TESTIMONY RELATING TO PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



Deposition of John Armstrong, engineer of lessees'' steamer and agent on 

 St. Paul Island, 



management. 



State of California, 



City and County of San Francisco, ss: 



John Armstrong, having- been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 

 50 years ohl, and reside in San Francisco. I was em- 

 ployed in Alaska service in connection with the seal ''^perienco. 

 fisheries from 1868 to 1886, inclusive. During- the tirst eight years of 

 the time I was chief engineer of the steamer plying between San Fran- 

 cisco and the seal islands and otherAlaska ports, aud from 1877 to 1886, 

 inclusive, as agent of the Alaska Commercial Company, living almost 

 constantly for the whole ten years upon St. Paul Island. I always as- 

 sisted in the seal-killing, and, in common with all other employes on 

 the islands, made the seals my study and care. Everyone connected 

 with the business, from the superintendent to the humblest laborer, 

 is, Avhen at the islands, keenly alive to every occurrence relating to 

 the herd. There is nothing else but seals to attract our attention when 

 there, and the most trivial incidents in regard to the rookeries, as well 

 as the more serious ones, are noted and discussed. 



For the first few years I was on the islands the rookeries grew larger 

 every year, and I was told by the nativ esaud others that 

 they had grown a good deal since the Americans first eri^s''^^*^^ °^ ^°°^' 

 took them. After 1882 they seemed to stay about the 

 same, as far as the number of breeders was concerned, as long as I was 

 there. The skins taken prior to 1886 w^eighed from 6 

 to 10 pounds each, averaging about 8 pounds per skin; ^^^'siit of skins. 

 but I understand from those who remained there on duty that much 

 smaller ones were afterwards taken, because the large seals had become 

 scarce and were needed for rookery service. I observed that very few 

 seals go out to seai to feed during June, July, and Au- 

 gust, except females and some of the younger males. ''"'" *^^ "^^ '"°' 

 The greater part of the older bachelors appear to be always about the 

 rookeries after the cows come, and comparatively few as old as five years 

 come up with the droves to the killing grounds. The 

 same seal is sometimes driven several times during the drwlng"^ ^^'^ ^^' 

 season. One with a peculiar spot on him was driven 

 in more than a dozen times in one season. His skin was in such con- 

 dition that we did not want it. But I do not think that he or any 

 other one of the drove was injured by the exertion. The driving gave 

 them, with rare exceptions, very little more exercise than they appeared 



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