230 ^ TESTIMONY 



Rookeries only on liave we aiiy kiioAvledge of tlie existence of any fiii'- 

 Pribiiof Islands. gp.^| rookei'ies otber than those above mentioned. lA e 

 Prohibition neces- believe that, in order to permanently preserve fur seal 

 ^^'"^' life, all pelagic hunting should be stopped. 



Ivan Oanetak (bis x mark). 

 MiCHAELER Balashofe (his X mark). 

 NicoLi Inloo (his x mark). 

 Sacar Balashoff (his x-mark). 

 NicoLi ISTicoLi (his X mark). 

 Sacar Kolyaii (his x mark). 

 NicoLi Inloo, jr. (his x mark). 

 Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this 9tli day of April, 1802. 



Joseph Murray', 

 Uiiited States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of El las JEsaiossen, miner, at Soldovoi, Cools Inlet. 



HABITS. 



Elias Esaiossen, being duly sworn, deposetb and saith : I reside at 



the setttlement known as Soldovoi, on Cook's Inlet, 



Has never seen fur Alaska, aud liavc livcd iu tlic immediate neighborhood 



seals in inlet above n -r • i j i 



Anchor Point. lour years. I am a miner and prospector by occupa- 



tion, and have no knowledge of or experience in fur- 

 the inlet above seal life. I have never seen fur-seals in the Avaters of 

 Anchor Point, and am positive that no fur-seal rook- 

 re^on™"^*^^"^ *° *^* ^^^ cxists in the region, nor have I ever heard of any 

 other rookeries than those on the seal islands of Ber- 

 ing Sea. 



Elias Esaiossen. 

 Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day of April, 1892. 



Joseph Murray, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of Vassili Feodor, native fur himter, CooFs Inlet. 



habits. 



Vassili Feodor, being duly sworn, deposes and saith: I am a native 



of Alaska, and reside at the settlement known as Soldovoi, on Cook's 



Inlet, Alaska, Ayliere I have lived all my life. I am by 



Experience. occupatloii a liuntcr of all fur-bearing animals except 



the fur seal, which I am told it is unlawful to kill. I have observed 



A ear ott' Ca ic "^'^'^^^ cugagcd in hunting sea-otter, that fur seals first 



Elizabeth ni?ont hiht^ appear off this part of ihQ. coast in the vicinity of Cai>e 



die of April. Elizabeth, about the middle of the month of April, 



and are most numerous about the middle of June. They move across 



the mouth of the inlet from the eastward to the westward in schools. 



I have observed a few scattering fur seals in the lower part of (3ook's 



Inlet, but only at long and irregular intervals; I have 



Ancho^Pofnt.''^'"" ncvcr sccu a fur-seal in i\\Q. waters of Cook's 1 nlet above 



Anchor Point. Fur-seals were formerly much more 



Decrease. Dumerous than of late years, and are each year becoming 



constantly scarcer. I believe this decrease is due to 



Cause. the number of vessels which are engaged in hunting 



