ALASKA. 93 



•' The unusually early season, this year, brougbt the rookery- 

 bnlls on to tlie ground very much in advance of the general 

 time ; they landed as early as the lOth of April, but the arrival 

 of the cows was as late as usual, corresponding to my observa- 

 tions during the past two seasons. 



" The general condition of the animals of all classes is most 

 excellent — they are sleek, fat, and free from any taint of 

 disease." 



In this way it must be plain that the exact condition of these 

 animals can be noted every season, and should a diminution be 

 noticed, due to any cause known or unknown, the killing can be 

 ])romptly stopped. Four years have passed, with the end of 

 this season, in which 100,000 young males have been annually 

 taken, and the effect on the seal-life cannot be seen ; it has not 

 injured it, to a certainty, and it has not i)romoted an increase. 

 Two years more will make the matter conclusive, for then, if 

 the breeding-grounds are as well supplied with males as they 

 now are, then it will be evident that enough are saved every 

 vear for that service. 



We know pretty well now how many we can take without in- 

 jury, but we do not know how many more than 100,000 can 

 be. This problem of developing these interests to their full im- 

 portance should not be taken in hand for a few j'ears yet, not 

 until the present system which I have drawn up for the watch- 

 ing of the rookeries has been in operation for three or four 

 years ; then, if it is advisable, on account of the superabun- 

 dance of male seal-life, and the market will stand the increase 

 of raw material, the killing may be very gradually increased 

 from year to year, but not ovqy Jive thousand each season. The 

 rookeries, like a barometer, will show a falling off of necessary 

 bulls when the killing has reached a point where the increase 

 is detrimental. This can be seen at once by the proper persons 

 and the killing checked without delay, in ample time to pre- 

 vent harm. 



In this chapter I have given a translation of Bishop Veniami- 

 nov's history, the only one written, and very valuable as illus- 

 trative of the manner in which the Russians conducted affairs 

 on the Prybilov Islands ; but it is at once apparent that much 

 of it was written necessarily from hearsay and not based upon 

 fact or personal observation, hence many grave errors are con- 

 tained in it. 



