36 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



whole aggregate of 335,000 breeding seals and their young. This is the 

 point, where, down along the flat shoals of Lukaunon Bay, the sand 

 dunes are most characteristic, as they rise in their wind-whirled forms 

 just above the surf wash. This also is where the natives come from the 

 village during the early mornings of the season for driving, to get any 

 number of holluschickie. 



It is a beautiful sight, glancing. from the summit of this great rook- 

 ery hill up to the north, over tliat low reach of the coast to Toukie 

 Mees, where the waves seem to roll in with crests that rise in unbroken 

 ridges for a mile in length each ere they break so grandly and uniformly 

 on the beach. In these rollers the holluschickie are playing like sea 

 birds, seeming to sport the most joyously at the very moment when the 

 heavy billow breaks and falls upon them. 



LUKANNON AND KEETAVIE ROOKERIES (1890). 



ITheir condition and appearance July, 1890.'] 



The unusually heavy loss sustained by Keetavie rookery, and the utter 

 absence of the holluschickie, or killable young male seals, where they 

 trooped in platoons of tens of thousands in 1872-1874 upon the Lukau- 

 non parade ground, made the view from Lukannon Hill an exceedingly 

 sad one at any time last sunmier. Grass is growing tliickly down to 

 the very water's edge over the parade grounds of 187U-1874, and creep- 

 ing into the rookery grounds also. This grass which springs up over 

 an abandoned seal parade is quite diflerent in liber and color from that 

 which has never been disturbed and destroyed by the seals. It is 

 quickly noted and marked as "seal grass," since it grows closer and 

 thicker and softer than all surrounding grasses.^ There is no contra- 

 diction possible of its silent though elocjuent testimony of the hour: of 

 the absence of those swarming herds which so impressed me in 1872- 

 1874, as they restlessly swept hither and thither over these grassy 

 grounds and deserted lields of 1890. 



X careful survey of the area and position of the breeding seals on 

 Lukannon and Keetavie rookeries July 10, 1890, gives the following 

 figures : 



Detailed analysis of the survey of Lukannon rookery July 10, 1S90. 



[Sea margiu of Lukannon rookery beginning al G and ending at D.] 



Square feet. 

 1,550 feet sea margin between G and F, with 70 feet average depth, massed.. 108, 050 

 350 feet sea margin between V and E, with 80 feet average depth, massed. .. 27, 000 

 1,100 feet sea margin from E to D, too scattered and thin for an average 



depth 10,000 



Total square feet 145, 050 



making ground for 72,525 seals — bulls, cows, and pups — against a total 

 here in 1872-1874 of 171,000, a loss since then of Q^^i per cent. 



Detailed analysis of the survey of Keetavie rookery July 10, 1890. 



[Sea margin beginning at A and ending at 1).] 



Square foot. 



700 feet sea margin between A and B, with 30 feet average depth, massed 21,000 



1,000 feet sea margin between C and D, with 35 feet average depth, massed.. 35, 000 



Total square feet 56, 000 



' Glyceria anf/ustata: It is as conspicuous as a band of yellow emarginating that 

 green ground of the indigenous growth of grasses and flora, where the seals have 

 never been lor a long, long time. 



