206 



SEAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



Value of I'ictoria, Hritish Columbia, sealing vt'axels, estimated by A. It. Milne, esq., 

 surveyor of the port of Victoria, and T. T. William*, of San rrancixco, Auyust, 18S9. 



Schoum-r. 



Milnes Williams'fl ... 



valuation, valnatit 



lonnage. 



Crew. 



White. Indian. 



Slight errors appear to have been made in footing 1 the above, but the 

 totals are as reported respectively by Milne and Williams. 



The above estimates include cost of outlit for a season's cruise, com- 

 prising boats, guns, spears, ammunition, provisions, etc. 



The schooner Araunah, formerly belonging to the Victoria sealing 

 fleet, was sei/ed by the Russian (lovernment Jaly 1, 1888. 



Mr. Milne estimates the cost of a sealing venture as follows: 



Wages of ert'\\ .s ami hunters ]>er vessel $7, 000 



Insurance. 7 JXT cent of ^8,000 560 



Provisions, salt, am munition, etc 3, 000 



Total per vessel, avernj 



lie also estimates the annual average catch at 2.000 skins per ves- 

 sel, but as a matter of fact the average has been for Victoria vessels 

 during the last four ~ - 1 - ' ^ 1 " 00 - 1 "'" 



Mr. Williams 



matter or fact the average has been tor V ictoria vesse 

 t four years only about 1,288 skins per vessel annually. 

 s estimates the expense of a sealing trip as follows: 



For ii ve boats 



Five Marl in rilles. at .f;>5 



Five shotguns, at $^5 



Two extra, guns 



Salt for skins 



Five thousand rounds of ammunition 



I us u ranee, one- third of a year , 



Captain's wages four months 



Ten men at $'.>'>. and 5 at $20 per month 



Paid hunters, l,b'0() skins at $2 per skin 



Provisions, 20 men 1 months at $8 per month 



Total per vessel, average , 



$500 



175 



175 



70 



200 



125 



175 



400 



1,800 



3, 200 



610 



7, 460 



