FUE-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



81 



lukannon. 



June 20, 1872. 



The sand dunes to the west and to the 

 north are covered with the most luxuriant 

 grass, abruptly emarginated by the sharp 

 abrasion of the hauling seals. This is 

 shown very clearly on the general map. 

 * * * This is the point down along 

 the fiat shoals of Lukannon Bay where 

 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 driv- 

 ing to get any number of hoUuschickie. 

 July 12, 1872. 



The task of getting up early in the 

 morning and going out to the several 

 haiiling grounds closely adjacent is really 

 all there is of the labor involved in se- 

 curing the number of seals required for 

 the day's work on the killiug grounds. 

 The two, three, or four natives upon 

 whom, in rotation, this duty is devolved 

 by the order of their chief, rise at first 

 glimpse of dawn, between 1 and 2 o'clock, 

 and hasten over to Lukannon, Tolstoi, 

 or Zoltoi, as the case may be : "walk 

 out " their hoUuschickie, and have them 

 duly on the slaughtering field before 6 

 or 7 o'clock, as a rule, in the morning. 

 In favorable weather the " drive " from 

 Tolstoi consumes two and a-half to three 

 hours' time; from Lukannon, about two 

 hours, and is often done in an hour and 

 a-half, while Zoltoi is so near by that the 

 time is merely nominal. 



July 20, 1872. 



As matters are to-day 100,000 seals 

 on St. Paul alone can be taken and skinned 

 within a radius of 1^ miles from the vil- 

 lage; * * * hence the driving * * * 

 has never been made from longer dis- 

 tances than Tolstoi to the westward, Luk- 

 annon to the northward, and Zoltoi to 

 the southward of the killing grounds at 

 St. Paul village. 



H. Doc. 175 6 



and numbers. * * * I do not see to- 

 day, except at Middle Hill, the least sug- 

 gestion of the past. Will it imjirove? 



July 12, 1890. 



"" * * When it is borne in mind that 

 in the very height of the season, after 

 five days' rest, or nonattentiou, only 633 

 medium fur-seal skins, mostly .5 A pounds 

 clean skins, or 2-year olds, can be secured 

 from the combined scraping of everything 

 in English Bay (on Zapadnie we know 

 there is nothing), Middle Hill, Tolstoi, 

 Lukannon, and Ketavie, the extraordi- 

 nary condition of these interests can bo 

 well understood in a general way. Such 

 a driving in 1872, at this time and cir- 

 cumstance of weather, would have 

 brought 100,000 hoUuschickie uj) here, 

 instead of the 5,150 to-day. Three cows 

 in this drive. 



lukannon. 



June 19, 1890. 



I ascended the basaltic ridge, between 

 Lukannon sands and the A'illage, late this 

 morning, between 8 and 9 o'clock. Not a 

 single seal, older young, on these hauling 

 grounds and sands of Lukannon. 



Junk 21, 1890. 

 From the Volcanic Ridge I had a clear 

 view of Lukannon beach and hauling 

 grounds. Not a seal upon it of any age, 

 and the weather superb for seals to haul 

 in ; cool, moist, and foggy. 



June 24, 1890. 

 * * * In the afternoon I took a 

 survey of Lukannon Bay and hauling 

 grounds. Not a seal on the beach except 

 a half-dozen half bulls abreast of the 

 Volcanic Eidge. * * * 



July 1,1890. 



Not a seal on the hauling ridge and 

 sands of Lukannon Bay, and none on 

 Ketavie. 



July 8, 1890. 



I came down on the sand beach between 

 Tonkie Mees and Lukannon. Not a seal 

 has hauled there yet, this year, a place 

 where thousands upon tens of thousands 

 were to bo seen at this time in 1872 ! 



July 13, 1890. 

 Along the entire spread of Lukannon, 

 Polavina,andNortheast Point sand beach, 

 8 miles, nearly, I did not see a single young 

 seal; only a dozen or two old, worthless 

 bulls scattered here and there at wide 

 intervals. Over this extent and at this 

 time in 1872 such a walk as mine this 

 morning would have brought me in con- 

 tact with and in sight of 50,000 to 100,000 

 hoUuschickie! and the weather simply 

 superb hauling weather all day yester- 

 day, last night, and this morning. 



