44 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. ' • 



soil would and does now resolve itself into the condition of a rich moist 

 humus: and, after heavy rains a thick i)aste, if puddled by tlie seals. 



The natives in Russian times ha<l a small Anllajie on the lake shore 

 near by this rookery, and regularly worke<l this Held especially severe, 

 up to that season of utter diminution which ended in 1834 by the stop- 

 ping of all killing for vShipraeut on St. Paul and St. George. When that 

 zapooska was ordered, the settlement at Polavina was abandoned : then 

 its people removed to the present location, which was established in 

 1824; also, the Northeast Point village was brought down at this time 

 to the existing town site, and that consolidation was final. 



Since that time u]) to 1882, beyond a few small drives made early in 

 June (driven for food), no seals in considerable number had been drawn 

 from the hauling grounds of Polavina, from Zapadnie, or Southwest 

 Point. But, as the regular source of abundant sui)ply near the village 

 became exhausted, then, in 1882, the draft upon these fine reserves of 

 Polavina and Zapadnie became sudden and steady every killable seal 

 was scraped up: easily at first, and ruggedly during the last two years: 

 and 1 may add, with great severity during 1889, and also through the 

 present season of 1890. 



So, when 1 regard this ground to-day, after an interval of sixteen years 

 since my last survey, 1 find a Sijuare declaration from the ground itself 

 of loss to this rookery of one-half of its female life, while its breeding 

 bulls are not equal to one fifteenth of their number here in 1872. Then, 

 too, the utter absence of a young bull on the vacant spaces in the rookery 

 or in the water at its sea margin : and, still more remarkable in contrast, 

 that pronounced utter absence of the holluschickie from their grand 

 parade ground here — that silent, emi)ty space before me on which at 

 this time in 1872 anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 young male seals were 

 trooping in and out from the water, frolicking in tireless antics one Avith 

 another or wrapped in ])rofound sleep — this deserted i>arade ground of 

 Polavina, like unto all the others on both islands, speaks most eloquently 

 and trutlifully of the present order and condition of these interests of 

 our Government. My survey as exhibited on the accompanying chart 

 gives the following figures: 



Detailed aiiali/sis of the surven of rolmnna rookery, July IS, 1S90. 



[Sea margin beginning at E and ending at O.] 



Square feet. 



150 feet sea margiu, from D to D-. witli 100 feet average depth, massed 15, 000 



900 feet sea margin, from D' to E-, with 200 feet average dei)th, massed 180, 000 



150 feet sea margin, from E' to E, with 100 feet average depth, massed 15, 000 



Jags 1, 2, 3, and 4 have 400 feet of sea margiu, with 100 feet of average width . 40. 000 



Total scinare feet 250, 000 



making ground for 125,000 seals — bulls, cows, and pups — against a total 

 of 240,000 in 1872. 



Detailed analysis of the surrey of Little Folariiia rookery, July 13, 1S90. 



[Sea margin beginning at c and ending at d.] 



Square feet. 



175 feet sea m.irgin. from C to b, with 20 feet average depth, massed 3, 500 



280 feet sea margin, from b to a, with 100 feet average deptli, massed 28, 000 



100 feet sea margin, from a to d, with 30 feet average dei)tli, massed 3, 000 



Total square feet 34, 500 



making ground for 17,250 seals — bulls, cows, and pups — against a total 

 of 60,000 in 1872. This survey gives a total for the Polaviiuis of 142,250 

 for 1890 against the total they possessed of 300,000 in 1872-1874. ■ 



