f)08 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



who have actually raided the islands that four hours is the time usually required to 

 make a successful raid, so that Nortli-east Point was in 1892 practically without 

 protection. 



Polavina rookery is 5 miles from either tlie village or North-east Point, and any 

 uii^ht the wind served, or even on foggy <lays, raids might be made there and 

 iiDthing be known of them at tlie village. Altliough Zaj)a(lnie rookery can be seen 

 from the village, and on this account is supjiosed to be safe, it was at this very place 

 that the skins taken by the crew of the "Horealls," late in 1<S91, were procured. I 

 was told by one of the men engaged in the raid that, at the time it was made, a 

 revenue-cutter was lying at anchor near the village, and less than 2 miles irom the 

 rookery, that the night was clear — so clear that they could see from the schooner not 

 only the lights of the cutter, but the vessel itself. They were desperate, however, 

 aiul sailed in close to the rookery, landed, and secured 400 skins without being seen 

 or heard. While <m St. Paul Island, in 1892, three different rookeries were named to 

 me as the one on which this iiavticular raid was made. Nothing was known of it on 

 the islands until the arrival of the revenue-cutters the next spring, and the officers 

 on these vessels had heard of it through the raiders themselves. 



While in Victoria, Britisli Columbia, in May 1892, two of the crew of the schooner 

 " Challenge '' gave me i>articulars of the raid made on Great East rookery, 8t. George 

 Island, late in 1891, and when on ISt. George Island in July I asked Dr. Noyes, the 

 JMiiuager of the North American Commercial Company on that island, for an account 

 of the raid. He told me that the morning after the raid a native, who had been col- 

 lecting wood, came in with the report that there were dead seals on Great East 

 rookery, but that no vessel was in sight. The number of seals killed was not ascer- 

 tainetl, as they did not wish to disturb those still on the ground. A man was sent 

 across the island, and came back with word that a schooner was anchored in Garden 

 Cove. Guards were i)nt on all the rookeries, but no further attemi)t at raiding was 

 made, and nothing more was seen of the vessel. 



.Stivrry Arteel seems to have been in former years a favorite rookery for raiding, 

 as Dr. Noyes s])oke of several raids having been made there in ditferent seasons, 

 though he did not know the names of the vessels. He told me that in 1886 a native 

 came in, and informed him that he had seen dead pups on Starry Arteel roidvcry. On 

 going there he (Dr. Noyes) found a number of dead seals lying on the shore, and 

 Avhile he was looking at them a native called out that bethought he saw a boat under 

 the clilf to the westward of Starry Arteel. Two natives were sent along the cliffs 

 with guns, but no l)oats could be seen. The cliti's at this place are about 900 feet 

 high and overhanging the water, so that a boat could not be seen ti'om above. Dr. 

 Noyes said thi'.t schooners formerly came in close to the island early in the evening 

 and lowered their boats, which, alter making the raid, were taken under the cliffs, 

 and tin; following night were picked up by tlie schooner. 



The next day a schooner was seen far out at sea — it had been foggy before — and 

 a guard was ^lut on all rookeries. During the night two boats were detected close 

 under the clilf where the natives had reported them the day before. The w.atchmen 

 ordered the boats to stop, threatening to fire at them if they did not do so, and the 

 boats not stoi)ping they did tire, not at the men but over them : two men were, how- 

 ever, wounded. Dr. Noyes did n(jt leain until the following year that the men had 

 been wounded. He was told of it then by ofticers on the revenue-cutter "Hush," to 

 which they had gone for assistance. He h.ad never told the natives that they had 

 wounded the men, as they would, he said, rather let every seal be taken than shoot 

 any one. 



in this connection j\Ir. W\ardman, United States Treasury Agent on the Pribyloff 

 Islands for several years, may be quoted : " I asked a man one day if he would shoot 

 if we took alter a pirate, and he said he would not. It was only with great per- 

 suasion I could get him to pull me off' in a boat. It is no use putting guns into 

 their hands. I asked him why he would not shoot, and he said lie did not want to 

 kill a man. They are very cowardly." * 



Even weie native guards ])laccd on every rookery on T)oth islands, they would 

 thus atford no real protection against raids. They might be bribed by the raiders, 

 or might neglect their dn1">s and not patrol the rookeries on dark or foggy nights, 

 and even were good watch kept and the presence of raiders detected they would be 

 useless, and at the most would but hurry to the village for help. It is assumed that 

 if a revenue-cutter were kept at each island, no further protection would be neces- 

 sary ; but it has been shown that at least one successful raid was made while 

 155 the cutter was actually in sight of the rookery being raided. All the revenue- 

 cutters habitually come to anchor at nightfall when near the islands, if pos- 

 sible at the village, so that practically the whole island excei-ting that part of it 

 near the village is o]K'n to tlie raiders. Vessels are known to have anchored to the 

 northward of St. Paul Island for weeks, running in to the island at night to kill 

 seals on the rookeries. A i)ro]ier guard stationed at each rookery might prevent 

 such raids, but a vessel anchored at the village can never do so. 



* H. R., 50th Congress, 2nd Session, Report No. 3883, p. 34. 



