130 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



By Mr. Felton : 



Q. If I understood you correctly, it was that the number of females 

 killed by the marauders was about 80 per cent. "? — A. I think 80 or 90 

 per cent. 



Q. And you also stated that the bulls are becoming scarce. It is a 

 little curious to account for the two facts, and I was only able to do it 

 from the fact that if 80 percent, of those killed wer6 cows, and the bulls 

 were disappearing, there must be a larger number killed than you have 

 figured.— A. It is not unlikely; out when we have left only exactly 

 the number of bulls we need, and a few even of these are killed, it com- 

 pletely upsets our calculations, with the result of leaving too few of this 

 class of animals to secure the full productiveness of the rookeries. 



Q. You speak of the natives killing pups, do they kill males or fe- 

 males ? — A. They kill only the males. 



Q. Tou think it would be a very good idea to stop them?— A. I 

 think it would be. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. Is the flesh of those killed for the skins different from that of the 

 pnps? — A. The flesh of those killed for the skins bears the same rela- 

 tion to that of the pups that beef does to veal. Of course the na- 

 tives like a change, but they have ample opportunity to provide them- 

 selves with other kinds of meat and plenty of money to buy with. 



Q. By the proposed cold storage can you preserve that meat ! — A. 

 I think we can fully. 



Q. You think the killing of pups is not essential ? — A. No, sir. 



Q. How many pups are killed ? — A. Three to six thousand. 



Mr. Tingle. We limit the number to 3,000. Last year they killed 

 2,100, and the year before 2,800. 



The Witness. But formerly they killed a much larger number. 



By Mr. Felton : 



Q. You speak of killing small seals ; is the fur on the small skin 

 better °l — A. It is equally good, but the size of the skin is so much less 

 that it is not so valuable. 



Q. You speak of wanting the privilege of taking the natives from 

 some other islands to the seal islands ; are the natives on the seal isl- 

 ands unable to do the work"? — A. We have already had a sufficient 

 increase of our laboring force from the other islands to do the heavy, 

 rougher kinds of work, but as they are not allowed to share in the seal 

 money, we have paid them for this work outside of the community fund 

 arising from the 40 cents per skin, while the diminished number of na- 

 tives actually resident upon the seal islands are receiving an increased 

 amount of money. 



Q. Is that a Treasury regulation or the law ? — A. It is a regulation 

 formerly made by the comi>any, and sanctioned by the Treasury Depart- 

 ment. 



Q. Your idea is that if you took other people there you would in jus- 

 tice be entitled to class them as natives of the seal islands? — A. I think 

 they should be classed with the natives of the islands. The company 

 should not be obliged to pay for one-half of the work of taking the 

 skins in addition to paying for the skins at the same price as when all 

 the work was done by the seal islanders. 



Q. As bearing on this question of whether it would be the better 

 ])olicy for the Government to lease the islands or do the business itself, 

 I suppose a current knowledge of the habits of the seals is quite neces- 

 sary "^ — A. Yes, sir J there is no doubt of that. 



