140 TESTIMONY 



Q. Did you see an unusual number of dead pups on the rookeries tli is 



Dead )ups seasou*? — A. Yes; 1 saw nioie dead pups this year 



^ ' than ever before. I went with Mr. J. Stanley Brown 



in August to assist him to make a survey of the rookeries and saw dead 



pups grouped in various places. 



Q. Did you see dead pups on all the rookeries you visited? — A. Yes; 

 but some rookeries had more than others. 



Q. How do you account for so many dead pups? — A. I tliink their 

 (j^^^^^ ,,j. mothers were killed in the sea by the poachers while 



away from the islands in search of food. 

 Q. Why do you think that they were killed by poachers'? — A. I was 

 once on board a schooner which was seized at Northeast Point and saw 

 a number of female skins on board. 



Q. How does the number of seals on the rookeries this year compare 

 Decrease ^^^^^ ^^^ number four or five years ago? — A. The num- 



ber now is about one-fourth of what they were then. 



ISTOEN MANDREGIN. 



We, the undersigned, natives, residents of St. Paul Island, who 



j,^ ^ .^ have for a number of years been engaged in the busi- 



xpenence. ^^^^ ^^ Sealing ou thesc islands having been present 



and heard the testimony of Anton Melovedotf and Noen Mandregin, 



as above given, do hereby concur substantially in their statements. 



Apollon Boeudakaffsky. 

 aggie kushin. 

 NicoLi Krukofp, Second Cliief. 



Also J. 0. Eedpath, who, having been duly sworn by me, as herein- 

 after certified, testified as follows: 

 Q. State your age, place of residence, and occupation. — A. I am forty- 

 seven (47) years of age and have been a resident of the 

 p.spenence. ^^^j islauds for the past seventeen years; formerly 



local agent of the Alaska Commercial Company, now of the North 

 American Commercial Company, and during that time have been 

 engaged in the taking of seal. 



Q. Have you noticed any perceptible difference in the number of 

 seals on the rookeries from one year to another? If so, what changes 

 have you observed? — A. Within the last four or five 

 years I have observed a decided decrease in the num- 

 ber of seals on the rookeries. 



Q. In what proportion have the seals decreased within the time men- 

 tioned? — A. As far as my judgment goes, I should say 

 Extent of. at Icast ouehalf. 



Q. How do you account for it? — A. By the numbers, 

 *^'*^^^' principally females, that are killed in the waters by 



marauders. 



Q. How do you know that the marauders kill females principally?— 



A. I know that the females, aft^r giving birth to their 



by^Sera""''*'^^""'"^ young OU the rookeries, frequent the open sea in search 



of food, whereas the ipales frequent the hauling grounds 



Females feeding, ^j. ^^..^^ers immediately arouud it. At various times I 



have seen skins which were seized by the cutters from the poachers, 



and they were substantially female skins. 



Q. Have you noticed any dead pups on the rookeries this past sea- 

 son, and in what proportion to former years? — A. 1 

 D.adpiirs. hnYe seen an unusual number of dead pups this year 



on the breeding grounds; I may say twice as many as formerly. 



