FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OP ALASKA. 217 



Q. You are aware that Professor Elliott, iu his book, estimates in the neighbor- 

 hood of 4,000,000. What do you think about that estimate?— A. I think that Pro- 

 fessor Elliott has overestimated it. When he was there the way he figured out the 

 estimate was that he laid down the carcasses of seals and measured around them and 

 then measured the rookeries. 



Q. He estimated the average size of a harem? — A. Not only a harem, but every 

 size of seal, each old bull. Ho measured the 4-year old, and the 3-year old, the 

 2-year old, and the 1-year old grown male, and then he took the extent of territory 

 where the seal had laid and measured that, and computed his figures from the terri- 

 tory ; but they do not lie all over the territory which he marked out. 



Q. He measured all around, taking a given area? — A. The seals did not cover the 

 •whole area as thoroughly as he measured it. The only time he could make his 

 measurement was after tbe seals had left. These were made then. You can not 

 measure a rookery while the seals arc lying there; but he observed the ground 

 covered by the animals during the season aud sketched out the details and where 

 they were lying, and measured that after they had left there.' 



Q. Do you think under careful treatment and the present policy a large number 

 might be readily taken oif after a year with safety? — A. Possibly; but I would not 

 suggest that they should increase the catch very fast. I should go carefully and 

 observe the effect, increasing at the rate of 5,000, 10,000, or 15,000. 



1880-1885. 



H. A. Glidden (p. 29). Q. What was your estimate of the value of those rook- 

 eries? — A. I could not estimate them. The seals are there by the millions; you can 

 not count them. 



1869-1872, 



S. N. Buynitsky (p. 12). Q. Have you any means of making an estimate of the 

 probable number of fur seals that visit these Lslands and rookeries? — A. I saw an 

 approximate estimate made by Mr. Elliott. I do not know that I ever indulged in 

 any figures as to that. I simply expressed my imj^ression here [examining report] ; 

 no; I see I did not indulge in any guessing. 



Q. You say that Professor Elliott has made some estimate of that? — A. Yes, sir; I 

 say I did not make anv estimate. I do not think any estimate would be within a 

 million or two. I think he puts them at 5,000,000, but it may be 3,000,000 or 

 7,000,000, as they are countless. It is a sight never to be forgotten by one who saw 

 it, and it recurs sometimes in my dreams — that vast extent of beach covered by these 

 animals. 



THE BEGINNINa AND PROGRESS MADE IN DRIVING FROM THE UNDIS- 

 TURBED HAULING GROUNDS OF ST. PAUL. 



The statement made by the natives to Messrs. Goff, Murray, Nettleton, 

 and myself, that no commercial driving was made from Zapadnie, West 

 English Bay, Southwest Bay, Tonkie Mees, or from Polavina during the 

 seasons of 1871-1874, and that it was not really begun in earnest until 

 1879,- is confirmed (independent of my own personal knowledge that no 

 such driving was done during the seasons of 1872-1874) by the entries 

 made in the Treasury agent's office journal, St. Paul village. 



1 made a careful examination last July of this, the onlyofiicial record 

 kept by the Government officers on either island of St. Paul or St. 

 George. This journal on St. Paul is a large ledger-made book, which is 

 opened there for the season of 1872, and continued without break from 

 that time up to date of my examination. In this journal the Treasury 

 agent in charge of the island makes a daily entry of the chief affairs 

 of the day, i. e., the weather, doings of the natives in the village, and 

 whites, employees of the lessees, etc.; arrival and departure of ships, 

 steamers, etc. ; and during the sealing season a daily record of the num- 



• Mr. Morgan means well, but is painfully ignorant of my method of surveying 

 the rookeries: See pages 21-24, antea. 



-See p. 195, antea, Conference of natives with Government officers, etc. 



