TAKEN IN SAN FRANCISCO. 431 



lieve, obtained some skins there as late as last year, bnt ui)on tlie occa- 

 sion of my receut visit, the island was deserted by botb seals and men; 

 only a few goats remained. I have been sailing to the Alaska coast, 

 chiefly to the Shumagim Banks, in the codtish trade since 1879, and as 

 master of a vessel since 1883. I have made in all some twenty-five or 

 thirty voyages usually between Ajjril and October. I have found fur- 

 seals always plentiful in the water, in the spring- and ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^ 

 early summer, ott' the Alaskan Peninsular, along the seals within so miies 

 fishing banks, from 20 to 30 miles distant from land, "fAiaskau Peninsula. 

 but have seldom seen them at much greater distance than 30 miles. 



F. M. Gaffney. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of April, A. D. 1892. 

 [l. s.] Clement Bennett, 



Notary Fublic. 



Dejiosition of Thomas Gibson, scaler. 



PELAaic sealing. 



State of California, 



City and County of San Francisco, ss: 

 Thomas Gibson, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: I am a 

 sailor and seal hunter by occupation. I reside in San ^^^^^-^^^^^ 

 Francisco. I have been engaged in sealing for ten 

 seasons. My first voyage was about 1881, when I went ^^^^^ _p-^,^^ ^gs^ 

 out in the San Diego, of which Capt. Baynard was 

 master. We sailed "from this port; I shipped as a hunter; we started 

 in to seal ott" the coast of California and worked our way up to the 

 Bering Sea. We got that vear 1,200, of which I got 400. We had 

 five hunters that trip. Tlie^iext trip I made Wiis in 1882, when I went 

 out in the American schooner Lookout, of which Capt.^ Lookout i882 

 Kelly was master, leaving here about the latter part of 

 March, and we sealed allthe way up to the Bering Sea. We got about 

 500 before we entered the Bering Sea, and got about COO in the Bering 

 Sea. In 1883 I went out in the American schooner 



,_ -,_ o,-iy<.i»T ii X Mary de Leo, 1883. 



Mary de Leo, of which C'apt. Wenworth was master. 



We left here in the latter part of March and worked our way north to 



the Bering Sea, sealing on our way, getting 500 seals before entering 



the Bering Sea. We got 200 more in the Bering Sea, when I got lost 



while hunting in a small boat, and was picked up by 



the Mollie Adams, and she brought me back to Fort 



Towiisend. The Mary de Leo returned here later, and I never learned 



how many seals she got altogether. 



In 1881 1 went out in the American schooner Alyer, leaving Port 

 Townsend about the latter part of March. Capt. Ray- ^^^^^. ^^^^ 

 mond was master of her. We sealed on the coast, work- 

 ing our way to the Bering Sea, up to which time we got about 300 seals 

 and we got about 250 seals in the Bering Sea. 1885 I Q^^^^-^g^^^ 

 went in the English schooner Grace, I do not remember 

 the captain's name. We left Victoria about the latter part of March, 

 taking the same route we caught about 400 in the North Pacific and about 

 200 in the Bering Sea, and then returned to Victoria. 4^,,^, aeizedissc 

 In 1880 1 went in the American schooner AUjer, leaving 



