16 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



in those islands, would be tlie effect of opening up the business, that is, 

 removing the restrictions so that everybody could go in there and kill 

 fur seals *? — A. The probable effect would be to drive the seals from 

 those islands to the Russian group. 



Q. That is, driving them from the American islands over to the iius- 

 sian islands ? — A. That is the most probable effect. That was conceded 

 at the time by all who studied the question. Secretary Boutwell knew 

 that very well. 



Q. Would it have been difficult when they established the boundary 

 between Russia and the United States to have retained these islands in 

 Russian waters or not"? — A. I have never tried to draw a straight line 

 inside these. 



Q. You say that the effect wouUl be to drive them over to those 

 islands'? — A. The probable effect. 



Q. Have you heard it stated by any one that it was the expectation 

 of the Russians that onr people, not understanding the business, would 

 drive the seals over there "? — A. I may have heard a remark to that 

 effect, but I have no definite rccoHection of that. I have seen it some- 

 where in writing, but I do not know by whom or on what authority. 



Q. Do you know if the Alaska Commercial Company employed or 

 retained in its service men who managed the business for the Russians; 

 natives and experienced hunters ? — A. I can not understand — do you 

 speak of the two islands '? 



Q. Yes, sir; whether they retained any men, experienced seal hunt- 

 ers that the Russian company had employed, or whether they discharged 

 them "? — A. I do not know of any man employed by the company on 

 the islands except the natives. 1 have not seen a single Russian there 

 except m>^elf. 



Q. I want to ask you in the event the business was destroyed by be- 

 ing thrown open, what would become of those natives; how are they 

 fitted for earning a livelihood if that business was destroyed ? — A. They 

 could not earn any livelihood at all. They would have to die by starva- 

 tion or be supported by the United States. They are entirely depend- 

 ent upon that trade. 



Q. Where are those seals born "? Where do the female seals give 

 birth to their young ? — A. They are born on the rookeries. 



Q. Are they an animal or a fish, or what are they; how do you 

 classify them ?— A. They are hot-blooded animals born on the land ; 

 they are not a fish. 



Q. And born on the .United States territory, are they? — A. Yes; all 

 those born on the islands of St. Paul and St. George. 



Q. That is in United States territory ?— A. Yes, sir. "Fisheries " is 

 a misnomer all the way through, and always was. 



Q. What do you know about their habitually returning and seeking 

 the same rock, the same rendezvous ; I mean the older seals ? — A. Well, 

 I have heard it stated many a time by the old inhabitants there, the 

 chiefs, that they would come to the same rock, to the same bowlder, 

 year after year, and that they had cut the ears of some young seals so 

 that they would know them, and they would notice that seal coming to 

 the same rock and the same spot on the rookery year after year. 



Q. So far as it came within your knowledge did the company perform 

 its contract or not? — A. So far as I know, it did to the letter, and in 

 spirit also. There was a tendency then to create the most favorable 

 impression, and to conciliate the views of the Treasury Department, 

 which was known to have been hostile to that plan. 



