178 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



as many as were taken on Sfc. George; while St. Paul, according to Mr. Elliot, 

 had eighteen times as many seals on the rookeries. For 1879, 18H0, and 1881, 20,000 

 were taken annually ou St. George. Since that time the lessees have not been 

 able to take conveniently more than 15,000 annually, notwithstanding the rookeries 

 have received large accessions of cows and bulls each year since 1873, and now have 

 seven times the number estimated by Mr. Elliot to have been there when they took 

 2.^,000 seals. The number of seals at present shown to be on the breeding rookeries 

 of the two islands is as follows: 



St Paul Island 5, 148, .^)00 



St. George Island 1,209,200 



Total 6,357,750 



The young male seals haul out separately from breeders, and no estimate of their 

 luimbeVs has ever been made or attempted, so far as I know. It is certain one-half 

 the pups born are males, and that pups equal to 90 per cent, of cows on the rook- 

 eries go into the water; that is, exclusive of the youug cows which come upon the 

 rookeries for the tirst time to meet the males. The esfimated loss of 10 per cent, is 

 caused by bulls in preserving rigid discipline, and administeringuecessary correction 

 in the management of their tlomestic affairs. Their idea of a female's duty does not 

 admit of any little indiscretions, and at the slightest sign of deviation, regardless of 

 consequences, they quickly pounce npou the otl'endiug female and shake her by the 

 neok. A number of pups are also lost by being washed off The rocks by the surf and 

 drowned, before they have learned to swim. Fully one-half the pups which go to 

 sea in the fall return as yearlings the following spring, the absent ones having fur- 

 nished food for their natural enemies in the Avater. As they grow older the percent- 

 age of loss by this cause decreases larwly. I have made frequent and close inspec- 

 tions of the rookeries this year, and find theliuesof occupancy extended beyond those 

 of last year, and the cows quite as densely packed on the ground on most of the rook- 

 eries. Whilst on two rookeries there is some falling off, it is certain, however, this 

 vast number of animals so valuable to the Government are still on the increase. The 

 condition of all the rookeries could not be better, and the seals, undisturbed when 

 ashore, seem to take great comfort outof their season of rest, after a long winter voy- 

 age at sea. The Department can not place too high an estimate on the value of this 

 seal property, and the Government, I am sure, will not yield to any demands which 

 would make it possible to accomplish the destruction of her seal rookeries and seal 

 life, which, under judicious management and protected by law, may be perpetuated 

 indefiniiely. 



DESrUUCTIOK OK SEALS. 



I am now convinced from what I gather, in questioning the men belonging to cap- 

 tured schooners and from reading the logs of the vessels, that not more than one seal 

 in ten killed and mortally wounded is landed on theboa(s and skinned ; thus you will 

 see the wanton destruction of seal life without any benefit whatever. I think 30,000 

 skins taken this year by the marauders is a low estimate on this basis; 300,000 iur 

 seals were killed'to secure that number, or three times as many as the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company are allowed by law to kill. You can readily see that this great 

 slaughter of seals will in a few years make it impossible for 100,000 skins to be taken 

 on t ho islands by the lessees. I earnestly hope more vigorous measures will be adopted 

 by the Government in dealing with these destructive law-breakers. 



THE MARArDERS. 



Last fall, after the steamer had departed for San Francisco, a number of marauding 

 schooners were sighted from St. Paul Island. One, a steam-schooner, laid off the reef 

 rookery several days fromSlh of August, with boats down killing seals in the water. 

 Owing to the distance from laud (though in full view) and the uncertainty of the 

 weather, it was not deemed sale by Captain Loud, assistant Treasury agent in charge, 

 to go out to her in small boats. She was rewarded by securing a cargo of 4, 300 seal 

 skius for her British owners, which were delivered and sold in Victoria. 



The Department's attention is respectfully called to the operations of the cutter 

 Rush, Capt. L. D. Sheppard, sent to protect the seal islands and seal life this season. 

 Ho has been indefatigable in his efforts, and will no doubt add at least six more to 

 the list of his captures before heleavesthe waters, as therearoat this timedoublethat 

 number of schooners around the islands. The British schooner Dolphin had on board a 

 very largo lot of fine rifles and a ton of fixed ammunition. Her commander, J. D. War- 

 ren, had five vessels sealing ; four of them are among the captured. He is one of the 

 iJoti'iflt Bri.ti3lj&i"§ wbo I^aa jio regard for tUo laws of the Uuitec). States Govcrnmenti 



