686 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



4. That I did not in either year detect any dift'erence between the 

 coast seals and those on the Asiatic side, nor did I hear any one on 

 board either of the schooners speak of the matter. Hunters often get 

 seals on this coast slightly darker in colour than the general run, and 

 the same may be true of the Asiatic side. I have noticed that on both 

 sides of the ocean. 



5. That last year, on going over to the Asiatic coast, I saw scattering 

 seals all the way over, and saw the same this year. The course both 

 years was from 30 to 60 miles oft" the Aleutian Islands. 



6. That I saw more seals this year than last, especially in bands off 

 Cross Sound and Marmot Island. In five days, off Marmot Island, the 

 hunters on the "Carmolite" got about 450 seals, nearly all males. The 

 ''Carmolite" got 878 seals on the coast this year; not more than 100 of 

 these were females. Nearly the whole of the upper coast catch were 

 bulls. About one half the females were with pup; a good many barren 

 cows were also got. Out of the 141 seals I got I am certain not more 

 than 25 were cows in pup. 



And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the 

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

 Oaths." 



(Signed) Charles Otis Burns. 



Subscribed and declared by the said Charles Otis Burns before me, a 

 Notary Public; duly commissioned, and residing and practising at the 

 city of Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia, this 25th day of 

 November, A. D. 1892. 



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



A Notary Public in and for the Province of British Columbia. 



Declaration of Charles Francis, 



Dominion of Canada, 



Province of British Colvmbia, City of Victoria. 



I, Charles Francis, of Lake District, Vancouver Island, British Colum- 

 bia, Canada, fur-seal hunter, do solemnly declare as follows: 



1. That I have been four years in sealing- vessels in the North Pacific 

 Ocean, two seasons of Avhich I have been in Behring Sea. In 1889 I was 

 on the "Ariel" as boat-puller; in 1890 I was a hunter on the "Walter 

 L. Kich." I got that year 118 seals on the coast, and 108 in Behring 

 Sea. I did not lose more than 6 for the full season. I wounded a few, 

 but got most of them by chasing them up. My catch both on the coast 

 and in Behring Sea was about half females. On the coast most of the 

 females were with pup, but in Behring Sea none had pups in them. The 

 first two weeks in the Sea I got some cows in milk, but after that the 

 milk would be dried up. 



2, That in 1891 I was on the same vessel; I got 91 seals on the coast. 

 We did not go out until the last of March, and came back in July. The 

 9L were about half females, and one-half — not more of them — were with 

 pup. The "Walter L. Rich'' did not seal anywhere except on the coast. 

 We had very rough weather, and did little actual hunting. 



.3. This year I was on the "Brenda." I got 03 seals on this coast. I 

 lost by sinking this year 8 or 10 seals, most of them on the Asiatic side; 

 I got 04 seals on the Asiatic side. About half my catch on both coasts 

 were females j ou this coast most of the females were with pui3, on the 



