TAKEN IN cook's INLET. 233 



twenty-four years, cliietiy at trading x^osts along the coast of Alaska, 

 between Prince William Sound and the Yukon Eiver, in the emi^loy of 

 fur-trading companies. I am at present the agent of the N^orth American 

 Commercial Company at this place, and it is my duty to trade in, and 

 otherwise handle furs and skins of all descriptions. Fur-seals first 

 appear off the coast of the mainland, in the neighbor- 

 hood of Port Etches, early in the month of April, pro- ^'»'''^*^*'"- 

 viding the winter has been one of average duration. I believe the 

 severity of the winter season has a direct bearing on the 

 time of the movement northward of the fur-seals, as I ^ *'"* °* '''"'"*'■ 

 liave observed that if it has been an open one, they appear at an earlier 

 date; while after an unusually severe one, the seals are later in making 

 their api^earance. Fur-seals travel in large schools, which follow each 

 other closely. The annual migration of their entire number occupies 

 fi'om three to four weeks in passing a point in the region of Prince 

 William Sound, and they move from the southward and eastward to the 

 northward and westward. 



To the best of my knowledge and belief, fur-seal life has considerably 

 diminished within the past few years, which fact I at- ^ ^ 

 tribute to the large number of vessels which have been '^crease. 

 engaged in pelagic seal hunting of late years. Breech- 

 loading firearms (rifles and shotguns) are the instru- shootmg seals. 

 ments principally employed by pelagic fur-seal hunters, both native and 

 white. By means of these weapons a greater number of skins are se- 

 cured in a season than when spears are used; but the 

 proportion of seals struck and lost, to those actually ^^'^° ^ '^' 

 secured, is much less when the spear is used. It is im- 

 possible to distinguish between male and female seals Sex indisfhiouish- 

 at sea, even if the hunters so desired, except in the ''^'^ ^° '"'"*'''■ 

 case of full-powered bulls, wiien they are readily recognized by their 

 greatly superior size. Large bulls are rarely taken. No distinction is 

 thought of by pelagic seal-hunters, and the killing is 

 done indiscriminately, the object being to secure as .^iDdisciiminatc kiii- 

 many skins as possible. Fur-seals taken in the open 

 sea must be struck in moderately calm weather, and picked up imme- 

 diately afterwards in order to secure them before sinking. 



I have no knowledge of, and have never heard of, the existence of 

 %ny fur-seal rookeries in the northern hemisphere, ^^ . 

 other than those on the seal islands of Bering Sea. I on'isianiK'"^^'^''*^''^'* 

 have never known of fur seal pups being born else- „ 



, ,, 4.1 c -1 T • Tx ■ 1, T ^ No pups born else- 



where than on the aforesaid rookeries. It is my belief wb&ie. 



that for the permanent preservation of fur-seal life, all Absolute proiiibi- 

 pelagic hunting should be prohibited absolutely. tion necessary. 



John W. Smith. 



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



Joseph Mueray, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



