FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 169 



seals do uot haul. N"ot a single seal ou Zoltoi sands tLis morning. 

 There has not been a hollnschak there up to this date. This spot was 

 the never-failing resort of the natives in 1872-1874, according to my 

 own observation. Sometimes two drives of thousands each would be 

 taken, one right after the other, in the same morning, from this place 

 right under the village, at this time in June. Every seal would be 

 swept off from the sands of Zoltoi, then in the early hours of a morn- 

 ing like this — a drove of anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000, and even more 

 holluschickie of all sizes and thousands permitted to hustle into the 

 water at tlie moment of driving. Then after breakfast, at 7 o'clock, I 

 would again go up to look, and behold! these sands of Zoltoi, which 

 only a few hours enrViev were sicept hare of erery seal, were non^ fairly 

 T^overed with a fresh swarm of holluschickie; and which, later in the 

 day, might be driven up to the killing grounds not more than 1,000 feet 

 away, provided that the day was a favorable one for work, and the men 

 on the killing grounds were not unwilling to meet the increased labor. 



Now, not a single youngmale seal has hauled on Zoltoi thus far this sea- 

 sou (June 22, a. m.). This is the day and hour of the season in which to 

 see the holluschickie in their best form and number as to all classes, 

 except the yearlings. Therefore, this vacancy on Zoltoi sands, on Lukan- 

 non beach, and the ujdands of Volcanic liidge, on Ketavie uplands, on 

 the sands of English Bay, on those of Polavina, and the utter solitude 

 of those of Southwest Point and of Novatoshnah makes a deep impres- 

 sion on one who has, like myself, stood upon them all in 1872-1874 and 

 observed the swarming platoons of young male seals then existing — 

 now entirely vanished. 



Yesterday, when the work on the killing grounds closed, only 3,010 

 skins had been taken, and every little squad of holluschickie that has 

 showed itself above surf margin ou this island has been secured to get 

 even this pitiful number. The same ruthless drivin gin 1 888-1889 secured, 

 in the same time, thirteen thousand odd skins. At this rate of decrease, 

 of less than one ([uarter, and the season for, hauling far better than it 

 was last year, what indeed will be the catch next year"? Not more than 

 a few hundred These are fai-ts which the status of the hour declares 

 and which can not be sensibly overlooked at this finest season of the 

 catch. 



Then, too, the utter shift of method in driving which characterizes 

 the present from the past. Now, with the solitary exception of the 

 small drives from Middle Hill, every drive has been right from the bor- 

 ders of the breeding rookeries — from right in and among the old bulls 

 as they lay in waiting for the incoming females. This fact in itself is a 

 most eloquent pointer to the truth — to the utterly depleted condition 

 to-day of these hauling grounds and their abundant reserves of 

 1872-1874. 



At this time in 1872-1874, inclusive, I never glanced over at Zoltoi 

 sands but I saw holluschickie coming and going from and to the sea in 

 steady files and platoons. I never looked over the broad sweep of 

 English Bay beach from the high sand dunes of Tolstoi but to see the 

 same sight, only in vaster, greater form and numbers. So, too, as I 

 viewed the beach and volcanic ridge of Lukannon Bay and at Polavina 

 it was an impressive si)ectacle: and the sand reaches of Northeast 

 Point were simply alive with the restless multitudes of holluschickie 

 that were hauling out there, and into the sea. 



I do not observe to day, except at Middle Hill, the least, the faintest 

 suggestion even, of that past. Will it improve? The 20th of July 

 will tell the whole story beyond speculation or cavil. 



