TAKEN IN OR NEAR DIXON ENTRANCE. 291 



Deposition of William G. Thomas, Jisherman. 



PELAaiC; SEALING. 



William G. Tlioinas, being duly sworn, deposes and says: Have lived 

 in sontlieastei-n Alaska the last eleven years, seven of wliicli I resided 

 at Fort Wran gel. Have been engaged in tlie fishing business a number 

 of years. I have never seen or heard of any fur-seal 

 being seen in any of the inland waters of Alaska, nor ^I'^^'^nce. 

 have I ever known of or seen any fur-seal hauled up on ^^^^^. j^^^^.^^ ^^ f,^^. 

 the land in any part of Alaska. Have employed a seal in inland waters, 

 great many Indian fishermen, and had there been a fur- hauiingTj on'coast!" 

 seal rookery in any part of the Alaskan coast I should 

 certainly have heard of it. 



Wm. G. Thomas. 



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



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



De2)osition of George Usher, sealer. 



PELAaiC SEALING. 



George Usher, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I was born in 

 British Columbia. I am 57 years old, and reside at 

 New Metlakahtla. I have been a hunter all my life. Experience. 

 I was one of the first to hunt fur-seals among the 

 Tsimpshens, and have hunted seal ever since. I always hunt in 

 canoes. My hunting place has always been off Dundas Island. Have 

 hunted in Queen Charlotte's Sound, Dixons Entrance, and off Prince 

 of Wales Island. I have always used the shotgun for taking seal. I 

 think I generally lose about 75 per cent of the seals shot with shot- 

 gun. Most of the seals taken have been cows with 

 pup. I have taken but a very few old bulls. I have m^^s^tlikor^'"'"* '*" 

 killed plenty of young males, and have taken quite a 

 number of yearlings, but never examined them as to . imiiscriminate kiii- 

 sex. I always shoot everything that comes near the "^^' 

 boat, regardless of sex. We use no discrimination. Last year there 

 seemed to be a great number of seals on my old hunting grounds. 1 

 have never seen any pups born in the water. The seals ^^ , . ,. , 



,,-.,. ,. 1 • ji T 1 No pelagic birtli. 



at tnis time ot year are always going north. I have 



never seen any fur-seal hauled up on the rocks any- Do not haul up on 



where on the coast of this part of Alaska. I have never '""^^*" 



seen any fur-seal anywhere around Annette Island, 



liis 



George x Usher, 



mark. 



Witness to his mark: 

 David Leask. 

 A. W. Lavender. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 10th day of May, 1892. 



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent, 



