108 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



salmon, for the. use of the natives ; but, with the consent of the Secretary of the Treasuiy, coal, ton for cord, has 

 been substituted for the former, and an equivalent quantity of salted salmon and codfish for the latter. Both have 

 been regularly supplied, as shown by the receipts of the government agent and the statemeuts of the natives, 

 together with as much salt and as many barrels as have been desired for curing aud storing their seal -meat. 



Two physiciaus are in the employ of the companj, one residing on each island, who are charged with the care 

 of the sick, and have already, by their eflbrts, seconded by the example of the other white residents, induced 

 greater cleanliness and a more healthful mode of living among the natives. 



School attendance. — The education of the native children has not been neglected, though so far the 

 attempt to teach them has not been as successful as could be desired. For each island a competent teacher, a 

 convenient aud well-warmed school-room, and a snpply of school-book.s, etc., have been provided every year from 

 the first of October until the first of June, but the difficulty has been to induce the pareuts to send their chidren, as 

 they do not think them able to learn both English and Eussian, and as the latter is the language of their church 

 they consider it the niost important. The average attendance at the school on St. George has been but five or. six, 

 while there are from thirty to forty children, and on St. Paul but four or five, with from forty to fifty children. 

 Last year on the latter island there was a better attendance, and the children made considerable progress. 

 The prejudice of the older people seems likely to wear away, as they learn a little English themselves from 

 constantly heariug it, aud will doubtless disappear after a time. 



Terms of the seal-island lease from the government. — This indeiituie in duplicate, made this 3d day of August, A. D. 1870, 

 by and between William A. Kicbardson, Acting Secretary of the Treasury, in pursuance of an act of Congress approved July 1, 1870, entitled 

 "An act to prevent the extermination (?f fur -hearing animals iu Alaska," and the Alaska Commercial Company, a corporation duly 

 established under the laws of the state of California, actiug by John F. Miller, its president aud agent, iu accordance with a resolution at 

 a meetiug of its board of trustees, held January 31, lS70, witnesseth : 



That said secretary hereby leases to the said Alaska Commercial Company, without power of transfer, for the term of twenty years 

 from the Ist day of May, 1870, the right to engage in the busiuess of takiug fur-seals ou the islands of St. George and St. Paul within 

 the territory of Alaska, aud to send a vessel or vessels to said island for the skins of such seals. 



And the said Alaska Commercial Company, in consideration of their right under this lease, hereby covenant and agree to pay, for 

 each year during said term and in proportion during any part thereof, the sum of S55,000 into the Treasury of the Uuited States iu 

 accordance with the regulations of the secretary to be made for this purpose uuder said act, which payment shall be secured by deposit 

 of United States bonds to that amount, and also covenant and agree to pay annually into the Treasury of the Uuited States, uuder said 

 rules aud regulations, au internal-revenue tax or duty of $2 for each seal-skin taken and shipped by them in accordance with the provisions 

 of the act aforesaid, and also the sum of 60^ cents for each fur-seal skin taken aud shipped, and 5& cents per gallon for each gallon of oil 

 obtained from said seals, for sale iu said islands or elsewhere, and sold by said company; and also covenant and agree, iu accordance with 

 said rules and regulations, to furnish, free of charge, the inhabitants of the islands of St. Paul aud St. George annu.illy during said term 

 25,000 dried salmon, 60 cords fire- wood, and a sufficient quantity of salt and a sufficient quantity of barrels for preserving the necessary" 

 supply of meat. 



And the said lessees also hereby covenant and agree during the term aforesaid to maintain a school on each island, in accordance with 

 said rules aud regulations and suitable for the education of the natives of said islands, for a period of not less than eight mouths in each year. 



And the said lessees further covenant and agree not kill uiion said island of St. Paul more than seventy-five thousand fur-suals, 

 and upon the island of St. George not more than twenty-five thousand fur-seals iier annum; not to kill any fur-seal ujion the islands 

 aforesaid in any other month except the months of June, July, September, and October of each year; not to kill said seals at auy time by 

 the use of fire-arms or means tending to drive said seals from said islands ; not to kill any female seals or seals under one year old ; not to 

 kill any seal in waters adjacent to said islands, or ou the beach, cliffs, or rooks, where they haul up from the sea to remain. 



And the said lessees further covenant and agree to abide by auy restriction or limitation ujion the right to kill seals under this lease 

 that the act prescribes, or that the Secretary of the Treasury shall judge necessary for the i)reservation of such seals. 



And the said lessees hereby agree that they will not in any way sell, transfer, or assign this lease, and that any transfer, sale, or 

 assignment of the same shall be void and of no efi'ect. 



Aud the said lessees further agree to furnish to the several masters of the vessels employed by them certified copies of this lease, to 

 be presented to the government revenue officers for the time being iu charge of said islands, as the authority of said lessees for the landing 

 and taking of said skins. 



And the said lessees further covenant and agree that they or their agents shall not keep, sell, furaish, give, or dispose of auy distilled 

 spirituous liquors on either of said islands to auy of the natives thereof, such person not being a physician and furnishing the same for use 

 as medicine. 



And the said lessees further covenant and agree that this lease is accepted, subject to all needful rules and regulations which shall 

 at any time or times hereafter be made by the Secretary of the Treasury for the collection and payment of the rental herein agreed to be 

 paid by said lessees for the comfort, maintenance, education, and protection of the natives of said islands, and for carrying into effect all 

 the provisions of the act aforesaid, and will abide by and couform to said rules and regulations. 



Anff the said lessees, accepting this lease with a full knowledge of the provisions of the aforesaid act of Congress, farther covenant 

 and agree that they will fullfil all the provisions, requirements, and limitations of said act, whether herein specifically set out or not. 



In witness whereof the parties aforesaid have hereunto set their hands aud seals the day aud year above written. 



WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, [seal.] 

 Acting SecreUiry of the Trcaatiiy. 



Executed in presence of — 

 J. H. Saville. 



ALASKA COMMERCIAL COMPANY, 

 By JOHN F. MILLER, President, [seal.] 



