748 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Declaration of Clahapismn, commonly called ^'■Eared Goon.^^ 



Dominion of Canada, Province of British Columbia, to tvit: 



I, Clahapisnui, commonly called "Eared Coon," of the village of 

 Oliiat, and one of the Ohiat tribe of Indians, do solemnly declare that: 



1. I am a native of the village of Ohiat, in Barclay Sound, and I am 

 about 35 years old. 



2. Have hunted seals since I was a boy, and have hunted them all 

 along the west coast of Vancouver Island, from 5 to 50 miles from the 

 coast, and also in Barclay Sound. About ten years ago commenced 

 sealing from the schooner, as the seals were not coming in close; when 

 sealing from the shore we used to get from 10 to 15 a-day in one canoe, 

 with two in a canoe — now, sealing from the schooner, we get from 5 to 

 10. About twenty years ago fully twice as many from our tribe hunted 

 seals, because our tribe was larger then. 



4. The reason we hunt so far from shore is that the seals do not now 

 come in close to shore, the white man having frightened them off shoot- 

 ing them. Years the herring are plentiful on the banks and in the bays 

 the seal are very plentiful, and can be seen following the herring in, 

 but soon as white men commenced shooting, they turn and go out. 



5. When we open them we find cod-fish, halibut, red cod, shrimp, and 

 herring in them. 



6. A little after Christmas the seal come into Barclay Sound after 

 the feed, and we kill them up as far as i^ob Point, about 12 miles from 

 the entrance. They came in in good numbers last season, and always 

 do every year. 



7. There are as many seals as formerly, but they are more frightened 

 and harder to kill. 



8. I use the gun and spear when hunting, and have done so for about 

 five years; if the seals are close, use the spear; if some distance off, 

 and seal is waking up, use the gun. When two are sleeping together, 

 one will use the spear and the other the gun. Fever lose a seal with 

 the spear if it fastens, but lose many with the gun. A good hunter 

 will only lose a few. I am not a good shot with a gun ; only a few of 

 our tribe are good gun-hunters. Many more guns are used now than 

 a few years ago by our tribe, and are being used more and more every 

 year. The young men use the gun more than the old ones. 



9. Along this coast and in the Sound more females than males are 

 taken. In a catch of 10 I think about 6 would be females, and about 4 

 would be carrying young; the males are mostly young bulls. Farther 

 north we get more bulls than here. We natives keep no record of these 

 things. 



10. Seals are most plentiful here the third moon from now, but remain 

 off the coast for about six months. The best sealing time is the first 

 six weeks, for they are closer in shore. Did not hunt from shore at all 

 this year. 



11. What I have said here has been written down and read over to 

 me and explained to me in my own language, and I understand it and 

 it is true, and I have not been paid anything nor has anything been 

 promised me for making this statement. 



And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the 

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

 Oaths." 



(Signed) Clahapisum, his x mark. 



Witnesses : 

 (Signed) John T. AValburn. 

 A. D. Laing. 



