RELATING TO PRIBILOF ISLAND. 45 



until September, 1872, and thereafter went to the islands every summer 

 from 1873 until 1889, inclusive, excepting 1883, 1884, and 1885. I usually 

 remained on the islands about four months, from May until August, in 

 each season, su])ervising the annual seal catcli, examiniug the con- 

 ditions of seal life, studying the habits of the seals, and, in brief, doiug 

 such work as the interests of the lessees seemed to demand. 



That from the year 1870 there was an expansion of the areas of the 

 breediuggroundsandthatintheyear 1882 they were as _ ^u a 



=• ^5 , . , . •' . . '' ... Increase of breed- 



large as at any time during my acquaintance with ing trround from istp 

 them; that during the three years following 1882, toi882. 

 namely, 1883, 1884, and 1885, 1 was not upon the islands; that upon my 

 return to said islands in 18SG I noticed a slight shrinkage in the breed- 

 ing areas, but am unable to indicate the year of the ^ -86 

 period of my absence in which the decrease of breeding ^crease smce 1 8 . 

 seals began ; that from the year 1886 to 1889, inclusive, my observation 

 was continuous and that there was a greater decrease of the seals for 

 each succeeding year of that period, in a cumulative ratio, proportionate 

 to the number of seals killed by pelagic sealers. 



That during the twenty years I was upon said Pribilof Islands, as 

 general agent of said Alaska Commercial Company there were reserved 

 upon the breeding rookeries upon said islands suflticient vigorous bulls 

 to serve the number of females upon said rookeries; that while I was 

 located upon said islands there was at all times a greater number of 

 adult male seals than was necessary to fertilize the females who hauled 

 upon said rookeries and that there was no time when 

 there were not vigorous bulls on the rookeries who <> scarcity of bulla. 

 were unable to obtain female consorts. 



So well was this necessity for reserving sufficient mature male life 

 recognized that when in 1887, 1888, and 1889 the depleted rookeries 

 (depleted from causes that will be explained further on) Avould not fur- 

 nish the quota of 100,000 large skins, two and three years old male 

 seals were taken to make up the quota in preference to trenching upon 

 this reserve of maturer male life. 



That during my experience I have watched carefully the driving of 

 the bachelors from the hauling grounds to the killing Djiyj^^ 

 grounds ; that there has never been any variation in the living. 

 methods of driving; that the prevention of injury to the seals from 

 driving was kept constantly in mind and the greatest care exercised 

 that no such inj ury occurred ; that the number of seals killed by overdriv- 

 ing or by smothering was very inconsiderable at all times, and that said 

 seals so killed could not make any appreciable difference in the num- 

 bers of seals who breed and haul upon the said islands; that up to 1882 

 there was no difficulty in procuring the required num- ^o difficult -in 

 ber of killable seals; that the killing of bachelors upon curing qiiota of skfns 

 remote rookeries such as Zapadnie was not from neces- uptoi882. 

 sity but at the request of the Government agents, in order that the 

 number taken from each hauling ground might be equalized; that this 

 did not involve driving long distances, for a salt house was established 

 at Zapadnie, and the skins brought away in boats ; that 

 after the year 1875 the lessees of said islands supplied ind"rh.-ng^andTimnt 

 carts for the transportation of skins from the killing 

 grounds to the salt houses and storehouses; that because of the facility 

 for carrying the skins, killing grounds were established at points much 

 nearer the hauling grounds than ever before, and from that date the 

 seals were driven much shorter distances to the killing grounds; that 

 skins were so transported from Poh^vina or Halfway Point, on St. 



