328 TESTIMONY 



We tlicii went directly north of Sitka and commenced sealing- off that 

 coast, and were warned not to go into the American 

 mZ%evii^sL!° ^° P^i^t of Bering Sea, and then went over to the Eussian 

 side, near the Copper Island. I was nnder monthly- 

 pay, and did not keep track of the number of seals killed and cap- 

 tured. 

 Most of the seals killed on the coast are pregnant females, while 

 Waste of life those -we killed in the Bering Sea after the 1st of July 



were females that had given birth to their young on 

 miYking^cowT''''* "'' the seal islands and come out into the sea to feed. 

 Have caught them 150 miles off from the shore of the 

 seal islands, and have skinned them when their breasts 



Females feeding. ^^^^^ ^^jj ^^ ^-^^^ g^^^^ ^^,^^,^j ^^^^ ^ ^.^ g^. ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^^ 



way to feed. I do not think we got over one-half that we killed and 

 wounded. Have seen six out of seven killed sink and were lost before 

 we could get to them. This happened last year in a boat I was in. I 

 Decrease think the seals are not near as plenty as a few years 



ago, and they are much more shy and harder to catch 

 now than they were when I first went out sealing. I think this is 

 caused by hunting them so much with guns. 



James Haywaed. 

 Subscribed and sworn to before me on this 23d day of April, A. D 

 1892. 

 [seal.] Levi W. Miners, 



United States Consul. 



Deposition of Victor Jacli'ohsou, seeder (master). 



pelagic SEALINa. 



Victor Jacobson, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am 31 

 Ex erience years of age, by occupation a seal-huuter. I reside 



xpenence. ^^ Victoria, British Columbia. I am a British sub- 



ject. Have been engaged in sealing for eleven years, ten years as 

 master. Am now master and owner of schooner Mary Ellen and owner 

 Mr Eiien&wAMin ^^ schoouer Minnie, I have sealed from Columbia 



Time of entrance of Islaiuls, passages, and iu Bering Sea. The female 



females into Bering seals go through the passes from the Pacific Ocean into 



Bering Sea betM-een June 2oth and July 15th. Females 



killed previous to this time I found with x)ups, but none with pups after 



Killed nursing ^^^^ latter date. I have killed female seals with milk 

 cows 200 miles from 200 miles from the Pribilof Islands. I think of the 

 ■^^Percentage of fe- seals taken by me that three in five are females, and 

 males taken. nearly all with puj). Seals are diminishing along the 



coast, and unless pelagic sealing is stopped in the 

 Pacific Ocean the seal will become exterminated. In order to prevent 

 the entire extermii'iation of the fur-seal, I think all pelagic sealing in 



Prohibition in Paci- *^^ Pacific Occau ou the coast of the United States, 

 fie and close .seasoA in British Columbia, aiid Alaska, should be stopped ; also 

 Bering Sea necessaiy. j^ Bering Sca uutil the females have brought forth 

 their young, about the 15th of July, after which all vessels should be 

 allowed to enter Bering Sea and take seals without restraint any place 



