PREPARATION OF THE SKINS. 377 



from $25 to $40 ; and it takes three of them to make a lady's 

 sack and boa." * 



As an interesting supplement to this portion of the subject, 

 I transcribe a letter from George 0. Treadwell & Co., leading- 

 furriers, and long familiar with the manner of preparing the 

 skins, addressed to Mr. Elliott (dated Albany, October 22, 

 1874), in which the process of dressing the skins for market is 

 very clearly set forth. The letter (extracted from Mr. Elliott's 

 Keport) is as follows : 



" The Alaska Commercial Company sold in London, Decem- 

 ber, 1873, about sixty thousand skins taken from the islands 

 leased by our Government of the catch of 1873. The remain- 

 der of the catch, about forty thousand, were sold in March. 

 This company have made the collection of seal from these 

 islands much more valuable than they were before their lease, 

 by the care used by them in curing the skins, and taking them 

 only when in season. We have worked this class of seal for 

 several years when they were owned by the Kussian American 

 Fur Company, and during the "first year they were owned by 

 our Government. 



"When the skins are received by us in the salt, we wash off 

 the salt, placing them upon a beam somewhat like a tanner's 

 beam, removing the fat from the flesh-side witli a beaming- 

 knife, care being required that no cuts or uneven places are 

 made in the pelt. The skins are next washed in water and 

 placed upon the beam with the fur up, and the grease and 

 water removed by the knife. The skins are then dried by mod- 

 erate heat, being tacked out on frames to keep them smooth. 

 After being fully dried they are soaked in water and thoroughly 

 cleansed with soap and water. In some cases they can be un- 

 haired without this drying process, and cleansed before drying. 

 After the cleansing process they pass to the picker, who dries 

 the fur by stove-heat, the pelt being kept moist. When the 

 fur is dry he places the skin on a beam, and while it is warm 

 he removes the main coat of hair with a dull shoe-knife, grasping 

 the hair with his thumb and knife, the thumb being protected 

 by a rubber cob. The hair must be pulled out, not broken. 

 After a portion is removed the skin must again be warmed at 

 the stove, the pelt being kept moist. When the outer hairs 

 have been mostly removed, he uses a beaming-knife to work 

 out the finer hairs, (which are shorter,) and the remaining 

 * Condition of Aftairs in Alaska, pp. 80-85. 



