132 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



left to recover it would doubtless make its way to the sea. But to save time aiid 

 avoid possible loss of the skiu the animal is at once killed and skinned, the pelt 

 being brought in by the drivers. These skins are called "road'' skins and the 

 carcasses left to be eaten by the foxes soon become the " road skeletons " of which so 

 much has been said. 



THE "CARCASS-STREWN" DRIVEWAYS. 



So much had been said about the carcass-strewn driveways that it seemed worth 

 while to verify or disprove the matter by personal observation. Accordingly, after 

 the killing season of 1896 was over, each and every one of the driveways of St. Paul 

 Island were traversed and closely inspected. Two skeletons were found on the Reef; 

 two others were found in the course of a small food drive, brought over from Lukanin 

 to the salt house at the foot of the cove. This latter drive was evidently carelessly 

 made, as its small size and the short distance made any casualties unnecessary. The 

 deaths on Reef driveway each occurred on separate drives, and neither occurred on 

 the drive witnessed on July 15. On none of the other driveways were skeletons 

 found. Scattered bones were found here and there, but these were common to all 

 parts of the islands in the vicinity of killing grounds, having been carried away by 

 the foxes. Four deaths are therefore known to have occurred on the drives of 

 St. Paul Island during the season of 1896, which aggregated 24,000 animals killed, 

 besides many driven up but rejected as of unsuitable age. It is safe to say that in 

 the handling of no similar body of animals, of no matter what kind, would a smaller 

 percentage of deaths by accident occur. Moreover in the few cases involved the 

 animals were at once relieved from suffering, aud their skins were saved. 



FATALITIES ON THE DRIVES. 



During the season of 1897 a much greater proportion of accidents occurred on 

 the drives, the number of seals dying probably reaching a total of 25 out of about 

 20,000. This was due in large measure to the unfavorable weather of this season. 

 At times the sun came out warm and occasioned considerable suffering among the 

 animals driven. In the books of the islands is kept a record of the skins of animals 

 dying on the drives. The list is a small one. Of the 21,000 seals killed on the two 

 islands in the year 1890, only 11 are recorded as dying by the wayside. This 

 moreover is the year and the driving on which Mr. Elliott has based his theory of 

 the evil effects of overdriving. 



INJURIES TO BACHELORS COULD NOT AFFECT THE HERD. 



But even if the young males were driven to death on the driveways it would not 

 affect the herd of fur seals any more than the slaughter of steers would affect a herd 

 of cattle. It would be cruel and inhuman to do it, but the responsibility would rest 

 with the person doing the driving, and the evil effect would end with the life of the 

 animal so tortured. If the animal as a result of the ordeal of driving goes back 

 weakened in physical strength and vigor, it either recovers from such injury or dies, if 

 not at once, then in the next migration. No seal physically injured in any serious 

 manner survives the harsh sifting process of the northern winter, which sends back 

 only those perfect in every way and fit to survive. We may therefore assume that 

 if a seal returns to the hauling grounds the next spring, he has fully recovered and is 

 physically able to repeat his experiences. 



