THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 



169 



Table showing the niimbers slain, the time of so doing, the character, and the disposition made of the fur-seal on the 



Prihylov group for one year ending July 20, 1881. 



Explanatory comments upon the above table. — It will be at once noticed that, in the result of this 

 last season's work on the Prihylov islands, as illnstrated so clearly above, the Alaska Commercial Company 

 has taken its full annual legal quota of 100,000 fur-seal skinstherefrom. I call attention to it, because it is the first 

 season in which the comjjany has done so ; it has never heretofore permitted more than 99,800, in round numbers, 

 to be taken and charged to its account, i)referring to always be a little within the mark, on account of the exceeding 

 difficulty of reconciling the enumeration of the two sets of government officers, when their counts are placed side 

 by side. For instance, the list of the treasury agent on the islands, when the skins are first shipped, is the official 

 indorsement of the company's catch for the year; but when the ship reaches San Francisco, then these skins are all 

 counted over anew by another staff of government agents. Should the tally of the seal-island agent be defective, 

 and show that it was so by the recount of the custom-house officers in San Francisco, then did it run over 100,000 

 skins, the company would have an annoying and unpleasant explanation to make; while the resident treasury 

 agent would be charged with maladministration of his affairs. Therefore, as it has never happened before, until 

 this season of 1881, that the two counts at San Francisco and St. Paul have agreed to a unit, the company has given 

 strict and imperative orders that no more than 99,800 or 99,85© skins shall be annually taken by its agents from the 

 seal-islands. Taking the full quota of this season of 1881, was contrary to its express direction. 



