436 TESTIMONY 



them promiscuously? — A. I would be afraid that we would thin them 

 out. I will uot say exterminate them, but thin them out. 



Q. Do you think it is necessary to protect the seal in the Bering 

 Sea?— A. Certainly I do. 



Q. In the North Pacific?— A. In the North Pacific 

 ^j^rotection neces- j ^-jj ^^^^ ^^y. ^^^^ j^^ ^^^ Bering Sea I thiuk it is abso- 

 lutely necessary. 

 Q, Are seals generally shot with a rifle or shotgun with buckshot? — 

 A. Both. 



Q. If the cow seals are to be protected in the Bering Sea, what 

 montlis do you consider it would be necessary to prohibit any being 

 taken? — A. I would not like to answer that. 



Q. Do you think of anything else that is of value in regard to this 

 seal question that I have not asked you; anything you would like to 

 . say, you can give your opinion about? — A. I think they 



should look out for those poachers — these people that 

 go there late in the fall and steal them off the rookeries. There has 

 been cases of that kind. I thiuk that is decidedly wrong, both for me 

 and the seals. That is what started the Government to look after them 



Deposition of Alexander McLean^ sealer [master). 



AlexA-Ndeb McLean, having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 

 Mr. Williams : 



Q. What is your name, age, residence, aud occupation? — A. My 

 name is Alexander McLean; age, 32; resideuce, San Francisco; occu- 

 pation, master mariner. 



Q. Are you an American citizen? — A. I am. 



Q. Have you ever been engaged in the business of catching seals in 

 the Pacific or Bering Sea? — A. I have. 



Q. For how long a period? — A. Ten years. 



Q. Have you been master of vessels thus engaged? — A. I have been 

 nine years in the sealing business. 



Q. What time of the year do you generally start out sealing in the 

 Pacific? — A. I have varied always from the 11th of January until the 

 11th of February. 



Q. When do you call the season's catch over? — A. About the 11th 

 of September; probably a month later. I usually get back about the 

 11th of September. 



Q. What time of the year are the seals all out of the Pacific, having 



gone to the Bering Sea? What months? — A. To my knowledge they 



would go into the Bering Sea after the 2Uth of June. 



after June 20 ^*°^^° Q- Accordiug to your experience, what percentage 



of animals that are shot at are actually taken by the 



Lose one out of ten. boats ? You cau ouly estimate it ? — A. That is a very 



hard question for me to give you a proper answer to. 



I do not think they lose any more than one out of ten. 



Q. What percentage of those shot at and are not taken perish? — A. 

 Outside of that? 



Q. Yes. — A. I can not answer that. 



Q. Are the seals shot at asleep on the water or awake? — A. With 

 me they are principally asleep on the water. Of late years they shoot 

 them a great deal when they are awake. 



