340 TESTIMONY 



Deposition of John Morris^ scaler {mate and master), 

 pelagic sealing. 



Dominion of Canada, 



Victoria^ British Columbia^ ss: 

 John Morris, being duly sworn, deposes and says : My age is 34 

 years, my occupation seaman, and my residence is 

 Experience. Victoria, British Cohunbia. I have had six years' ex- 



perience in sealing", both in the North Pacific and the 

 Bering Sea. In February, 1882, 1 went sealing from Victoria, British 

 Columbia, in the scliooner Omvard, McCoy, master. I 

 nwar , .. shipped as mate. We had sixteen canoes, all manned 



by Indians — two Indians to each boat. The Indians used spears while 

 hunting seals. We began sealing off Cape Flattery; sailed and sealed 

 to the northward, and captured about 800 seals along 

 nanSaies!^^"^'"''"" ^^^ coast. There were not over ten males in the whole 

 lot. The females had pups in them and we cut them 

 out of their mothers and threw them overboard into the ocean. They 

 secured about all of the seals they speared. We returned to Victoria, 

 British Columbia, about the last of June. 

 Abottt the last of April, 1883, I sailed from Victoria on a sealing 

 Onward 1883 voyagc iu the Omcard, Morris, master. We had eight- 



een canoes, all manned by Indians, two to each canoe. 

 They used spears as weapons and captured about 400 seals while I was 

 Pre ant females ^u her. They wcrc allfcmales with pup excepting 

 takenf°^° ema es ^^^ yearliiigs, which wcre about one-half male and one- 

 Aifred Adams. ^^^^ female. I left the Onward at Clayquot Sound 

 and joined the J. (/re (Z Adams and returned to Victoria, 

 British Columbia, on account of sickness of the owner and master. 

 About the 1st of January I sailed as master of the Alfred Adams 

 Ai^ ^ .^ ,ao. on a sealing voyage ; we had about eighteen canoes, 



Alfred Adams, ISM. ■,^ . t T j_ ' i ^i i j. i -i.-,' 



With two Indians to each canoe; they hunted with 

 spears and captured about 750 skins along the coast. 

 takeuP*''* females ^^l the seals captured were pregnant females except 

 the yearlings. We returned to Victoria about the last 

 of June, 1884. 

 In February, 1885, 1 sailed from Victoria, British Columbia, on the 

 Seventy-six 1885 schoouer Seventy -SIX, Potts, master. We had three 

 boats and three men to each boat; had a white crew. 

 We began sealing off Cape Flattery and caught about 20 seals, all of 

 ah taken jie-nant ^^^*^^ wcrc prcguaut femalcs. We used rifles and shot- 

 femaies* "^^ piegnan ^^^^^^ ^^ hunting the scals. We returned to Seattle in 

 the month of June. Prior to this I had never been in 

 BfriSabifoTeS. ^^^ Bering Sea, and with but few exceptions sealing 

 vessels did not visit those Avaters. 

 In the month of February, 1887, I sailed from Victoria, British -Co- 

 lumbia, in the schooner Blaeh Diamond, I, Morris, mas- 

 18^'.""* ^i'^'"'''^^'^' ter. We had twenty-four canoes, each manned by two 

 Indians. The Indians used spears in hunting the seals. 

 They lost very few of the seals they speared. We captured on this 

 trip about 900 seals, but did not enter the Bering Sea. We returned 

 to Victoria, British Columbia, in June. The seals are more shy now 

 than formerly, because they have been hunted so unmercifully with 

 jy J. ^ guns. Seals are scarcer now than in former years. 



With the present increasing fleet of sealing vessels the 

 Protection neoes- seal herd will sooii become exterminated unless some 

 ^^^' restrictions are i^laced uj)on pelagic sealing. 



