484 TESTIMONY 



cific abput the 1st of January and ends about the hist of June. 



Q. When does sealing commence in the Bering- Sea and when does 

 it end"? — A. It commences in the Bering Sea about the 1st of July and 

 ends about the 1st of Novend)er. 



Q. What percentage of seals are taken compared with those you de- 

 stroy in doing so; in other words, how many do you 

 Waste of hfe. actually get out of those you shoot !— A. We get about 



two-thirds of those we shoot. 



Q. Is it not a fact that wlien you first started in the business and 

 was Inexperienced in hunting, that you, like all other beginners, de- 

 stroyed a much larger proportion than you now do ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Are the seals you shoot at mostly asleep on the water or awake; 

 and if awake, do you shoot at them while breeching"? — A. We take 

 the sleepers first, and we also shoot at them while breeching. 



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

 opinion that it is possible for them to be born in the 

 wS^ "°* ^'''" "' water!— A. I think it impossible for seals to be born 

 in the water. 



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



Landciyon^siand..^^.^^^ of the scal islands?-A. I do not; no sir. 



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



to previous years? — A. 1 think there has been a 



Decrease. dccrcase of scals as compared to previous years of 



about 25 per cent or more. 

 Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. I attribute 

 it to the extermination by inexperienced hunters. 



Q. Do the puiis perish with the cows that you kill "? — 

 Pups lost. A. Yes, sir; they do. 



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

 be soon exterminated. — A. I am of that opinion; yes, sir. 



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



the Bering Sea to prevent the herd from being exter- 



^jrotection neces- miuated; if SO, for what months in the year"?— A. I 



think it necessary to protect the cows in the Bering Sea 



from the first of July to the last of November, in order to protect 



them from being exterminated. 



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

 ter, with buckshot or fine shot! — A. We generally shoot the seals with 

 buckshot if we are close enongh ; if not, we shoot them with a rifle. 

 Q. Judging by the direction that seals were traveling in the spring 

 ^^ ,^^ of the year during your experience, where do you sup- 



'^'""'"' pose was their destination'? — A. They go north during 



the spring of the year. 



William Henson. 



State of California, 



City and County of San Francisco, ss: 

 I, Clement Bennett, a notary public in and for said city and county, 

 do hereby certify that the witnesses in the foregoing depositions named 

 were by me duly sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth, and noth- 

 ing but the truth; that said depositions were reduced to Avriting, and 

 when completed were carefully read to said witnesses and subscribed 

 in my presence. 



