492 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Collinson had himself caught a fur-seal on the shore near Masset, Queen Charlotte 

 Islands, in February; it lived three days. Indians, he said, often saw them ashore 

 near that place. 



I reacheil Victoria the 24th May, and ■while there Mr. Munsie told me that having 

 heard tliat seals were ahnndant north of the French Frigate Islands in the early 

 winter months, he dispatched a schooner — the "Mary Taylor" — on a cruize in these 

 latitudes in November for the purpose of taking seals. The captain reported to him 

 that between north latitude 30'^ and 40°, and in about the longitude of the 8andwich 

 Islands, seals were seen for six weeks — in the latter part of November and Decem- 

 ber — but that the weather was too rough to permit of a boat being lowered, and no 

 idea could be formed of the number of seals that might be found in fine weather. 

 The chart on which the track of the " Mary Taylor" was laid down was shown me, 

 and I saw that that part of it referred to by Mr. Munsie was marked to show that 

 seals had been seen there. I was delayed there until the 5th June, when I embarked 

 on Her Majesty's ship "Nymphe,"her Captain having been instructed to convey 

 me to Unalaska. The first seals were seen, on the voyage northward, 6th June otf 

 Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island, and until we arrived at Middleton Island (15th 

 June) seals in greater or less numbers were seen everj^ day, though the loss of time 

 consequent on the wreck of the " Quadra" resulted in my being quite too late to 

 follow the main migration of seals to the northward and westward, as I had hoped 

 to do. 



I landed at Middleton Island and examined its shores thoroughly, but found no 

 fur-seals there, nor any trace of I heir ever having been there. While at this island 

 two hair-seals were shot from a steam-cutter, and though the boat was not easy to 

 turn, both lloated until they were secured. 



Having heard that Port Etches, Hincheubrook Island, had been chosen as a rendez- 

 vous by the sealing schooners, that place was next visited. Seven schooners were 

 found there, and I spent part of IGth June and the whole of 17th and 18th June in 

 obtaining information from the hunters on these vessels. All were quite willing 

 137 to answer qiTcstions, and I ascertained it to be their opinion that the seals had 

 been found at sea in greater numbers along the coast in this spring (1892) than 

 ever before; that more males had been taken than females; and that, including the 

 losses of inexperienced hunters, not 5 per cent, of the whole niimber of seals killed 

 or l)adly wounded are lost. From actual figures given me by these hunters individ- 

 nally I prepared a Table, and found that the number lost by them, by sinking before 

 they could be recovered, was between 2 and 3 per cent. 



On one of the schooners, the "Dora Sieward," there was a young fur-seal that had 

 been cut from its mother; it was at that time eight days old. At my re([uest it waa 

 placed in the water. It swam about the schooner, attempting to climb up the side, 

 but after six minutes its head began to sink, and when eight minutes in the water 

 its mouth went under, and it was then taken on board the schooner. I learned at 

 Victoria, several months later, that it had lived fourteen days only. 



We left Port Etches on the evening of 18th June, and reached Unalaska 25th June. 

 Though seals were in no place abundant, a few were seen every day. 



After a short stay at Unalaska, I went on board Her Majesty's ship "Melpomene," 

 and was landed at St. Paul Island 30th June, where I was given quarters by the 

 agents of the North American Commercial Company, and every facility was offered 

 me by them and the Special Agents of the United States Treasury Dei^artment for 

 the prosecution of my work. 



I remained on St. Paul Island examining the rookeries there, and closely studying 

 the habits of the seals, until the 11th July, when I again eml)arked on the ship 

 "Melpomene," and reached Unalaska the following day. Learning there that the 

 United States cruizer "Mohican" would start for St. George Island next day, I 

 obtained passage on her, and was lauded on that island the 14th July. Four days 

 were spent there, and, in company with Mr. J. Stanley Brown, then in charge of the 

 Pribyloff Islands for the United States, 1 visited all the rookeries and hauling-grounds 

 on that island. 



I arrived at Unalaska again on the 19th July, and was joined there by Mr. Maynard, 

 of Victoria, British Columbia, who had been engaged to take a series of photographs 

 for the purpose of showing the condition of the rookeries and hauling-grounds in 

 1892. With him I returned to St. Paul Island, and on the morning of the 22nd July 

 the first photographs were taken. All the rookeries had been photographed by the 

 28th July ; and on that day Mr. Maynard and I were taken to St. (ieorge Island, where 

 five days were spent, and all the rookeries on that island were also photographed. 



On tiie rird August H. M. S. "Melpomene" called for us, and on the evening of that 

 day Mr. Maynard was lauded on St. Paul Island, while I remained on the "Melpo- 

 mene." The following week was spent in cruizing to the westward and northward 

 of St. Paul Island, for the purpose of determining at what distances from the islands 

 seals were found in the greatest numbers. I returned to St. Paul Island on the 10th 

 August, and from that date until the 24th August my time was occupied in noting 



