294 TESTIMONY 



few times I was out after tliein I did not see a seal. They have been 

 growing scarcer every year since the white man began hunting them 

 in schooners. I always hunted seals in Dixons Entrance, and off Prince 

 of Wales and Queen Charlotte islands in March and June. The seal 

 Mi<rration disappear in June towards the north. When I was a 



'""^'^ "'"' young man the Indians used the spear for taking seal; 



now they have learned from the white man to use the shotgun. About 

 three out of ten are lost that are shot. I think the schooners ought 

 Protection ^'^ ^® prohibited from hunting seal, so the Indians 



could again get them again. Now they are obliged 

 to go a long way in the canoes, and often go many days Avithout see- 

 ing a seal, and come back tired. I have never known of pups to be 

 ^j^ born in the water or on the land anywliere around 

 opeagic ir i. Q^^g^Q Charlotte Islands or other parts of British 

 Columbia and Alaska, where I have been. I have never known any 

 seal to haul up on the land on Queen Charlotte 

 iniKi' "°* ''"^"^ "^ "° I^^l'^^iitls or any part of British Columbia or Alaska; 

 nor have I ever heard of any seal having hauled up 

 anywhere in British Columbia or Alaska. 



Frank (his x mark). 



Witness to his mark: 

 J. M. Potter. 

 A. W. Lavender, 



Subscribed and svvorji to before me this 11th day of May, 1802. 



A. W. Lavender, 

 United States Treasury Agent. 



Deposition of Luke Franl:, sealer. 



PELAGIC SEALING. 



Luke Frank, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I was born in 

 Howkan, and have lived there all my life; am by oc- 

 Experience. cupatiou a liuuter, and have hunted fur-seal six years 



of my life; have always hunted in Dixons Entrance 

 and off Prince of Wales Island during the month of May and June 

 each year. The seal all disappear about the first of 

 Migration. June, goiug north. There are seal in Dixons Entrance 



in March, but the wind blows so hard that it is impossible for us to 

 hunt them in canoes; have always used the shotgun 

 ,re"nanfLS" """ ^^^^ taking scal. I losc about two out of ten that I 

 pregnan < shoot. I think the seals taken by me are about half 



females with pup, and the rest are one and two year old males and 

 yearlings; never examined the yearlings as to sex, I can not tell the 

 sex of a sea. in the water; use no discrimiuaticm, but kill everything 

 that comes near the boat. Since tlie wliite men have 

 ^jnrtisciiininatokiii \jqqj^ huutiug the scal with schooners, they have be- 

 come very scarce and it is hard for the Indians to get 

 any in their canoes. And all seal hunting in the 

 Decroase. Avatcrs sliould bc stojipcd for a few years to give the 



seal a chance to become jilenty again. Never knew any fur-seal to 



