FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 19 



must come to school, and in case the children did not, I should fine the 

 parent 50 cents for every day his child was absent, unless he had a 

 sufficient excuse. Well, I pursued that course, and in the first month I 

 collected about $13.50. I made them pay it, because they could not 

 help but pay it. I told the company I wanted them to charge to a man 

 so much, and they would bring him in there and make him pay it. It 

 grew gradually less and less, and the last year I was there I believe 1 

 did not collect scarcelj'- anything at all, and the attendance was full. 

 There was a better per cent, of attendance, I venture to say, than any 

 school you might find in the State of New York to-day. That is what 

 I should call compulsory education. I so reported it to the Treasur;y 

 Department. 



Q. Did the children seem to be proficient in their studies ? — A. They 

 are usually dull, and it is very interesting to attend an examination, a& 

 I did one day, and see great boys fifteen or sixteen years old read from 

 a primer, and think they were doing excellently well. A very few of 

 them make good scholars and get into arithmetic and geography, and 

 so they know how to spell pretty good. 



Q. Was any church there when you were there ? — A. The Greek church. 



Q. Any church edifice ? — A. Yes, sir ; they are the most religious 

 people in form I ever lived amongst. Their church days and holidays 

 are pretty much continually. That is where I had another trouble ; 

 not exactly trouble, but I thought when they had holidays itwould not 

 do to withdraw every scholar from school and 1 would notexcuse them 

 always. They could not go to church unless they got an excuse from 

 me, without it cost them half a dollar, and sometimes wheni thought it 

 was not necessary I would not do it. But I never had any trouble with 

 them. 



Q. Are their moral habits good, as a general rule ? — A. So far as 1 

 know. 



Q. Did you observe any necessity for civil officers, such as consta- 

 bles or magistrates, to preserve good order of society ? — A. No, sir. 

 The agent made the law, administered and executed it. That was about 

 the sum and substance of it. There was no trouble at all. 



Q. Was there any trouble arising from breach of the peace or dis- 

 orders of that kind ? — A. I never had but one case while I was there. 



Q. Was it between natives ? — A. Yes ; I fined them $10 and let them 

 go. I never had but one. 



Q. Was that occasioned by intoxicating drink, or was it a business 

 or gambling matter? — A. I guess they were playing pool. The natives 

 had a pool table there. 



Q. Are they disposed to gamble? — A. Yes; from thte oldest to the 

 youngest, they would gamble in one way or another. 



Q. Did any sharp American come in there and gamble with them 

 and get their money ? — A. No Americans gambled with them at all. 



Q. Did any white people gamble with them at all ? — A. No, sir. 



Q. It was all among themselves ? — A. Yes, sir j a very few of them 

 play poker for money ; but they were very few. 



Q. Well, now will you explain the manner of taking these seal skins ? — 

 A. The seals, when they come over, come in classes, the female seals 

 and the bulls occupying a rookery by themselves. Then what are called 

 bachelors 



Q. What are those? — A. The younger seals which are not able to 

 fight the bull seals on the rookery, and can not d('fend tlieir families. 



Q. The same sort of bachelors that we h ave here ? — A, Yes, sii". They 

 haul out in a difi'erwt loQality ou shore *md lie there. 



