natives report good many thousand seals 

 more this year than ever before" (Bering Island, August 2, 1880). 



The lease of Hutchinson, Kohl, Phili[)peus & Co. expired in February, 1891, and 

 as the new lease was awarded to a new company, tlie old company's steamer Alck- 

 mnder TI -w-.v^ sent, early in the year to take off the fall catch of 1890, consisting of 

 5,800 skins. 



The new company, into the hands of which the sealing industry of the Com- 

 mander Islands and Tiuleni now passed, was incorporated in St. Petersburg under 

 filename "Knsskoye Tovarishtchestvo Kotikovikh Promislof," - or the " Itussian 

 Seal Skin Company," as the name of the firm is officially rendered in English. 



By the new contract the nuxtual relationship of the government, the natives, and 

 the company was materially changed, considerable power being placed in the hands 

 of the administrator, while the direct dealings of the (company with the natives were 

 greatly reduced. The gradual americanization of the natives under the regime of 

 Hutchinson, Kolil, Philippeus i^ Co. was undoubtedly distasteful to at least one of the 

 inspectors, whose opinion with the St. Petersburg authorities must have been of great 

 weight, as there is now a manifest tendency toward a rerussification of the business 

 aiul its methods. 



'The text of tlio cnntr.aot, with supplement, is printed in Sliornik filavn. Off. Dokum. Upravl. 

 Vost. Sibir., ui, ii, Append., pp. l-SS. 



^Kiissiau Comp.any for Fiir-Se.al Huntinj; (lit. transl.). 



