TAKKN IN SAN FRANCISCO. 489 



From conversation with tlu' liniitcrs I learn that they follow the seals 

 to witliin a few miles of shore, and Imnt tliem at times in the mouth of 

 the large bays. Some of the principal sealing grounds in this region 

 are but a few miles off" tlie islands, inlets, and harbors on this coast. In 

 1891 a large number of the sealers transferred their catch Damihe isoi 

 to the English vessel JMnnbe in Alitak Bay, Kodiak 

 Island, to be transpcn-ted to Victoria, British Columbia, before going 

 Avest to tlie liering Sea. 



In |>nr<'hasing fnr-seals from hunters I have noticed that not less 

 than 75 per cent of the catch taken previons to Mi 



_:;) 



ire female seals; and IVom the dcv<'loi)m('nt of tlic ,„.^{,'.' 



Ma.stlyi 

 tali 



teat on the skin Averts evidently females with i)ni 

 After tliat the catch* is mostly yonng se:i,ls; and I paid ^^^^^ 



most attention to the sex. I had in my employ men 

 who a,re old seal-hunters, and who were formerly en- 

 gaged in that business, and they have often told me Wasto of lifo. 

 that they lost at least two out of every tlirc^e tliey 

 killed, and that the seals are not nearly so i)lentiful as 



,, ' ,. . ^r X Decrease. 



th(\y wer«? li\e, or si\ years ago. 



In n)y jonrneys in these Avaters I have noticed that seals are much 

 less plentiful tlmn when I first Avent there live years ago, and that the 

 decrease has l)een very marked in the last two years; 

 and I have no doubt 'that it is caused by the killing 1^^;™?.^'^"'' *" ''*'■ 

 of female seals in theAvater, and, if continued, Avill cer- 

 tainly end in their extermination. 



M. L. AYashuurn. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this Oth day of April, 1892. 

 [seal.] Clement Bknniott, 



Notary Fuhlic. 



Deposition of Mieliael White, sealer {master). 



habits. — pelagic sealing 



State of California, 



Citj/ and Count}/ of t<an Francisco, ss : 

 Michael White, being dniy swoi-n, dei)oses and says: I am 50 years 

 of age. I reside in East Oakland. INIy occni)ation is 

 master mariner, aiul I have been so engaged for twenty- Experienco. 

 seven years, oft' and on. 1 have been engaged in seal- 

 hunting dnring the years 188r), 188(>, 1887, 1888, and 1889, in the North 

 J*acili(' and Mering Sea. 1 iirst Avent out in 1885 in the schooner City 

 of fSan J>icrjo, chartered by myself and others, and my 

 catch for that year was between 2,300 and 2,400 seals. ^J^^^^ "-^ *"'* ^''^"^ 

 Of that number about 1,900 Avere caught in the Beiing 

 Sea. There Avere but very few vessels sealing at that g^l""""* ^° Bering 

 time. In 188(5 I Avas master of the schooiu^r Terese, 

 sailing fiom San Erancisco on the 2d day of February, ^'"'""'' ^^^''■ 

 and commenced cai)<nring seals on the coast of California, and fol- 

 lowed tlxMn from that d;ite north into the Bering Sea. We caught 

 them from 5 to GO miles otf the coast. I entered the g^^j.^^ off coast 

 Bering Sea on the Gth dav of June, 1886, and previous ^*'°so coas . 

 to that time had caugh't about 800 seals. Then I Entered Bering Sea. 



