TAKEN IN SAN FRANCISCO. 481 



Q. Is it not a f;ict that when you first started in the bitsiiiess, and 

 was inexi^erieneed in luinting-, tliat you, like all other beginners, de- 

 stroyed a mucli larger proportion than you do now"? — A. It is. 



Q. Are the seals you shoot at mostly asleep on the Avater or awake, and 

 if awake, do you shoot at them while breeching? — A. Yes, sir; if they 

 are breaching* I generally shoot at them, but if they are sleei)ing I gener- 

 ally take them at first while asleep, of course. 



Q,. Have you ever seen seals born in the water, and is it your opinion 

 that it is possible for tliem to be born in the water? — ^^ ^ , 



4 T , . . MIX- 1 1. 1 1 • J.-I J. Not boiii in water. 



xV. It IS nnpossible for seals to l)e born in the water. 



Q. Do you know of any place where seals land out- 

 side of the seal islands? — A. I do not know of any iJ^^^,\{!!^ ""'^ °° 

 1)1 ace; no, sir. 



Q. Has there been any decrease in the quantity of seals as com- 

 pared to previous years"? — A. There has been a de- 

 crease ; from the time I started sealing I guess there has 

 been a decrease of 25 per cent. 



Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attril)ute it? — A. On account 

 of so much extermination ami hunting b^tlic seal-hunters. 



Q. Do the pups perish with the cows tliat you kill? — ^, _ ^^ ^^^^^ 

 A. The pups always perish with the cows that are "^'^ 

 killed; yes, sir. 



Q. Is it your opinion if sealing continues unrestricted that they Avill 

 be soon extermimited"? — A. It is my opinion that if 

 sealing continues as usual they will be soon extermi- lufucnt™'""*'*^"^ ''"' 

 nated, and not before a great wliile, either. 



Q. In your opinion is it absolutely necessary to protect the cows in the 

 Bering Sea to prevent the herd from being exterminated? If so, for 

 what months in the year"? — A. It is absolutely neces- ^ , ,. 



, J.- VI "■ • T j_ -ii- Protection neces- 



sary to i)rotect tue coavs, m order to prevent seals benig sary. 



exterminated, from the 1st of July ui> to the 1st of 

 November. cw season. 



Q. Do you generally shoot seals with a rifle or a shotgun, and if the 

 latter, Avith buckshot or fine shot? — A. I generally shoot them Avitli a 

 shotgun loaded with buckshot if asleep; if aAvake Ave generally shoot 

 them with a rifle. 



Q. Judging by the direction that seals were traveling during your 

 experience, Avhere do you suppose Avas their destination? — A. I can not 

 tell their destination, but I should judge they Avent 

 south in the fall from 15 to 5()U miles' ofl^horc, and in ^^s™*'"'^- 

 the spring they travel to the nortliward from 5 to 100 miles offshore. 



Q. In order to iireserve the seals, do you think it absolutely neces- 

 sary to stop all killing in the Avater of the Bering Sea? — A. Yes. sir; I 

 think it absolutely necessary, in order to i:)rotect the 

 seals, to stop all killing of cows in the Bering Sea? ti^l'u^l^!^^^''''' 



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 it. — A. I have no 

 more to say than what I have already said. 



Capt. GUSTAVE SUNDVALL. 



Capt. CrEORGE BALL, having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 



The Notary : 

 Q. What is your name, age, resulence, and occupa- ^^^George Bail, sea cap. 

 tion? — A. My name is George Ball; age, 42; residence 



2710 — A"OL II 31 



