FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 137 



left to speak of, on these hauling gfroiinds, above the 1 and 2 year old 

 grades — very few of the latter, and not many of the former. It will 

 take at least five years of perfect rest for the scanty stock now left of 

 this character in which to mature so as to serve on these breeding grounds ; 

 and it will be two years after this hew service is first rendered before 

 the appreciable gain can be well seen: and, in this necessary period of 

 five years' giow^h not more than one-half of these young bulls thus 

 maturing can be estimated as certain to survive the attacks of their 

 natural enemies at sea — sharks, killer whales, etc. 



Second. That all pelagic sealing in the waters of Bering Sea be pro- 

 hibited and suppressed throughout the breeding season — no matter how, so 

 that it is done, and done quickly. 



This step is equally imperative. The immorality of that demand 

 made by the open water sealer to ruin within a few short years and 

 destroy forever these fur-bearing interests on the Pribilov Islands — the 

 immorality of this demand can not be glossed over by any sophistry. 

 The idea of permitting such a chase to continue where 5,000 female seals,' 

 heavy with their unborn young, or busy with nursing offspring, are killed 

 in order to secure every 1,500 skins taken, is repugnant to the sense 

 of decency and the simplest instincts of true manhood! I can not 

 refrain Irom expressing my firm belief that if the truth is known, made 

 plain to responsible heads of the civilized powers of the world, that not 

 one of these Governments will hesitate to unite with ours in closing- 

 Bering Sea and the I'aciric }>asses of the Aleutian Chain to any and all 

 pelagic fur sealing during the breeding season of that animal. 



If these two steps are taken next year, and a perfect rest established 

 throughout the breeding seasons on the islands, and in the waters of 

 Bering Sea, for the next seven years, inclusive, then the restoration of 

 these sadly diminis;hed interests to their good form of 1872-1874 will 

 have been well advanced, if not wholly realized by the expiration of the 

 season of 1808. 



Then, with revised and proper regulations for driving and killing, the 

 twentieth century may open with another era of commercial prosperity 

 for these islands: with pleasure and profit for those of us not only at 

 home, but all over the world where fine furs are worn and valued. 



In taking these two steps the Government can not divide the respon- 

 sibility ; it must assume the entire order and conduct of affairs on these 

 seal islands of Alaska for the next seven years. The new lessees of 

 1800 should have a fair rebate. They are not to blame in any sense 

 whatsoever, for the present condition of the rookeries and hauling 

 grounds; not at all. They can not be asked to nurse these shriveled 

 rookeries into shape: to feed and clothe the natives, and maintain an 

 establishment on these islands for that purpose during this necessary 

 period of rest ; and il' they offered to do it, this offer, for obvious reasons, 

 should be refused. 



The skins of a few thousand yearlings and pups which the natives 

 may safely kill under order of the Secretary of the Treasury every year 

 for food and clothing, just as they killed them in 1834-1843, inclusive, 

 will, when sold by the Secretary of the Treasury, fully meet all the cost 

 of caring for these dependent people j)roperly, and enable them to live 



'Killing a pregnant female seal in 1890 destroys not only her life, but also that of 

 her unborn young, and. ihat vciv intra nierine life which will at once follow this birth, on 

 the Pribilov rookery to be born in 1891 — thus deslrotjing three lives — three seals at one 

 indecent stroke I Granted, for sake of argument, that the pelagic sealer gets every 

 pregnant female seal, or jjursing mother seal, that he strikes m the water — that he 

 does not lose one — docs he not make the shameful shoiving of having killed some ■'>, 000 seals 

 to get 1,500"^ Where is his escape from this brand of indecent butchery I Hehasuoue. 



