110 ALASKA 



The harems on the Pribilof Islands have at all times varied very 

 much in size. In the years when I was on the islands, between 1874 

 and 1887, it was always possible to find individual harems with 50 or 

 perhaps 80 females, while others would only have 4 or 5 females, not- 

 withstanding the average harem would perhaps contain from 15 to 30 

 females. Large harems, though in smaller numbers, continued to exist 

 even in the years 1885 and 1887, when, as I have already stated in a 

 former affidavit, the number of females began to decrease. 



While 1 was on the islands there was no such thing known as dis- 

 turbing breeders or stampeding the rookeries. The herd is driven 

 from the rookery, is kept away from filth as much as possible, for the 

 reason that the skins which are taken, if clean, take salt better, cure 

 in better condition, and bring better prices. Filth, grease, and oil 

 make skins come out of kerich flat, and such skins are classed as low 

 when sold. Mud spoils the salt for quick work, so the cleaner the skins 

 are, the better. As the rejected seals are only to be got away from the 

 killing ground, the quickest way to the sea is the route chosen, and 

 they often pass over decaying carcasses, but not of necessity, as they 

 are allowed to choose their own gait and route to the sea. They do not 

 seem to object to this any more than to the filth caused by the excre- 

 ment and decaying placentas on the breeding grounds. 



I was on the Commander Islands in 1891 as agent of the Russian 

 .Seal Skin Company. I never heard anyone state that barren females (1 

 mean females without young) were noticed there, and I don't believe 

 that any person whose opinion would be entitled to consideration noticed 

 this fact. It soon would have become a matter of common knowledge 

 on the islands if there had been any number of adult females without 

 young. The only sure way to determine whether an adult female is 

 barren is to examine her as to whether she is giving milk or is dry. As 

 the young seals do not follow the mother continuously, the fact of seeing 

 females without pups with them does not prove that they have not pups 

 somewhere on the breeding grounds, and no person having any knowl 

 edge of rookery life could draw such an inference, and claim that the 

 females were therefore barren. 



While on the Pribilof Islands I don't know that I ever saw a sterile 

 female seal. It is impossible to recognize the same seal from year to 

 year unless, as in the case of a few old bulls which have large scars, a 

 torn lip, a white blind eye, the nose split, or some unnatural mark. 

 And, although I have seen old females without milk, very fat, associat- 

 ing with the young males, I could not say that they had not been fertil- 

 ized, and, not having an offspring to care for, were associating with the 

 males until the season arrived for the herd to leave. At one time the 

 suggestion was made that it would be a good plan to kill these females. 

 I denied that it was possible for anyone to know that they would not 

 bear young, and that if the killing of one female was authorized it 

 would open the way to do great injury to the herd. For, when it 

 became desirable to market a large number of skins, the clubber would 

 see large numbers of females unfit for breeding. 



It is difficult to discover fresh excrement on the rookeries, for the 

 seals' flippers soon wipe out the evidence looked for. Still I have often 

 seen it. In color it is orange, light yellow to almost colorless, and in 

 consistency soft, almost liquid. At times it is very offensive, and at 

 others nearly odorless. But the soil of the breeding ground is impreg- 

 nated with it, which gives to the rookery a most disagreeable odor that 

 is increased by the decaying placentas. 



I am quoted by the British commissioners (section 825 of their report) 



