REPORT OF CAPT. BRYANT, 1869. 279 



to be slaughtered ; only the strong interest which the natives feel 

 in their preservation can insure the proper care in the selection. Sep- 

 tember and October are considered tbe best months for capturing the 

 seal. In addition to the skin, each seal yields about one and one-half 

 gallons of oil, and the lining membrane of the throat and portions of 

 the intestines, which latter are indispensable to the Aleutians at all 

 points, being used in the manufacture of water-proof clothing, without 

 which they could not venture at sea in their skin boats. 



It will be seen from the foregoing description of the habits of the 

 seal that their preservation and increase are very simple matters, the 

 only requirements being that the animals shall not be unnecessarily 

 disturbed at any time, and that for killing, the males only shall be 

 selected: and I will add that the increase is more rapid when a portion 

 of the males are killed each year, since by the constant fighting of this 

 sex when in excess many of the young are trampled upon and de- 

 stroyed. 



MANNER OF CURING THE SKINS. 



The skins, on being taken to the salt houses are packed in square 

 bins or benches, with the flesh side up, on which a quantity of salt is 

 scattered Here they are allowed to remain one or two months, when 

 they are removed and folded with a quantity of clean salt, and firmly 

 rolled and tied for shipment, only requiring a small additional quantity 

 of salt on being removed from the islands. 



NUMBER OF SEALS. 



There are on St. Paul Island at least twelve miles of shore line, 

 occupied by the breeding rookeries, not less than fifteen rods wide, 

 with an average of twenty seals to the square rod. This gives the 

 whole number of breeding males and females at 1,152,000; deducting 

 from this number one-tenth for males, and we have remaining 1,036,800 

 breeding females, which number may, with care in killing, be largely 

 increased from year to year, until the islands shall ultimately be fully 

 occupied by them. 



The number of breeding animals on St. George is estimated at nearly 

 one-half as many as occupy St. Paul. In addition to those on breeding- 

 rookeries, we have the large number of young seals, scattered about at 

 various points, and swelling the total number of animals on the two 

 islands to not less than three or four millions. 



I will remark here that the peculiar humid atmosphere and unvary- 

 ing summer temperature, induced by the meeting of the warm ocean 

 currents from the south and the colder ones from the north, seem to 

 render these islands the favorite resort of the seals in preference to 

 those of the Aleutian group. 



It is the opinion of native chiefs and of the late officers of the Rus- 

 sian-American Company who have been stationed on the seal islands 

 that 100,000 skins may at the present time be taken from both islands 

 without diminishing the annual production. 



# # #. * # * # 



I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



CHARLES BRYANT, 



Special Agent, Treasury Department. 



Hon. Geo. S. Boutwell, 



Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. G. 



