154 , FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



business is closed the skius are ready for .sliipment, and I count them 

 out of the salt-houses for shipment, so that they are counted twice on 

 the island. Those are the only counts. The natives do not count them 

 or pay any attention to the counts. The Government agent counts 

 them twice on the island, and when they arrive at San Francisco they 

 are counted out by the collector. At the islands the ship counts them 

 while they are going aboard, and the ship also counts them at San Fran- 

 cisco. 



Q. I wish you would state whether under that system there is a chance 

 for any skins to be shipped direct to San Francisco ?— A. It would be 

 impossible for a skin to leave the island without the knowledge of the 

 agents upon the islands, unless possibly a native might have a skin 

 stowed away in his house, and had clandestinely got it aboard of a 

 cutter or some other boat. 



Q. Under the present system as adopted by the Government is it at 

 all practicable or reasonably possible that a ship could get any skins 

 that the Government agents could not be aware of? — A. It would not 

 be practicable or possible. It could not be done. The company could 

 not ship skins without the knowledge of the Government agent. The 

 company's vessel is the only one, except the vessels of the United 

 States, that is permitted to land there. When the company's vessel 

 arrives there it is for the purpose of discharging cargo or receiving the 

 skins. Of course I am in and out of the salt-houses at all times, and 

 see and know everything that is going on between the ship and the 

 shore. I count the skms out of the warehouses as they are loaded into 

 the company's Bederahs and carried out to the ship. The company's 

 agents take them right from the pile as I count them out, and they are 

 taken direct to the ship. I do not allow any interference when I am 

 counting, and so far my count has proven to be the most correct. It is 

 impossible for any two counts to be alike. No person goes near the 

 pile of skins where I am counting except my counters and myself. I 

 have two good men to throw. They throw the bundles over in another 

 part of the house and one calls out the odd number and the other the 

 even number. They are counted out in tallies of twenty. It would 

 not be possible for the company, or anybody else, to ship any skins 

 from those islands without the knowledge of the Government agents 

 on the islands. 



Q. Are there always Government agents there, either the principal 

 or the assistants, while the seals are present? — A. Yes, sir; while 

 the seals are present or not present. We have four agents, one in 

 charge, and three assistants, and it has been the custom to have an agent 

 remain on the islands at all times. While two agents are on the islands, 

 two are down. 



Q, So that all during the sealing season you have two on each island 

 at all times? — A. Yes, sir ; the company commences killing the first of 

 June, and continues until it gets its quota of 100,000 skins, which gen- 

 erally requires about forty days. 



Q. What class of seals do you permit to be killed ? — A. They are 

 not permitted by law to kill seals under the age of one year. The 

 company generally selects seals from two to five years old. 



Q. Male or female? — A. They never kill anything but male seals; 

 and we never drive up any but males. Males only are killed. 



Q. They are never driven from the breeding grounds ? — A. No, sir; 

 they are never driven from the breeding grounds, as there are no seals 

 upon the breeding rookeries, except bulls, cows, and pups. The young 

 bachelor seals haul up by themselves. They are not permitted by the 



