128 THE FUR SEALS OF THE FRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



alive; others are rendered impotent which are yet able to fill the rookeries with pups. 

 Tlie whole matter is too absurd for serious consideration, and might bo passed by 

 with the silent contempt it deserves were it not for the fact that it was accepted 

 by the British commissioners in 1801 and made the chief foundation of the British 

 contention before the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration. 



In view of this fact, it has seemed necessary to give more attention to the theory 

 than it deserves. 



THE DRIVES AND DRIVEWAYS. 



As other effects than those conteni])lated by Mr. Elliott's theory, for example, the 

 driving of the animals away from their breeding haunts, the stampeding of tlie 

 breeding rookeries, etc., have been associated with the methods of handling the seals 

 on land, it will be useful for us to consider tlie subject in detail as it came under our 

 observation during the past two seasons. We have already given an account of the 

 process of driving. 



At the outset it is well to contrast the driving of the x)resent time with that of 

 the past, 



THE RUSSIAN DRIVES. 



In the early Russian days the drives were all long and tedious. On St. Paul, 

 everything was brought to the village, at the extreme southern end of the island. 

 Thus the seals from Northeast Point had to travel a distance of about 12 miles; those 

 from Polovina and Zapadui, respectively, 5 and 6 miles. On St. George Island the 

 seals were driven over the rocky ridge from Zapadni, a distance of about G miles. 



Days and niglits were occupied in these long drives. The seals were allowed to 

 take their own time, resting frequently, the natives watching and guarding them in 

 relays. Of the time taken by the drives from Northeast Point in the Russian days 

 we have no record, but in the year 1888, in January, according to the log of St. Paul 

 Island,' a food drive of 500 seals was made to the village from this point, and it 

 gives us some idea of what such a drive meant. 



THE DRIVE FROM NORTHEAST POINT. 



The seals were driven in in two sections, the time on the road being, respectively, 

 eighty-two and one hundred hours. No deaths are reported to have occurred. The 

 instructions to the men were to be "careful and go slow, if it took a week, and to kill 

 and bring in all that perished on the way." The seals are reported as arriving in 

 good condition. Drives of sea lions have in recent years also been brought from 

 Northeast Point to the village. 



THE AMERICAN DRIVES. 



Under American control the long. drives were done away with. Salt houses were 

 established at Northeast Point, at Polovina, at Zapadni of St. Paul, and one had 

 already been established at Zapadni of St. Oeorge in 1868. The seals on these 

 rookeries are to-day killed near the hauling grounds, and their skins are salted and 

 cared for there. From Northea.st Point the skins are loaded directly on the vessel. 

 From Zapadni of St. George they are packed across the island by the natives on their 

 backs. 



' See extracts from the lojr, Ft. II, date of .January 20, 1888. 



