162 FUE-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



the skins did not laud at San Francisco, that the company was not lia-^ 

 ble for any tax. My idea was that they would be obliged under the law 

 to pay the tax, although the skius might have been lost, and if lost 

 they could secure relief through a bill in Congress. 



Q. Eeferring to your testimony in relation to the prices charged by 

 the company's store uj) there, I understood you to say that the Govern- 

 ment agent reguhited the prices, or was permitted to reguhite them ?— 

 A. Yes, sir; he does, if he tiuds they require it. 



Q. By what right does he do that? — A. There is no question of law 

 about it; but it lias been the rule of the company to invite the agent 

 to look over their goods, prices, and invoices and see if there is any- 

 thing in the line of goods that the agent thinks they charge too much 

 for; if so, they want him to regulate the price. He is asked to make 

 suggestions. I had occasion once to call the attention of Mr. Arm- 

 strong, the company agent, to the item of canned milk. The price had 

 been reduced, and he had not observed it, and I called his attention to 

 it, and he reduced it at once. 



Q. It is the desire and courtesy of the company, and they are not 

 compelled to do it by law"? — A. It is the courtesy of the company. 

 They want the Government agent to familiarize himself with the prices 

 charged. The company furnish the natives ali the salt they require to 

 salt their blubber away for winter fuel and salt to salt their pup meat 

 free, which amounts to manj^ tons every year. 



Q. What is your observation as to the number of seals resorting to 

 the islands annually; are they diminishing or increasing? — A. Upon 

 that subject, if it is m order, I would like to answer the question by 

 reading from my report to the Treasury. May I inquire if it is in Mr. 

 Elliott's evidence that he made his statements as to the seal life upon 

 the islands from personal observation ? 



The Chairman. Yes; and estimates. 



The Witness. Was it shown that Mr. Elliott had not been on the 

 fur-seal islands for fourteen years ? 



The Chairman. His evidence was that he was last there in 187C, 

 twelve years ago. 



The Witness. He made a statement that there was no greater 

 number of seals upon the islands now than at the time he measured the 

 rookeries. Since 1 have been on the islands I have observed very 

 closely the breeding rookeries. I have visited them daily, remaining 

 around and observing them for hours at a time. I gave them very close 

 attention. The reason 1 did so was that I desired to be able to place 

 the Department in possession of the very best information I could in 

 regard to this seal i)roperty ; wh^^ther it was increasing or diminishing. 

 1 fouudon the islands this book of Mr. Elliott's, giving his measurements, 

 of the seal rookeries, and I conceived the idea of making some meas- 

 urements myself on the Elliott basis to find out if the seals were increas- 

 ing. Mr. Elliott's measurements of the fur-seal islands showed an area, 

 of G,Olil,l)00 square feet, and he says that upon that basis there are 

 3,010,950 seals. Taking Mr. Elliott's basis, I made measurements four- 

 teen years after his, and they showed an increase of 8,234 feet in sea 

 margins of the rookeries, and an increase of 4,275,100 feet of superfi- 

 cial area occupied by breeding seals, showing upon St. Paul Island, at 

 the time I made my measurement, 5,148,500 seals, or an increase of 

 2,137,500. I think the space estimated for each seal by Mr. Elliott is 

 not large enough, and a reduction of one-fourth will represent more 

 nearly the actual number of seals. I believe it to be a lact that Mr. 

 Elliott gave too small space, and a reduction of one-fourth from my 



