FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 69 



wben I went back. The breeding rookeries occupy more territory tb an 

 tliey did then. That is a point, in my opinion, to be looked to — tbe pro- 

 ducer. If you remove all tlie killable seals, that is, rapidly, and leave 

 the families, the breeding- bulls that are there on the fisheries, in two or 

 three years you could take your hundred thousand seal, as you do not 

 interfere with the producers. I thiidcthat is the only policy to pursue. 



Q. Have you ever formed an estimate of the probable number of seals 

 that visit the rookeries annually'? — A. 1 have attempted to do it, but 

 it is hard to do. 



Q You are aware that Professor Elliot, in his book, estimates in the 

 neighborhood of 4,000,000. W hat do you think about that estimate ? — 

 A. I think that Piofessor Elliot has overestimated it. When be was 

 there the way be figured out tbe estimate was that be laid down the 

 carcasses of seals and measured around them and then measured the 

 rookeries. 



Q. He estimated the average size of a harem ? — A. Not only a harem, 

 but every size of seal, each old bull. He measured the four-year old, 

 tbe three-year old, the two-year old, and the one-year old grown male, 

 and then lie takes tbe extent of territory where the seal bad laid and 

 measured tbut, and computes his figures from the territory; but they 

 do not lie all over the territory which be marked out. 



Q. He measured all around, taking a given areaf — A. The seals did 

 not cover tbe whole area as thoroughly as he measured it. The only 

 time be could make bis measurement was after the seals had left. These 

 were made then. You can not measure a rookery while the seal are ly- 

 ing there. But be observed tbe ground covered by the animals during 

 tbe season and sketched out tbe <letails and where they were lying and 

 measured that after they bad left there. 



Q. Do you think under careful treatment and tbe i)resent policy 

 a larger number might be readily taken off after a year with safety f — 

 A. Possibly, but 1 would not suggest that they should increase the 

 catch very fast. I should go carefullv. and observe tbe effect, increas- 

 ing at the rate of 5,000, 10,000, or 15,000. 



Q. From your observation there would you suggest any better means 

 of guarding and protecting tbe interests of the United States in the 

 Bering Sea and in these rookeries? — A. To protect the fisheries? 



Q. To i)ri>tect tbe seal fisheries and keep that sea generally against 

 lawless depredators. — A. In my opinion, the only way to protect the 

 seal fisheries is to declare Bering Sea closed waters as far as tbe hunt- 

 ing seal are concerned. Take the Aleutian chain of islands as a south- 

 east boundary. 



Q. For instance, you are aware that unless the sea is a closed sea it 

 is hiirdly in tbe power of one nution to declare it so, after it has been 

 once acknowledged and used by the world as a high sea? — A. Has Ber- 

 ing Sea been so used ? Ialv>'ays understood it was not. 



Q. That is tbe very question that is pending in tbe courts, you are 



aware. But if it is a closed sea A. You ought to protect your 



fishery. 



Q. Assuming that it is a closed sea, what measures would you sug- 

 gest the Government should adopt for the better protection of the seal 

 rookeries and tbe other interests in that sea? — A. If all vessels going 

 into the Bering Sea were obliged to stop at Oonalaska — there is a 

 deputy collector there and a custom-house, and it is a port and a valu- 

 able one— if they were obliged to enter there and clear for fishing, or 

 whaling, or trading, when going through tbe passes into that sea. you 

 would know what their errand was. 



