706 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
of the Professor’s monograph you will find he places the number of seals upon 
North-east Point Rookery at 1,200,000. Standing on a prominent elevation known 
as ‘“‘Hutchinson’s Hill,” in the month of July, and facing the north, I had before 
me a sea margin of over 2 miles, turning and facing the south I had a sea margin of 
over 1mile. I could view entire this once famous rookery, and it was simply impos- 
sible to realize there was ever such a moving mass of living animals as Professor 
Elliott describes; his estimate seems incredible. Yet his writings have never been 
refuted. 
To-day there is not to be seen over 250,000 seals of all ages and sexes. 
To the extreme south-west of the island is the Reef Rookery, reported to have (by 
Professor Elliott) 301,000 seals in 1874. It has not over 100,000 seals to-day. ‘‘ Gar- 
botch,” the adjoining rookery, where the Professor says he stood on Old John Rock 
and saw ‘10,000 fighting bulls, I ean stand and count every bull in sight. This 
rookery with the reef is an extending point running out into the sea sloping east 
and west with a large surface of tableland in the centre. This was once a parading 
or playing ground where the seals met as they came from the east and west sides; 
it was the resort of over 200,000 seals, now the resting-place for a few cows and 
pups and now and then a worn-out sleeping bull. The number now visiting these 
rookeries (the Reef and Garbotch) find ample room on the two slopes, without 
pushing back on the plateau above. 
Zoltoi Sands, once a favourite hauling-ground for the bachelor seals, from where 
thousands have been driven and killed for their skins, is entirely deserted, only, 
however, a short time in advance of all the hauling-grounds and rookeries, if imme- 
diate steps are not taken by the Department to nurse and protect these rookeries. 
Tukannan, a rookery on the east side of the island, between the Reef and Pola- 
vania, the most picturesque sea] grounds of them all, where the seals were wont to 
haul upon the cliffs and in the interstices between the rugged rocks for over half-a- 
mile on the sea frontage, a most inviting home for this mysterious pelagic family, 
where, in connection with Keetavia Rookery, with the same sea range, there were 
$35,000 of these animals, presents at present to the most careful estimate not over 
75,000 seals. 
Polavania Rookery, with 4,000 feet of sea margin, with a seal life of 300,000 in 
1874; Tolstoi Rookery, with 3,000 feet of sea margin, with 225,000 seals in 1874; 
and Zapodine, with 5,880 feet of sea margin, with 441,000 seals in 1874, all present a 
most deplorable condition, and do not show over one-eighth of the seals as reported 
by Professor Elliott. 
With these facts in.view, I am convinced there will be a greater decrease in seal 
life next year than this, for it will not be in the power of human ingenuity to check 
the rapid advance towards extermination now going on in that length of time. 
In conclusion, I respectfully suggest that there be no killing of fur-seals for their 
skins on these islands, nor in the waters of Behring’s Sea, for an indefinite number 
of years, to be named by the Secretary of the Treasury, and let Nature take her 
course in replenishing the rookeries, and that the Department take the entire matter 
of protecting these rookeries under its immediate supervision, for I regard any 
18 other system of protection dangerous to the future of all interested. The 
limited number of seals killed this season by the lessees will, undoubtedly, 
leave the majority of the natives in absolute want, and their condition will appeal 
to the Department for aid. The amount distributed to the natives upon the Islands 
of St. Paul and St. George was 6,783 dol. 30 c. and 1,644 dol. 80 c. respectively. This 
wili not be sufficient to provide them with the necessaries of life until the steamers 
return in the spring, especially so with the natives of the St. George Island. 
With this fact in view, I made the following arrangements with the North Ameri- 
can Commercial Company, through their manager, Mr. George R. Tingle. ‘The North 
American Commercial Company’s resident agent, together with the ‘Treasury Agent 
in charge, are to adjudge what supplies are positively needed for the support and 
maintenance of the natives; the Company receiving from the Treasury Agent a 
certificate that such supplies have been furnished, but said certificate merely to be 
accepted as a voucher of correctness. The matter to be adjusted in the future with 
the Department by the North American Commercial Company. 
The Department will have to make some provision for the support and maintenance 
of these people, as their mode of making a living has been destroyed for the pres- 
ent, and their future is only what the charity of the Government will make it. 
There is utterly nothing here upon which they can depend for a livelihood, until the 
much-wished-for return of seals takes place, an event too far in the future to give 
even a promise of better times to these unfortunate people. 
Respectfully yours, 
(Signed) CHARLES J. GOFF, 
Treasury Agent in charge of the Seal Islands. 
Hon. WILLIAM WINDOM, 
Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C. 
