WONDEKFUL SEAL ISLANDS. 249 



chiefs call out the men at the break of every working-day, divide 

 them into detachments according to the nature of the service, and 

 order their working. All communications with the laborers on 

 the sealing-ground and the company passes through their hands, 

 those chiefs having every day an understanding with the agent 

 of the company as to his wishes, and they govern themselves 

 thereby. 



The company pays forty cents for the labor of taking each skin. 

 The natives take the skins on the ground, each man tallying his 

 work and giving the result at the close of the day to his chief or 

 foreman. When the skins are brought up and counted into the 

 salt-houses, where the agent of the company receives them from the 

 hands of the natives, the two tallies usually correspond very closely, 

 if they are not entirely alike. When the quota of skins is taken, at 

 the close of two, three, or four weeks of labor, as the case may be, 

 the total sum for the entire catch is paid over in a lump to the 

 chiefs, and these men divide it among the laborers according to 

 their standing as workmen, which they themselves have exhibited 

 on their special tally-sticks. For instance, at the annual divisions 

 or " catch " settlement, made by the natives on St. Paul Island 

 among themselves, in 1872, when I was present, the proceeds of 

 their work for that season in taking and skinning seventy-five 

 thousand seals, at forty cents per skin, with extra work connected 

 with it, making the sum of $30,637.37, was divided among them in 

 this way : There were seventy-four shares made up, representing 

 seventy-four men, though in fact only fifty-six men worked, but 

 they wished to give a certain proportion to their church, a certain 

 proportion to their priest, and a certain proportion to their widows ; 

 so they water their stock, commercially speaking.* 



It will be remembered that at the time the question of leasing 

 the islands was before Congress much opposition to the proposal 



*37 first-class shares, at $451 22 each. 



23 second-class shares, at 406 08 each. 



4 third-class shares, at 360 97 each. 



10 fourth-class shares, at 315 85 each. 



These shares do not represent more than fifty-six able-bodied men. 



In August, 1873, while on St. George Island, I was present at a similar 

 division, under similar circumstances, which caused them to divide among 

 themselves the proceeds of their work in taking and skinning twenty -five 



