168 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



breeding- grounds in 1872, trying to laud aud repelled iu vicous battle 

 offered and waged by the old bulls? Then, thoumnds and thousands 

 of these younn hnlls were incessantly essaying to land on the rookery sea 

 mare/ins, and were as incessantly fougbt off by tbe elder, heavier see- 

 eatcbie then iu possession of the waters edge. 



I have been carefully watching the held this morning, on these two 

 great breeding grounds. The cows are arriving; and, it was at this 

 time and occasion, in 1872, that the polseecatchie appeared, as I have 

 above noted. But, not a sinyle example ^jtrt'6(V?/.s' itself to my eye this 

 morning. Where are these young bulls which must step in next year to 

 supply those vacancies which the law of nature is to create in the ranks 

 of the old bulls? These seals are not here to-day; will they appear 

 later? 



There has been no change in the numbers of the old bulls on the 

 rookeries since the 10th instant : none whatever; and there are frequent 

 intervals on these sea margins to all these rookeries where vacancies 

 exist from 15 to 40feet wide between the located old bulls. Thus every 

 inducement is offered to a young bull to land without the fear even of 

 being obliged to fight savagely, which must have prevailed in its mind 

 m 1872, and which then, did not deter it from incessant attempt to land 

 on the breeding ground. 



Are these young half bulls all gone! If so, then everything else 

 will soon follow, unless the check is applied. Then, again, in this con- 

 nection, let me put it on record as I come in now from the field that 

 none of the scattered hnlls non^ hauled out on the rool-ery grounds, are 

 those Inoien as half hulls, or polseecatchie. 



Only 78 skins taken from the drive at Northeast Point to-day. First 

 drive of the season up there. 



June 19, 1890. — I ascended the basaltic ridge between Lukannon 

 sands and the village lakes this morning between 8 and 9 o'clock. IS'ot 

 a single seal, old or young, on these hauling grounds and sands of LiO<an- 

 non. From the summit of Telegraph Hill 1 had a full sweep of English 

 Bay. Only a small squad of perhaps 150 holluschickie under Middle 

 Hill, and another small i)od at the intersection of the sand beach with 

 Tolstoi lookery. 



A small drive from English Bay was made yesterday; some 300 skins 

 taken. The first drive from Northeast Point yesterday gave only 78 

 skins. Whether this trouble begins on the rookeries or on the killing 

 grounds, I have to find out, and it is important to know. 



Not a single hoUuschak of any age whatsoever on Zoltoi sands this 

 day, and there has not been a killable seal thus far there this season. 



June 21, 1890. — From the high sand dunes of Tolstoi, I have a full 

 survey of English Bay. A few hundred holluschickie only, under Mid- 

 dle Hill : and right down under me at the intersection of the sand beach 

 Avith the breeding ground of Tolstoi, are a few more, 200. The weather 

 has been good for hauling ever since the last drive (17th) from this 

 place, yet it has not tilled up any better than this. 



From this time on, the killable holluschickie should appear in as good 

 or better number up to the Fourth of July — better form than they will 

 thereafter. In other words, the best classes of these killable seals, 

 viz, the 2, 3, and 4 year olds, were here, now, iu their finest form and 

 number for the year, during the seasons of 1872-1874. 



From the Volcanic ridge I had a clear view of Lukannon beach and 

 hauling grounds. Not a seal of any age upon it, and the weather 

 superb for seals to haul in. — cool, moist, and foggy. 



tSunday, June 22, 1890. — Fine weather for hauling continues, but the 



