736 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



arrival at Sitka I was asked to inspect these to determine the sex of 

 the seals from which they had been taken. Captain C. H. Hooper, of 

 the " Corwin," asked me to do this. I told him it was impossible to 

 ascertain this with auy degree of accuracy, but he said to go on any- 

 way and do my best, and I did so. I gave him a statement of what I 

 thought they were; he wished me to swear to it, but I told hira I coidd 

 not do so, but the statement I had given him Avas to the best of my 

 knowledge. After the skins are salted I consider it impossible to define 

 the sex of the smaller skins up to 3 years. With the old cows and old 

 bulls, of course, an expert can tell, but I consider it quite impossible 

 for any one to say, after skins have been salted, that any particular 

 skin was that of one that had been carrying young and from which 

 the pup had been cut. 



I have hunted in the " Favourite" for two seasons, she belonged to 

 C. S. Spring, of Victoria; in the " Henry Denis" one season; and in 

 the " Sophie Sutherland" in 1891. I have hunted along the coast from 

 here to the Pribyloft' Islands. In 1891 our vessel got about 300, of 

 which I got 68. 



I always use shot-gun and rifle, but nearly always the shot-gun, and 

 lose very few seals by sinking; from 5 to 10 j)er cent, will cover my 

 total loss in that respect. A large quantity of ammunition is used by 

 hunters in practising when on a sealing voyage, and also in hunting 

 for food game. We are never stinted in any way in this respect. 



In my catches along the coast I have got about half males, and, per- 

 haps, not quite half; most of the females would be carrying pup. In 

 the Behring Sea I have got more females than males, and a great many 

 of these would be in milk. I have got quite a number of barren cows 



in both places; very few old bulls are got. 

 135 Seals travel singly, in twos, and also in schools, and in schools 



are mixed as to age and sex, and are much harder to get that 

 "way, for there is always one on the "look-out." There is no such thing 

 as a leader to a school — it is every one for itself. 



I notice just as many seals as when I first hunted, but they are much 

 wilder, because so much more hunted. 



I think the seals should be protected, and killing stopped at the 

 rookeries. 



I have not been paid anything, nor lias anything been i^romised me, 

 for making the foregoing statement, which I have read over and found 

 correct. 



A Government Agent, who w^as spoken of as J. E. Murray, and was 

 taking evidence on the "Albatross," took my statement in connection 

 with sealing under oath on board that vessel in June last, and where 

 the subjects touched on were the same as you have asked me about I 

 gave substantially the same answers. 



(Signed) N. Hodgson. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 3rd day of December, 1892. 



[seal] - (Signed) Chas. A. C. Duisenberg, 



Notary Ihiblic. 



Deposition of Franlc Moreau. 



State of California, City and County of San Francisco. 



Frank Moreau, being duly sworn, deposes and states: 

 I am a resident of San Francisco, and an American subject. I began 

 hunting in 1887, and have been hunting seals ever since. 



