FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 89 



Q. And it was through their i«flueuce that the Governmeut reserva- 

 tion was created by Congress, and the laws for the preservation of the 

 seals were made by Congress ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Then followed the act for which you all worked, you people ! — A. 

 Yes ; of course we recommended that. 



Q. To prevent the killing of fur bearing animals of Alaska and for the 

 lease to the company"? — A. Yes, sir. Whether it was to be a ctanpauy 

 composed of the people who made the representation or not, I can truly 

 say that we desired that so valuable a properry should be pres(U'ved, 

 rather th^ui to go as the South Atlantic properties had gone. There was 

 absolutely no other way. 



The Chairman. Is the company composed mostly of those sauie in- 

 dividuals f — A. Of such as are living of them. Twenty years makes 

 great changes, you know. We have the same original lessees or their 

 representatives. 



Mr. Jeffries. Where are these seals born I — A. On the islands of 

 St. Gforge and St. Paul. 



Q. In the United States? — A. On United States soil. 



Q. What are thej', a tish or an animal ? — A. Animal. 



Q. There is no question about that"? — A. None by naturalists. 



Q. They are not treated as anything else by naturalists or anybody 

 else?— A. No. 



Q. How long do they remain on their return to the islands 1 — A. 

 Four or four and a half months, I sui)pose, would cover it. 



Q. Are the pups capable of swimming when born ! — A. No. 



Q. They have to be taught"?— A. Yes, sir. 



Q. They are taught by their mothers and elders ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Then they go somewhere, you don't know where '? — A. When they 

 gather for their migration, they leave the islands and go down through 

 the passes of the Aleutian Islands, and further the deponent knoweth 

 not, and nobody else. 



Q. When do they return from that expedition to their homes? — A. 

 In May they commence to return, the old bulls coming first and the 

 cows after them. 



Q. They come as a sort of advance guard and reconnoiter? — Yes, sir. 



Q. They look around to see if the rookery has been disturbed while 

 they have been gone f — A, TheyH3ome ami look over the ground very 

 cautiously as Mr. Taylor stated very fully yesterday. The first one that 

 comes does so with great caution aud eare. After he has located him- 

 self others come, and hearing his call on the islands haul out with a little 

 more assurance, and thus the old bulls come there and get their houses 

 in order, waiting for the cows to come. 



Q, It would only be a matter of imagination to state what they would 

 do if they found things changed aud different from what they had 

 been!— A. It is a mere matter of supposition except from the fact that 

 rookeries have been disturbed and seal have taken notice thereof and 

 have then hauled elsewhere. 



The Chairman. Suppose if they arrived and found the ground oc- 

 cui)ied by hunters who kill them as they come. 



The Witness. There is no question about that. The bulls would be 

 driven back and the cows would come and finding the bulls not there, 

 they would also look for some other place. The first year probably they 

 would not realize what was to be done, aud they might make efforts to 

 ■get ashore and deliver their pups. 



Mr. Morgan. You ask what would be the effect of somebody inter- 

 fering with the rookery when these old bulls come. I will give you this 



