TAKEN IN OR NEAR DIXON ENTRANCE. 281 



Depofiition of Charles Gibson, sealer. 

 PELAGIC SEALING. 



Exiierienee. 



Charles Gibson, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 33 years 

 old; was born in British (Jolumbia, and now live at 

 Port Chester. I have hunted seal in canoes in Queen 

 Charlotte Sound. Have always used the shotgun for taking seal. I 

 lose about 33J per cent of what I shoot. I have never examined the 

 seal as to sex. I shoot every tiling that comes near luai^crimiuatekiii- 

 the boat and use no discriiniiialiou whatever. The ing. 

 seal are becoming very scarce, caused, I think, by the Decrease. 

 white men hunting them too much. I have never 

 known of pups being born in the water or on the land " pelagic birth. 

 anywhere around Alaska. I have never seen or heard Scais do not haul 

 of fur-seal hauling up on the laud in this part of "''°° 

 Alaska. I have never seen a fur-seal in the inland waters between 

 Port Chester and Loring. I think if the white men protection 

 were prohibited from taking seal around Dixons En- 

 trance, Prince of Wales Island, and in Queen Charlotte Sound the seal 

 would become plenty once more and the Indians could catch them 

 again as they used to. 



his 



Charles x Gibson. 



mark. 



Witness to his mark: 

 J. M. Potter. 

 A. W. Lavender. 



Subscribed and sworn ta before me this 9th day of May, 1892. 



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition oj Henry Haldane, sealer. 

 PELAGIC SEALING. 



Henry Haldane, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 33 years 

 old; born iu British Columbia, and now reside at New 

 Metlakahtla. Have hunted fur-seal in a canoe. Have ^P^ience. 

 had my hunting lodge on ])undas Island and Nicholas Bay, and hunt 

 seal from the last of March to the lirst of June off Prince 

 of Wales Island, in Dixons Entrance and Queen Char- '^'^ '''"' 

 lotte Sound. They all disappear about June 1 on their way north. Have 

 always used a shotgun for taking seal, and lose about ^ i , n b ^r of 

 25 per cent of the seals I shoot. Think the seals taken niaie"'\nd"fomIie.-i 

 by me have been about equally divided between females .taken. 

 and males. Have taken a number of yearling seals and some two 

 and three year old males. Have never killed an old buU. I always 

 shoot everything that comes near the boat; can not iu,iiscriminate kiii- 

 tell the sex in the water. The seal are not nearly ing. 

 as plentiful as tliey on(;e were, and I think they are DecrtMse. 

 hunted too nuich by schooners. Have never known 



