M FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



Q. In speakiug of the main-laud or coast along the Aleutian Islands, 

 I would ask you whether there are not tradinj:^ vessels which buy skins? — 

 A. Yes, sir; and steal seal skins. That is the great trouble we had — 

 to watch marauders. That was more trouble than anything else. 



Q. ])o you know anything about seals being killed in the waters by 

 unauthorized persons'? — A. No, sir, I have seen some killed, but not 

 in the water ; they were on board of a vessel we captured. 

 . Q. The principal food the natives use there is the seal? — A. Yes, sir; 

 they eat a good deal of that, and at times they hang uj) a good deal 

 of it, and it keeps pretty well in a frozen state. We try to get them to 

 salt it down, but they do not like it salted. 



Q,. Do you know about how much money these people have deposited 

 in iSan Francisco? — A. I do not know. Some of them have over 

 $3,000 — one man has, I know. 1 have understood it was some $20,000 

 and upwards. 



Q. What^have you to say in regard to the history of the seal as hav- 

 ing been driven off from otlier parts ; have you any such knowledge ? — 

 A. Only from what 1 read in Elliot's work. I have read that in the 

 Shetland Islands, where at one time they existed in great numbers, 

 there are none there now at all. 



Q. Bo you know any seal rookeries except near the Islands of the 

 Argentine llepublic near the Platte Kiver, and the Eussian rookeries 

 on these islands, anywhere in the world ? — A. No, sir. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. If the Government restrictions were removed, and people were 

 enabled to go in there with vessels for the ])urpose of killing these seals, 

 would it be ])ossible to actually kill all the seals that visit the rooker- 

 ies? — A. The seals would not be there to kill. They had experience of 

 that. 1 am told before the lease there were two or three companies 

 there, and every man took what he wanted. They just staked the 

 ground olf like Ji mining claim. 



Q. Supi)ose the field was thrown entirely atthe mercy of the hunter? — 

 A. It would be i)retty hard work for the hunter to get natives who un- 

 derstand the business. The sense of smell of seals is very acute. If 

 you get on the windward side of them, you can get close to them ; but 

 if you went over on the other side you could not get within half a mile, 

 as they would take to the water. They do not seem to object so much 

 to the natives. 



Q. Your opinion is that, instead of an indiscriminate hunting and 

 destruction, and their being killed out, they would probably leave the 

 rookeries ? — A. Both would occur. In the first place they would shoot 

 them and kill them anyway. 



Q. They would kill females as well as males? — A. Yes ; they would 

 not care, as the female fur is really the finest fur. I do not believe you 

 can manage that in any other way except to give it to one company or 

 individual. I do not believe it would be practicable for the Government 

 to engage in the business. 



Q. That is you mean you do not think it would be profitable? — A. 

 No. 



Q. Of course it would be possible to preserve the seal life and keep 

 parties from the islands, but now the economic question comes in as to 

 whether it would be profitable and more advantageous for the Govern- 

 ment to maintain the administration of the reservation in its own hands, 

 or whether it is better to lease it to an individual or company? — A. I think 

 if the seal life is destroyed I do not believe the natives conld live there. 



