708 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



growing very wild and hard to get. If they had been as easy to get this 

 year as four years ago, I would have got a great many more than I did 

 get. Until this year my coast catch contained more females than 

 males, but this year there were a great many more males than females. 



In Behring Sea my catch always contained more females than males. 

 There is no possibility of ever exterminating the seals by hunting them 

 at sea, for they are getting so wild that in a few years it will be impos- 

 sible to get near them at all. I remember when, if four or live seals 

 were together, all of them might be got, as when one was shot the others 

 would come up close to where he was, and could be shot one at a time, 

 but now when four or five are together a man is lucky if he gets one at 

 all. I do not consider that any protection at sea is necessary, as the 

 animals are rapidly learning to take care of themselves. 



This year, in September, I saw seals in mid ocean about half-way 

 between the Aleutian Islands and Cape Flattery. I sealed on the Asi- 

 atic side this year, and could notice no particular difference between the 

 seals found there and those found on the American side. 



I once saw seals cohabiting in the water. 



I have found a good many barren cows among the seals I have taken. 

 In the four years I have been out I have seen but one dead seal, such 

 as are called " stinkers," floating on the water. 



I have not heard that any schooners were sealing this year on the 

 American side of Behring Sea, except those that were seized, and do 

 not believe there were any others, as I saw or heard of nearly all the 

 schooners that were out, and those that did not go to the liussian side 

 came back home. 



When I joined the steamer " Thistle" she had been out nearly three 

 months (this was in April 1891), and the catch up to that date was nine 

 skins. She was called by sealing people when she returned " Old Nine 

 Skins," and there was not one hunter on her who had secured four skins 



up to the date of my joining her. 

 118 I heard of a raid being made on the Pribyloft" Islands in 1889, 



but would not like to mention the name of the vessel, or who was 

 on her. 



I have read over the statements written down in this affidavit, and 

 swear they are all true, and that no consideration was given me for hav- 

 ing made them. 



(Signed) Edward Cantillion, 



Master^ " Willard Ainsworth.^^ 



Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 12th day of October, 1892, 

 by Edward Cantillion. 



In testimonj^ whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 12th 

 day of October, A. d. 1892. 



[seal.] (Signed) W. H. White, 



Notary Public^ residing at Seattle, King County, 



State of Washington. 



Deposition of William Hermann. 



State of California, City and County of San Francisco, s.s. 



William Hermann, having been duly sworn, deposes and says: 

 1. I am a seal-hunter, and have been sealing every year for the last 

 seven years in the North Pacific Ocean, also on the Asiatic coast. This 

 year I was out in the " C. H. White," and was seized by the Russian 



