APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 619 



9. That, from my experience and observation, I believe that immense 

 numbers of the seals that go up this coast never enter Behring Sea. I 

 know that all through the summer and early fall that seals are scattered 

 over the North Pacilic north of Vancouver Island, and as far as the 

 165th meridian east. I have compared notes with other masters, sail- 

 ing both earlier and later than myself, and I have found all reporting 

 seals scattered over the ocean from one side to the other. 



10. In my experience I have found only three dead seals on the sea. 

 One of these had been shot by one of ray hunters about an hour before, 

 but sank. Another I examined, but found no wounds on it. I believe 

 it had .died a natural death. The other had been shot about two days 

 before I got it. From the wounds I believe it was shot dead; the 

 wounds were in the head. 



And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the 

 same to be true, and by virtue of " The Act respecting Extra- Judicial 

 Oaths." 



(Signed) Alfred E. Bissett. 



Subscribed and declared by the said Alfred R. Bissett before me. a 

 Notary Public duly commissioned, and residing and practising at the 

 city of Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia, this 22nd day of 

 October, A. D. 1892. 



[seal.] (Signed) Arthur L. Belyea, 



A Notary Fuhlic in and /or the Province of British Columbia, 



61 Declaration of Herman R, Smith. 



Canada, Province of British Colwnhia, City of Victoria, 



I, Herman E. Smith, of the city of Victoria, in the Province of 

 British Columbia, master mariner, do solemnly declare: 



1. That I have been engaged in fur-seal hunting for twelve years on 

 the North Pacific Ocean, and have been five years in Behring Sea — 

 four years on the eastern side and one on the western. 



2. That I have served as able seaman, hunter, mate and master in 

 that time, and have also had charge of trading stations on the west 

 coast of Vancouver Island. 



3. That I have hunted seals from 200 miles south of Columbia River 

 up the coast and in Behring Sea. 



4. Since 1889 I have seen on all parts of the coast seals in schools or 

 bands, often in very great numbers. In February 1889, off the mouth 

 of Hiugua (?) Eiver, State of Oregon, I saw the largest school of seals 

 I ever saw. It was a fine calm day. The seals covered the water as 

 far as I could see standing in my sealing boat; there were thousands 

 and thousands of them. There were cows and bulls of different ages. 

 I did not get one, the great majority of them being awake, so I could 

 not get near enough to shoot. 



5. In other years I have often seen large schools at other places. 

 This year I saw most seals off" Baker Island in very rough weather. 

 My vessel was hove-to, and when the weather cleared the seals were 

 gone oft* northward and westerly. 



6. In 1887 I got plenty of seals, all bulls, off Cross Sound, on the 

 12th, 13th, 15th, and 24th July. I then sailed away then for Behring 

 Sea. 



