SEAL LIFE ON THE PKIBILOF ISLANDS. 125 



tember but August by all means should have been included in the 

 u close time/' it' the seals are to be saved from extinction. 



It is in August the harems, or families, are broken up on the rookeries, 

 and the mother seals go away from the islands to distances of from 80 

 to 200 miles after food and rest: and it is in August they sleep soundest 

 and longest, after gorging themselves with the first full meal they have 

 had time to secure since June. In August and September the weather 

 is usually favorable in Bering Sea, and the pelagic hunter, having a 

 license to work and nothing to fear, goes in among the sleeping mother 

 seals and quietly spears them until his vessel is loaded with skins, and 

 want of room for more admonishes him to stop. 



That the seals have steadily decreased since 1884: that much of the 

 decrease is due to the slaughter of the females by pelagic hunters; 

 that the rookeries are in about the same depleted condition that they 

 were in 1834, after a long period of female slaughter by the Russians; 

 that the remedy applied then must be applied now if we would save 

 the fur seals from total extinction, and build up and replenish the rook- 

 eries, are self evident propositions and cannot be denied. 



There is no time to debate mere questions of detail, and we are all 

 agreed, I think, that on the absolute safety and continued protection of 

 the female seal depends the perpetuation of the species. So well has 

 this been understood and appreciated since 1835 that no female seal 

 Las been, knowingly, killed on the seal islands in Bering Sea for the 

 past sixty years. 



It makes but little difference now as to whose theory was the correct 

 one when guessing was in order; nor does it matter much as to whether 

 spears or shotguns are used in killing mother seals, or whether they 

 are killed in the North Pacific Ocean or in Bering Sea; the only ques- 

 tion worth considering in this matter of fur seals just now is "How can 

 we prevent the killing of females ?" 



Fortunately the declarations made by the Tribunal of Arbitration 

 suggest the most practicable way of solving the problem; and, with 

 the consent of Great Britain, we can solve it immediately. 



The Tribunal of Arbitration has declared that: 



In view of the critical condition to which it appears certain that the race of fur 

 seals is now reduced in consequence of circumstances not fully known, the arbitra- 

 tors think tit to recommend both Governments to come to an understanding in order 

 to prohibit any killing of fur seals, either on land or at sea, for a period of two or 

 three years, or at least one year, subject to such exceptions as the two Govern- 

 ments might think proper to admit of. 



Such a measure might be recurred to at occasional intervals if found beneficial. 



In the spirit of that declaration, and being only too well aware of the 

 present " critical condition of the race of fur seals,' 7 and fully appreciat- 

 ing the importance of immediate action, if they are to be saved from, 

 extinction, I respectfully offer the following suggestions: 



(1) That the United States Government shall officially notify Great 

 Britain of the failure of the u regulations" to adequately protect the 

 seals from the destructive work of the pelagic sealer. 



(2) That Great Britain shall be requested to join with the United 

 States in establishing a modus vivendi until, jointly, they arrange to 

 have the cooperation of both Russia and Japan in making regulations 

 for the proper protection of the seal herds coming to the islands or 

 territory of each. 



(3) That during the time set apart for the modus vivendi no sealing 

 vessels shall be cleared for sealing purposes, nor shall seals be taken 

 anywhere in the North Pacific Ocean or in Bering Sea, excepting what 

 may be taken by the Indians on the American and British Columbian 



