194 RUSSIAN DOCUMENTS. 



In the meantime, seeing from the report of Manager Eepin that, in 

 1859, the seal catch was unsuccessful, owing to the fact that the cows 

 arrived late and without young, I respectfully request your excellency 

 to ascertain on the spot whether it is possible to take 50,000 to G0,000 

 sealskins every year without injury to the industry for the following 

 years, and to permit him to take such a number as you may think ex- 

 pedient. 



No. 4. 



Letter from the chief manager of the Russian American Colonies to the 

 manager of the island of St. Paul, Milovidof. Written from Sitlca, March 

 15, 1861. 



I direct you henceforward to prepare the following quantity of seal- 

 skins every year, and to send them to New Archangel, 25,000, dried in 

 the same way as has been done hitherto, and 25,000 salted, the prepara- 

 tion of which must be performed by the new method, in accordance 

 with the directions inclosed herewith. 



The attention of the board of administration is especially turned to 

 the seal catch at the present time, and you will therefore bestow the 

 greatest care upon it, and not fail to ship the 50,000 skins hereby or- 

 dered. 



You must make requisition on the New Archangel factory for the salt 

 needed for salting the skins, as well as for other articles in sufficient 

 quantity at the proper time. 



In case you notice a diminution in the number of seals, and find it 

 impossible to take as many as 50,000 without too great impoverishment 

 (of the rookeries), you will immediately report to me; and you will also 

 report every year whether it is not possible to take more than 50,000 

 sealskins. 



In killing the seals be careful to take the large and medium- sized 

 ones, as circumstances may direct; and you are permitted to kill 4,000 

 gray seals every year, in order to procure the oil, which, as you are 

 aware, the natives use for their necessities, and you will ship as much 

 of it as possible to Unalaska and New Archangel. 



####### 



Make your reports short, but clear. Eeport every year on the follow- 

 ing subjects: 



The increase or decrease of the seal and sea-lion rookeries; the 

 amount of seal meat, oil, and other supplies secured; all vessels coming- 

 in sight of the island, etc.; after the example of the former manager, 

 Shalshnikof. 



Send every year a list of all the paid employ6s and hunters, together 

 with your remarks on each, and recommend those who are deserving 

 of a reward, and keep a yearly journal of the management of the seal- 

 killing and of the work done. 



I place upon you the personal responsibility of keeping watchmen on 

 the rookeries constantly during the summer, in order to prevent the 

 whalers and all other foreigners from landing on the coast, and to pre- 

 vent the natives and the employes from having any commercial trans- 

 actions whatever with them. 



