284 TESTIMONY 



Bejmsition of Edward Maitland, sealer. 



PELAGIC SEALING. 



Edward Maitland, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I was born 

 in British Columbia. I reside now in Xew Metlakalitla. Am 31 years old. 

 Ei erieuce ^ bavc been a hunter all my life. Have hunted seal iu 



^^peneuce. ^^ cauoe; my lodge was on Dundas Island, and I hunted 



in Queen Charlottes Sound and IJixons Entrance. Always used the shot- 

 guu for taking seal. About 50 j)er cent of the seals shot with shotgun are 

 lost. Most of the seals taken by me have been females 

 maKakeu*'"'"'"* ^^' withpup. I havc ucver taken aWg bull iu my life. Have 

 killed small bulls and some yearlings. It makes no dif- 

 ference if a seal is a uiale or female ; we shoot everything that comes near 

 eii.ric birth yuough. I havc never knowji any pups to be born in 

 o pe agit ir . ^^^ water, or on the land on the coast around this part 

 Do not haul up on ^f Alaska. I have never known any fur-seal to haul 

 Alaskan coast. ' up ou tlie land auywlicre in Alaska. I have never 



seen any fur-seal around Annette Island anywhere. 



Edward Maitland. 

 Witness to his signature : 

 J. M. Potter. 



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



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of FrederieTc ^Fason, sealer. 



PELAGIC SEALING. 



Frederick Mason, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 32 years 

 old. Was born in British Columbia, and now reside at New Metlakalitla. 



Am a hunter by occupation; have hunted fur-seal in 

 Experience. cauocs siucc I was a boy. The seal first make their 



appearance in March oti" Prince of Wales Island, and leave about the 

 middle of June. My hunting lodge has always been ou Nicholas Bay, 

 and I have hunted in Queen Charlotte Sound, Dixons Entrance, and oft' 

 Prince of Wales Island. I always use the shotgun for taking seal, and 



lose about 25 per cent of what I shoot. The seals killed 

 kmed''''^^ *^^'"*^'^^ by me were about half males and half females. Have 



killed but one old bull in my life. I have killed quite a 



number of yearling seals, but never examined them as 

 _^indiscriumiate kill- ^^^ ^^-^^ Everything that comes near the boat in sliape 



of a seal is shot; I can not tell the sex of a seal till 

 after it is dead. There are not near as many hunters hunting seal as 

 there used to be, for tlie. seal are decreasing very fast. I know be- 

 cause I am hunting seal all the time. There are too many schooners 

 hunting seal oft' the Prince of Wales Island and Dixons Entrance and 



if they are not stopped they will soon be all gone. I 

 Protection. havc ucvcr seen a pup born in the water, nor have I 



ever heard of a pup being borh on the land around 

 No pelagic birth. tliis part of Alaska. I have never seen or heard of a 



fur-seal being hauled up ou the land anywhere in this 



