FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 123 



discriminately. The native buuters can not compete with white hunters 

 without assistance, and under most favorable circumstances are beaten 

 by them. 



' Q. Would it seem that that may soon result in their extermination'? — 

 A. I think it will. 



Q. Who are engaged in the extermination of these sea otters *? — A. 

 White hunters entirely, independetit of the company and in competition 

 with each other. 



Q. Do traders from San Francisco and other places go there ■? — A. 

 Yes, sir ; six or seven vessels are on the sea-otter grounds from some 

 of these i)laces this season, while the company has but one, and this 

 one is manned wholly by native hunters, with their skin boats and otter 

 spears. 



Q. They get the trade while you feed the natives ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. What would be the condition of these people if the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company should fail to provide for them ? — A. They would be 

 left in a very deplorable condition. I do not think they could get the 

 means of subsistence. I think they would starve. 



By the Chairman: 



Q. Does the Government exercise any amount of supervision or care 

 over the natives of the Aleutian chain, such as it does over the Indians 

 in the Territories of the United States ! — A. No, sir ; it does absolutely 

 nothing for the natives of Alaska. 



Q. Are the natives regarded as citizens? — A. The Aleutian people 

 seem to be regarded as citizens. 



Q. They are entitled to citizenship under the treaty*? — A. Yes. if 

 they were citizens under the Kussians before the transfer. 



Q. Do they exercise any of the rights of citizenship ; or I believe there 

 is nothing for them to do, there being no such organization as requires 

 an election ? — A, ISTo, sir; there is nothing for them to do. There is no 

 election in Alaska. 



Q. So that they are entirely dependent upon the casualties of their 

 business and the locality where they live. Do these white hunters and 

 traders do anything for the natives in the way of providing for them as 

 your company does'? — A. No, sir; not to any extent whatever. They 

 do nothing outside of trading with them. 



Q. They buy their furs and pay for them ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Does it require the consent of the Government to remove any of 

 these natives from their islands, or from one point to another ? — A. No, 

 sir; but we have been restricted by the Government, and our contract 

 requires the emj)]oyment of the natives of the seal islands exclusively 

 for seal-killing. We can not take natives from other points to the seal 

 islands without the consent of the Secretary of the Treasury, and then 

 only to do the rougher kinds of work, such as handling cargo, salting 

 and packing skins, etc. 



Q. Are there any laws for the protection of the sea-otters against the 

 depredations of the hunters? — A. They were at first fully protected by 

 a law which prohibited the killing of any fur-bearing animal in Alaska, 

 but the regulations of the Treasury Department under this law have 

 been gradually relaxed, first by allowing white men who were married 

 to native women to engage in hunting them, and allowing schooners to 

 be fitted out for their pursuit, until, at the present time, there seems to 

 be almost no restriction upon the business. 



Q. Formerly, was the hunting limited entirely to the natives? — A. 

 Yes, sir. 



