THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 113 



tion, all classes of seals beiug well represented. In fact, there was unquestionable 

 proof that the rookery was increasing. 



Curiouslj' enough this fact was brought home to the natives located at Karabelni 

 by the circumstance that they were unable to obtain in good season tlie number of 

 skins required from this rookery. When I arrived at Karabelni in the beginning of 

 July tlie natives were deeply concerned because of their failure to obtain the last 1,000 

 skins. As the families are paiil fur each skin brought to the salt-house, this meant a 

 serious loss to those stationed at this point. Tliey linally decided to go to Glinka, 

 where the season was already over, and there got all the skins they wanted. In answer 

 to my inquiry as to the cause of their failure to obtain the skins at Karabelni I was 

 told that it was because the rookery was increasing. Self contradictory as this state- 

 ment appeared, it was nevertheless easily explained. The main hauling-grouudof the 

 ba,chelors, i. e., the one yielding most skins and from which the seals could be driven, was 

 the Karabelni Stolp. Looking at the map (pi. 11) it will be seen that at the base of the 

 neck there was a large breeding-ground. The breeding seals were increasing here to 

 such an extent as to occupy the whole space along the beach and actually shutting oft" the 

 hauIing-gTOund, thus making it impossible to drive any seals from that place. The men 

 were therefore obliged to take the skins at Vodopad and Krepkaya Pad, which meant 

 that they had to carry every skin on their backs across the island. When it is con- 

 sidered that the iiopulation, even under ordinary circumstances, was rather insufticient 

 for the Work, it maj- easily be understood what a hardship this increase of the rookery 

 involved. But not only the breeding seals were increasing, the bachelors were also 

 extending their territory. The result was that skins were taken in Malinka Bukhta 

 for the first time. At this place the women did the skinning and carrying, for even 

 here the skins had to be carried, while the men were engaged at Krepkaya Pad. 



In addition to the map I have submitted three original field sketches of the rookery 

 as 1 found it on July 3, 1883 (pis. 41-43). While making no claim for artistic merit I 

 do claim for them sufficient accuracj- for an intelligent comjiarison with my photographs 

 of 189.5, which were taken from the identical standpoints. The sketches have not been 

 touched since I left the rookery in 1883 and are here reproduced in facsimile so as to 

 eliminate the i)ossibilitj' of even unintentional alterations. 



KARABELNOYE EOOKEET, 1895. (Plate 12). 



On July 31, 1805, Mr. Grebnitski and I landed in Stolbovaya Bukhta and i)itched 

 our tent on the beach just west of the killing-ground. It was very foggy and the water 

 high, so that we could not pass the point into Martishina Bukhta. Next morning, at 

 4..'i0 a. m., the fog still prevailed, but the water was low and we made our way along 

 the beach to the rookery. We passed on to the Stolp without meeting a seal, where in 

 1883 thousands of breeding seals blocked the way of the drives. Only a small solid 

 patch, leaning on the south base of the cliff, remained-, an isolated outpost at this end of 

 the rookery. At the Stolp itself we found a couple of small harems only at the north- 

 ern end, and towards the southern extremity a small ]iatch of bachelors, hardly more 

 than a dozen. In the distance I could discern through the fog faint outlines only of 

 the breeding-grounds. 



After breakfiist the fog lifted and I ascended the bluffs, which rise .300 feet above 

 the breeding-grounds. The photographs whic^h are herewith appended (pis. .38-40) 

 were taken from the various stations at the edge of these bluffs, marked on the maps, 

 care being taken to .select the same points from which I had made my sketches twelve 

 years previously. 



r. C. B. 1896—8 



