280 TESTIMONY 



Now I use the sliotguu exclusively for takiuji; seal. Very seldom I lose 



cue, as 1 always shoot them close to the bi)at. I never examine 



them to know whether they are men or women seal. I 



_^ iniiisciiminate kill- ^au not tell the difference in the water, and shoot every- 



"^' thing- without knoAvinji;' whether they are men or women. 



Some years ago the fur-seal were plenty off the islands, but since the 



schooners have hunted them they are nearly all gone 



and it is hard for the Indians of this village to get any. 



Have never known anv i;u]) seal to be born in the 



in^ater^"""* ^'"'" ^atcr or auywhere else' in this part of Alaska. Have 



never known any to haul up on the land anywhere m 



Alaska, nor have 1 ever seen any seal in the inland waters wherever I 



have been in Alaska. I think the schooners should be stopped fi-om 



hunting seal so that the seal may become plentiful on 



Protection. ^^^^ coast and the Indian may again have a chance to 



get them. It makes me feel bad to think the seal are most all gone and 



we can't hunt them as our fathers used to. 



EcHON (his X mark). 

 Witnesses to his mark: 

 J. M. Potter. 

 A. W. Lavender. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 7th day of May, 1892. 



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of Chief Frank, second chief Kaslcan Indians, sealer. 



PELAGIC SEALING. 



Chief Frank, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am the second 



chief of the Kaskan Indians. Was born at and have lived in Kaskan 



all my life, and am now a very old man. My father lived here before 



me. My occupation has always been that of a hunter. Have hunted 



Ex erience fuT-seal iu cauocs. Havc always used the shotgun 



• xpenence. ^^^ killing scal, and but very few are lost. There were 



kined* "''''* cows cow seals Avith pup among the seals that I have taken, 



but I don't know how many. I have never taken 



Indiscriminate kill- an old bull iu my life. Everything in shape of a 



^^' seal that comes near the boat is killed. Fur-seal 



Decrease. ^^.^ ^^^ ^^ plenty as tlicy used to be, and it is hard 



for the Indians to catch any. I think there are too many white men 



in schooners hunting seals around Dixon's Entrance. 



laSi". "'"' ''■''"^ ""^ "° 1 never knew any fur-seal to be in the inland waters 



around this part of Alaska, nor have I ever known 



any fur-seal to haul up on the land anywhere in Alaska. I have never 



heard of seal pups being born in the water. I don't 



wrter ""* '"'™ "' l^n'^^v what to think about the schooners. There is one 



thing certain, seals are getting scarce. 



Ids 



Chief x Frank. 



mark. 



Witness to his mark : 

 J. M. Potter. 

 A. W. Lavender. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 0th day of May, 1892. 



A. W. Lavender, 

 United /States Treasury Agent. 



