TESTIMONY TAKEN IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. 



Deposition of A. B. Alexander, fishery expert on the TJ. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion steamer Albatross and United States revenue steamer Cor win. 



pelagic sealing. 



State of Washington, 



County of Jefferson, ss: 



Personally appears before me A. B. Alexander, who, being duly 

 sworn, deposes and says: I am 37 years of age, a citi- 



xperience. ^^^ ^^ Gloucester, Mass., and liave been for six years 



and still am an employe of the U. S. Fish Commission as a fishery ex- 

 pert, being detailed for service on the Fish Commission steamer Alba- 

 tross. On March 29th I was detailed for temporary service on the 

 United States revenue steamer Cor win, and am still so engaged. During 

 my service on the Corwin I have cruised as far north as Yakutat Bay. 

 I have visited, with but few exceptions, all the ports and native vil- 

 lages from Dixon's Entrance to and including Yakutat Bay. I have 

 personally conversed with the Indians, owners of vessels, seal hunters, 

 both native and white, and others engaged in the sealing business. 1 

 have been in canoes and boats, and i^ersonally observed the taking of 

 seals by all methods x^racticed on this coast, and have thus sought to 

 familiarize myself in every way with the aquatic habits of the seal, 

 then- habitat, method of capture, and all matters of interest connected 

 with the sealing industry. 



There are two methods of taking seal in the water practiced on the 

 ^T *v, 1 f ^ 4. northwest coast: white men employ firearms exclu- 

 ing. sively, while the native Indians generally use spears. 



Indian method ^^^ most cxpcrt of thcsc spcarmcu are the Neah Bay 

 anmc o. Indians, and as scal hunters they surpass all others. 

 An expert white hunter, even with the best of firearms, can not com- 

 pete with them, for when he approaches a group of sleeping seals, all 

 in close proximity to one another, he can not expect to get more than 

 one of the number. The noise of his gun will startle all others within 

 a radius of a quarter of a mile or more, thereby destroying all chance 

 of catching another seal asleep. It sometimes hapi)ens, however, that 

 a skilled hunter will capture two or three out of a group, but such cases 

 are exceptions rather than the rule. It is different with an Indian hun- 

 ter who uses a spear; he silently approaches the sleeping victim and 

 noiselessly hurls his spear at it Avith a deadly aim, and the only thing 

 heard is the hard breathing and slashing of the seal as it fights for 

 liberty. , 



The spear which the Neah Bay Indians use is double pronged, which 



in their hands is a formidable weapon. The shaft is 12 



and^mothodo/uliTn*!^ fcetloug, and made of cedar ; the prongs are hard wood, 



one 30 and the other 18 inches long, about 1 inches apart 



353 



