FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 157 



Q. For this work they receive the full 40 cents a skia? — A. Yes, sir; 

 for that they receive the full 40 ceuts a skin. I say it is an injustice to 

 pay out $3,000 or $4,000 to other natives to do the work for the fnr- 

 seal island natives. It has demoralized the natives of the islands. 

 Forty cents is more than a maintenance for them. Twenty cents would 

 be a good maintenance, and ample. 



Q. Forty thousand dollars a year is divided among how many ? 

 What is the population of the island ? — A. St. Paul has 237 and St. 

 George 112 inhabitants. ' 



By Mr. Felton : 

 Q. Are they all Aleuts ? — A. Yes, sir ; and I am counting males and 

 females, young and old. The number of men and sealers in 1887 was 

 60 ; in 1872 ic was 71, showing a falling off. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. How do the natives spend their money "? — A. The company has a 

 store upon each island well stocked with all of the necessaries of life. 

 They have all the articles found usually in a well regulated country 

 store. They do not go into the fine goods quite as extensively, perhaps, 

 but they have everything that any family, white or black, would require. 

 The natives spend their money for dry goods and groceries only. 



Q. Is there any intoxicating liquors sold there? — A. Not a drop. 

 There is not a drop landed, except for medicinal purposes, and small 

 quantity is taken up by some of the officials. They keep drugs and a 

 doctor on each island, and carry up liquors for medicinal purposes only. 

 Not a drop of liquor is sold to tlie natives, and they can not get it. Some 

 years ago the natives became very intemperate by the use of a villainous 

 beer called "quass," and my jiredecessor, Mr. Glidden, stopped the is- 

 suing of sugar to the natives, and they were prevented thereby from 

 making this quass. 



Q. The sugar is the principal ingredient, is it 1 — A. Yes, sir; sugar 

 is the necessary ingredient, and they mix a little flour in it. Mr. Glid- 

 den stopped the issuing of sugar, and I have followed the same course 

 since I have been there, and the result is that there is no intemx)erauce 

 among the natives at all. The company is very particular not to carry 

 any intoxicating liquors upon their vessels. 



Q. What rates does the company charge for goods ? — A. Upon the two 

 islands about 25 per cent, over the wholesale cost in San Francisco. 

 The invoices are free for my examination. I am free to go into the store 

 and see the prices charged to the people. They mark all their goods 

 in figures, and I go through the invoices and regulate the prices if 

 there is any necessity, which does not often arise. 



Q. Do you compare those invoices with the San Francisco prices to 

 satisfy yourself? — A. Yes, sir. I have gone to stores in San Francisco 

 where the company deals. I did not carry any of these invoices with me 

 to compare them with the books, but I took measures to satisfy my- 

 self that the prices charged were the wholesale prices in San Francisco 

 and 25 per cent, added. 1 have been a merchant myself and am familiar 

 with the handling of goods, and I am also familiar with the the prices of 

 goods at retail. My wife, who was on the island with me the winter I 

 remained there, was astonished that goods in the company's store 

 were always as cheap as she could buy them at retail in San Francisco. 

 As to the prices charged the natives upon the islands, there is no ques- 

 tion but that they are lower than the retail prices in San Francisco. 



Q. Do you think that these people buy goods cheaper than laborers 



