NUMBER REQUIRED BY THE NATIVES FOR FOOD. 409 



fur is loosened and the skin becomes valueless. It occasionally 

 happens that when a herd has been driven in during the night 

 from a distance of five or six miles, they do not get sufficiently 

 cool before seven o'clock. If the sun shines, in half an hour 

 the whole herd show symptoms of discomfort, and soon become 

 entirely unmanageable, breaking away from the watchers and 

 rushing in all directions, heedless of obstacles, running into the 

 village, entering open doors, and attempting to climb up the 

 sides of the houses, piles of lumber, or any other object in their 

 way, keeping on until convulsions and death result. At such 

 times every available hand is required with club and knife to 

 follow, knock dowTi, and skin before the pelt is damaged by the 

 heat. The only remedy is to get them into the nearest water 

 ^s fast as possible, as all thus treated are saved. After a bath 

 of half an hour they can be driven again, and if allowed to lie 

 quietly no further trouble is experienced. 



" They are also greatly disturbed by rain. They pay little at- 

 tention to a slight drizzle, but when copious showers occur they 

 all resort to the water until the rain is over, preferring this to 

 the shore. 



"It thus appears that for the successful breeding of these 

 animals certain meteorological conditions are indispensable, and 

 that they require a place where they can land and remain un- 

 disturbed for half the year. The geographical situation of these 

 islands affords not only the isolation they require, but the requi- 

 site humidity and exemption from extremes of heat and cold. 

 If the islands had been especially created for the Seals they 

 seemingly could not have been better adajited to their requii^e- 

 ments. Hence, if not rudely disturbed by man, there need be 

 no fear of their changing their place of breeding. 



"Number of Seals required for the Subsistence of 

 THE Natives. The principal subsistence of the native popula- 

 tion is Seal-flesh. When the Seals arrive in spring, if the winter 

 supply is not exhausted, it has become so stale as to render it 

 necessary to commence killing fresh food as soon as enough 

 young males for the purpose have landed, which usually occurs 

 by the 20th of May. The skins of these animals are salted, and 

 on the 1st of June (the legal time for taking Seals for their 

 skins) all the skins of animals that have been taken for food 

 are turned over l)y the Treasury agent to the agent of the 

 <3omi)any as a part of the quota for tbat year. While the com- 



