190 FUE-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



Q. Did you Lave any meaus of taking observations on this subject? — 

 A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Have you any knowledge of any violation of the law prohibiting 

 the killing of seal by other persons than the lessees ? — A. No, sir; noth- 

 ing of that kind. 



Q. As a lesult of your observations, have any suggestions occurred 

 to you as to the wisdom of taking more stringent measures of protecting 

 the seal? — A. Yes, sir. To protect the seal it should be left to the in- 

 telligence of the Government officer on those islands, with a limit on 

 him. For instance, 100,000 seal on the two islands; now if the agent 

 on St. George Island sees that 15,000 seal are too many to take that 

 season, it should be left to him and not to a man at Washington, who 

 is not on the ground. 



Q. The observation of the agent, in your opinion, ought to govern the 

 taking of the seal? — A. Yes, sir; with a limit on him. 



Q. I refer more particularly to the trespassing by unauthorized per- 

 sons in the open sea — unauthorized hunters. — A. A revenue cutter 

 should be kept there. 



Q. You think they should be kept there ? — A. Y^es, sir. 



Q. A naval officer should cruise there all the time ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Do you think the herd of seal of sufficient value to justify the Gov- 

 ernment in keeping up the policy of protecting it against destruction ? — 

 A. Beyond all doubt. 



Q. If it was thrown open to general hunting and everybody and any- 

 body could hunt there, how long would the seal be there ; would they 

 be destroyed ? — A. They would be destroyed. 



Q. You think the method of protecting them is to maintain the reser- 

 vation ? — A. Yes, sir; to maintain it and have revenue-cutters thereto 

 capture pirates. 



Q. Is it your opinion that the herd of seal if carefully protected will 

 grow in numbers and value and that the Government may increase its 

 revenue from that source if this bo protected ?— A. That would be the 

 only way to have the seal, to protect them. 



Q. The only object to increase the revenue and extend the revenue 

 is to strictly protect the herd against unlawful dei>redation and indis- 

 criminate killing? -A. When killing them on the island we often find 

 them with bullets in them, showing where they were shot by bullets. 



Q. Now, as a result of your general observation, do I understand 

 your opinion to be that the best policy for the Government would be to 

 rigidly and strictly protect the herd, and maintain a reservation and 

 police that interest carefully and strictly ?— A. Y^es; with revenue-cut- 

 ters. 



Q. With all the agencies of the Government, revenue-cutters and 

 naval vessels, your idea would be to hold the reservation and protect 

 it against trespassing? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. And the point you desire to call particular attention to is for a 

 better moral discipline to be extended on the islands themselves ? — A. 

 Yes; and permit me to go further and say that this Government, deriv- 

 ing such a revenue, should furnish the physician and school-teacher. 



Q. You think it is safer and better? — A. Yes; a physician and school- 

 teacher. Send the Government officer and let him eat in his own house 

 so as to place him above these unjust criticisms, and then clothe him 

 with authority so he can do what is just and right. 



Q. There are no magistrates or any civil officers ; no such thing as a 

 constable or sheriff or anything of that kind ?— A. No, sir; no sucU 

 thing, 



