APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 621 



17. That I have only found one dead seal at sea in the years I have 

 been out. That was this year, about 80 miles west of Attu. This 

 seal had been dead only a short time; the wouud was still bleeding. 

 My hunters and those of the "W. P. Hall" had been hunting- 

 62 about the place the day before. A dead seal will generally rise 

 to tlie surface in about half an-hour after being killed. 1 have 

 got several in that way. 



And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the 

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

 Oaths." 



(Signed) Herman E. Smith. 



Subscribed and declared by the said Herman E. Smith 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 Public in and for the Province of British Columbia, 



Declaration of William De Witt. 



Canada, Province of British Columbia^ City of Victoria^ 



I, William De Witt, of the city of Victoria, in the province of British 

 Columbia, seal-hunter, do solemnly declare: 



1. That I have been in sealing- vessels as a hunter the last four years. 

 In 1889 I was on the '^Penelope," in 1890 on the "Penelope;" in 1891 

 on the "Viva," and in 1892 on the "Sea Lion." 



2. That in 1889, my first year of sealing, I got 90 seals, in 1890 I got 

 217, in 1891 I got 290, and in 1892 I got 420. I don't remember exactly 

 how many seals I lost by sinking in 1889, but certainly not over 15. 

 In 1890 I lost between 15 and 20. I kept count of those I lost that 

 year until near the end of the season. In 1891 1 lost 9 by sinking; I 

 kept count of them that year and also this year, 1892, when I lost by 

 sinking 7. 



3. I use both shot gun and rifle in sealing. I shoot sleei:)ing seals at 

 from 10 to 15 yards' range, and " travellers" at from 30 to 40 yards. I 

 seldom use the rifle, and only then on " travellers." Most of the seals 

 I lost by sinking were "travellers" shot at the longer range. 



4. Very few seals are woumled. Those badly wounded I always get, 

 while those so lightly wounded that they escape do not afterwards die. 

 In the four years I have been out I have picked up three dead seals at 

 sea. They all had been dead but a short time, their skins being sound 

 and good. Two of the three I picked up this year on the Copper Island 

 grounds. 



5. Tbat each year I have been out I have seen bands or schools of 

 seals along the coast from Cape Blanco north to Queen Charlotte 

 Islands; north of this I have seen smaller bands. They are generally 

 wild when in bands, and I always have best hunting when seals are 

 scattered. The bauds are made up of males and females both young 

 and old. I don't ever remember getting among a school or band of 

 all one kind. 



6. That of the seals I got a little more than one-half of those taken 

 on the coast were females. On the Asiatic side the cows were in about 

 the same proiDortion. On the coast over half the females I got were 

 with pup, but on the Asiatic side 1 got no cows with pup, but a good 

 many nad milk. 



