FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



205 



condition of the rookeries, I made a thorough measurement of all on this island, com- 

 mencing on the 3d day of May, before the bulls hauled up on the land, when an abso- 

 lutely correct measurement could be made. 



In making my measurements I was assisted by Dr. L. A. Noyes (Captain Loud, 

 assistant Treasury agent, not having returned to the islands) and four of the best- 

 informed natives. As to the boundaries of the breeding rookeries in July, when the 

 rookeries were fullest, we verified our work by observation, and found the ground 

 included within' our lines fully covered some of the rookeries, viz, Northeast Point, 

 Tolstoi, Garbutch, Polivana, were densely packed, covering more area than my state- 

 ment shows, while others were not so closely packed. I do not agree with Mr. Elliott 

 in his assignment of 2 feet square to each seal ; at this date it is not enough. 



1 inclose my statement, marked E, as compared with Mr. Elliott's, which on his 

 basis gives us now on the breeding rookeries 5,148,500 seals, an increase since 1872 of 

 2,137,550. I think the calculation of 1872, as well as 1886, would stand a reduction 

 of one-fourth in aggregate number of seals, and be nearer the true number than our 

 figures show. Statements at best are merely approximate estimates, but in the 

 absence of any absolutely correct method of arriving at the count, they serve as a 

 guide. Frequent ins])ection of the rookeries during last season and this shows a 

 decided increase of cows, Avith an ample supply of bulls. The same report is also 

 made by the assistant Treasury agent in charge of St. George, on which island I was 

 not able to obtain measurements of the rookeries this spring, but will do so next, and 

 forward the result with my next report. 



» » # » * » ♦ 



Geo. R. Tixgle, Treasury Agent. 



E. — Measurement of breeding rookeries, St. Paul Island, Alaska. 



Rookerv. 



Sea 

 margin. 



Reef 



Garbutch 



Zoltoi 



Keetavia 



Lukannon 



Tolstoi 



Lagoon 



Northeast Point . 



Polivana 



North Zapadnie.. 

 TVe.st Zapadnie . . 

 Sea Lion Rock . . . 



Total 



Increase in 14 years - 



By W. H. Elliott, assistant Treasury By George R. Tingle, Treasury agent, 

 agent, July 10 to 18, 1872. May 3 to 8, 1886. 



4,016 

 3, 660 



2,200 

 2,270 

 3,000 

 750 

 15, 840 

 4,000 



5,i 



41, 616 



Width. 



150 

 100 



Total area. 



150 

 150 

 150 

 100 

 150 

 150 



Feet. 

 602, 400 

 366, 000 



330, 000 

 340, 500 

 450, 000 

 75, 000 

 2, 376, 000 

 600, 000 



882, 000 



6, 021, 900 



Total seals, 

 allowing 2 

 feet square 

 to each fe- 

 male seal, 



301, 200 

 183, 000 



165, 000 

 170, 250 

 225, 000 

 37. 500 

 1, 188, 000 

 300, 000 



441, 000 



3, 010, 950 



Sea 

 margin, 



5,550 

 2,750 

 700 

 2,700 

 1,660 

 3, 100 

 1, 625 

 14, 825 

 6,600 

 5, 500 

 3,800 

 1,100 



Width. 



175 

 275 



30 

 140 

 175 

 250 



75 

 205 

 175 

 100 

 550 

 145 



49, 850 



8,234 



Total i 



Feet. 



971, 2.50 



756, 250 



21, 000 



378, 000 



280, 000 



775, 000 



121,875 



3, 039, 125 



1, 155, 000 



550, 000 



2, 090, 000 



159, 500 



10, 297, 000 



4, 275, 100 



Total 

 seals on 

 Elliott's 



485, 625 



378, 125 



10, 500 



189, 000 



140, 000 



387, 500 



60, 937 



1, 519, 563 



577, 500 



275, 000 



1, 045, OOO 



79, 750 



5, 148, 500 



2, 137, 550 



Note. — Zapadnie is divided by a sand heaoh over 700 feet wide at the Southwest Bay landing. In 

 order to show the shape of the roolvery better, I call that portion north of the sand beach North 

 Zapadnie and the other side West Zapadnie. Mr. Elliott treats it as one rookery ; he also leaves out 

 Sea Liou Rock, which is an old rookery. Zoltoi is new since his date. I tliink the space assigned to 

 each seal by Mr. Elliott is not large enough, and a reduction of one-fourth from the figures above 

 would give more nearly correct the actual number of seals on the rookeries named. — G-eoeqe R. 

 Tingle^ TMasury agent, St. Paul Island, Alaska. 



(Senate Ex. Doc. No. 7, Forty-ninth Congress, second session.) 



[The bogus official report of 1887.] 



Office Special Agent, Treasury Department, 



St. Paul Island, Alaska, July SI, 1SS7. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith my report for the year ending July 

 31, 1887, with the steamers' receipts for 100,000 seal skins. 



I have made frequent and close inspections of the rookeries this year, and find the 

 lines of occupancy extended beyond those of last year, and the cows quite aa 

 densely packed on the ground on most of the rookeries. While on two rookeries 



