TESTIMONY TAKEN IN COOK'S INEET. 



Deposition of NicoU ApoTcchee, Feier Ahanl'ooJc, IStephan Lanpwalic, 

 Tyfym Monin, Denis Malzoff, Wasyryon Ojkew, Pavel Ofkew, and Pavel 

 Eingchoolc, native fur hunters, residing at Fort Alexander, Cooks Inlet. 



. HABITS: DECREASE. 



Meoli Apokcliee, Peter Abankook, Stepliaii Langwalic, lyfym Monin, 

 Denis Malzoff, Wasyryon OfkeAV, Pavel Ofkew, and Pavel Kingcbook, be- 

 ing duly sworn, depose and say : Tliat we are natives of Alaska, and reside 

 at the settlement known as Fort Alexander, on Cooks In- 

 xpenence. j^^^ Alaska Territory. We are, by occupation, hunters 



of fur-bearing animals, excepting the fur-seal, and have been engaged 

 in this pursuit the greater part of our lives, chiefly in this region. Fur- 

 ^ seals usually appear in the vicinity of Cooks Inlet early 



Cooks'iuiet/Aiay \'. * in tlic uiouth of May. We are positive that the ma- 

 jority of fnr-seals do not enter Cooks Inlet, but pass 

 across its entrance, following the coast of the mainland. We have 

 . . occasionally observed a few seals which had strayed 



viciuity""^^' "'^^^^ into the lower bays of the inlet, but they have only 

 been seen at long and infrequent intervals. There are 

 no fur-seal rookeries in this part of Alaska. 



Fnr-seals were formerly observed in this neighborhood in great nuin- 

 Decrease bcrs, but of late ycars they have been constantly dimin- 



ishing, owing to the large number of sealing vessels 

 engaged in .killing them. We have never seen fur-seal pups about 

 Pupa i.orn only ou tliis part of the coast, and have no knowledge of any 

 Pribiiot isiamis. bsiug bom clsewlicre than ou the rookeries of the seal 

 islands in Bering- Sea. 



NicoLi Apokchee (his X mark). 

 Peter Abankook (his x mark). 

 Stephen Langwalic (his x mark). 

 Iyfym Monin (his x mark). 

 Denis Malzoef (his x mark). 

 Wasyryon Ofkew (his x mark). 

 Pavel Ofkew (his x mark). 

 Pavel Eingchook (his x mark). 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 8th day of April, 1892. 



Joseph Murray, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of Maxwell Cohen, agent of Alaska Commercial Company, at 

 Fort Alexcmder, Cook Inlet. 



pelagic sealing. , 



Maxwell Cohen, being duly sworn, deposes and saith: I reside at 

 Fort Alexander, Cook's Inlet, Alaska Territory, and am by occupation 

 the agent of the Alaska Commercial Company at this place, where I 



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