372 



APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



the districts of the Colonies, from 

 which the Board will learn the fol- 

 lowing: 



Eight hundred and ninety- two 

 more sea-otters were killed than in 

 the year 1858. There has not been 

 so good a season since 1844, and the 

 increase is confined to the Kadiak 

 district, Unalaska, and Urupa. 



With reference to the sea- otter 

 industry, the Kadiak office reports 

 to me that pursuant to the 

 51 arrangements made by my 

 predecessor the Ohugatch 

 jieople living in the vi(;inity of the 

 Konstantin Redoubt, have been 

 permitted to hunt independently of 

 the general hunting party, in places 

 known only to themselves. On 

 their arrival at Kadiak, however, 

 it appeared that they had been 

 hunting on grounds upon which a 

 close season had been proclaimed 

 for 1859, and where our principal 

 party was to have hunted during 

 the current year. Under such un- 

 fortunate circumstances, I cannot 

 hope to meet with the same success 

 in the sea-otter industry as Rear- 

 Admiral Voyevodsky attained dur- 

 ing the last year of his manage- 

 ment of the Colonies. 



Of beavers 7<)0 more were killed 

 last year than in 1858. The annual 

 difference in the figures of this 

 industry depends altogether upon 

 local and climatic circumstances, 

 to which the northern natives are 

 more or less exposed. The excess 

 of this year over last came chiefly 

 from St. Michaels and the Kolma- 

 kovsky Redoubts. Castoreumsalso 

 show an excess of 470 pair over 

 1858. 



Of fur- seals the output was 11,160 

 less than in 1858. The reason for 

 this decrease given by the Manager 

 of the Island of St. Paul is the late 

 spring, during which the females 

 were prevented by ice from reach- 

 ing their hauling-grounds and 

 thereby lost their young. In ex- 

 planation of this occurrence I 

 inclose a copy of a Report of Mr. 

 Repin, the Manager of the island. 



of the Colonies, from which the 

 Board of Administration will see 

 that 892 more sea-otters were killed 

 than in 1858. There has not been 

 such a rich catch since 1844, and 

 this increase was owing entirely to 

 the number killed in the Kadiak 

 district, at Unalaska, and at Urup. 



As regards the otter catch, the 

 Kadiak factory has reported to me 

 that the Chugatches, living at Fort 

 Constantine, were permitted, with 

 the consent of my predecessors, to 

 carry on this hunting, apart from 

 the party sent out by the factory, 

 in places known to them alone: 

 after their arrival at Kadiak, how- 

 ever, with a very large number of 

 sea otters, it appeared that in the 

 summer of 1859 they had hunted 

 in places where there was a close 

 time, and where it will be neces- 

 sary to send a party from Kadiak 

 this year. After such an occur- 

 rence, unfortunately, I do not hoi)e 

 to have as successful results from 

 the hunting as Rear- Admiral Voye- 

 vodsky in the last year of his ad- 

 ministration of the Colonies. 



Seven hundred and sixty more 

 river beavers were killed than in 

 1858. The yearly variation in the 

 figures of this industry depends 

 entirely on local climatic causes, 

 which favour the northern savages 

 more or less in their hunting. This 

 increase, as compared with the 

 number taken last year, was 

 gained at Forts Michael and Kol- 

 makovsky. 



Four hundred and seventy more 

 pairs of castoreums were taken than 

 in 1858. Eleven thousand one hun- 

 dred and sixty fewer fur seals were 

 killed than in 1858. The Governor 

 of the Island of St. Paul assigns as 

 the cause of their decrease the late- 

 ness of the tjpring, owing to which 

 the cows in forcijig their way to 

 the rookeries over the ice, lost their 

 young. 



