162 tp:stimony 



during all the time I was upon the islands, when 100,000 were killed 

 everyyear, except one, when 0;"),000 were taken. The breeding- rook- 

 eries were never disturbed in anyway, and most stringent regulations 

 were enforced to prevent their being molested. A female seal was sel- 

 dom driven, not more than two a season on St. (icorge, and 1 think 

 they were in all cases barren cows, which had, because of their barren- 

 ness, hauled up with the bachelors. 



The greatest care was always taken not to overheat the seals in driv- 

 ing them, and when a seal was by accident smotliered the skin was re- 

 moved and counted in the number allowed to be taken by the lessees. 

 There were not, to the best of my recollection, twenty-five seals killed 

 during any one season on St. George by overdriving. 



Whenever the sun came out while a "drive "was in progress the 

 driving at once ceased, so great was the care taken not to overheat the 

 seals. 



I never saw or heard of a case where a male seal was seriously in- 

 jured by driving or redriving. Certainly the reproductive powers were 

 never in the slightest degree inii)aired by these means. When we con- 

 sider that the bulls, while battling on the rookeries to maintain tlieir 

 positions, cut great gashes in the flesh of their necks and bodies, are 

 covered with gaping wounds, lose great quantities of 



'*" ' ^' blood, fast on the islands for three or four months, and 



then leave the islands lean and covered with scars, to return the fol- 

 lowing season fat, healthy, and full of vigor, to go through again the 

 same mutilation, aiul repeating this year after year, the idea that driv- 

 ing or redriving, which can not possibly be as severe as their exertions 

 during a combat, can aftect such unequaled vigor and virility, is utterly 

 preposterous and ridiculous. To show the Avonderful vitality of the 

 male seal, I will give one instance which came under my own observa- 

 tion : A drive of about 3,000 bachelors had been made, and after going 

 a short distance was left in charge of a boy; by his negligence tliey 

 escaped from his control, and the whole number plunged over a clitt", 

 falling GO feet upon broken stones and rocks along the shore. Out of 

 the whole number only seven were killed, the remainder taking to tlie 

 water; and these seven met death, I believe, from being the first to go 

 over and the others falling upon them smothered them. 



As long as a seal is not overheated in driving he could be driven any 

 uund)er of successive days without in any way impairing or affecting 

 in the slightest degree his procreative powers, of course always pro- 

 vided the natives use the same methods in driving that they always 

 have done. Seal life I am positive was never affected in this manner 

 on the Pribilof Islands. 



During the time I was on St. George Island there never was a raid 

 -. ., , . on the rookeries to my knowledge, and I never heard 



No raid on rookeries. „ , ., *', . jii 



of any such raid ever having taken place. 

 I am of the opinion, from what I know of the habits and nature 

 Pioiiibiti 11 nee ' i- ^^"^ the fur scal and what 1 have learned of open-sea 

 10.11 I ionnects;ai.v.^^^j|.^^^^ that the Pribilof seal herd should be i)ro- 



tected in all waters which they frequent. Otherwise it is only a matter 

 of a very short time before they will be exterminated. 



During the six years 1 was on the islands the condition of the natives 

 was wonderfullv improved. When 1 came there they 

 ofthe'n7t?ver''^'"°" ^crc partially dressed in skins, living in filthy, un- 

 wholesome turf huts, wiiich were heated by Ihes with 

 blubber as fuel; they were ignorant and extremely dirty. When I left 

 they had exchaugeil their skin garments for well made warm woolen 



