246 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



perhaps more were outside of the Bering Sea. These vessels cleared 

 from Victoria, San Francisco, and various places that those people 

 clear from. I do not know, of course, liow much, but there were about 

 30,000 skins which went into the market that season presumabl^^ all 

 taken unlawfully up there. 



Q. Did you form any opinion as the proportion of seals killed and 

 wounded in the open sea by hunters ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. What was your opinion about that? — A. In the earlier days 

 they shot them with bullets and with rifles, and wheu they are shot 

 with a bullet the seal sinks and probably out of half a dozen they would 

 not get more than one. If the seals are not killed but simply wounded 

 that leaves a chance to get them into a -l)oat. They were very expert 

 hunters who hired for that purpose, but I judge that they killed about 

 three for every one they got. J got that from the conversation with 

 the hunters themselves. 



Q. What kind of seals do they take — any and all ? — A. Any one that 

 shows his head above the water. 



Q. Were these seals found in their feeding ground cruising for food? 

 Did you learn that? — A. I do not know where the fur-seal feedingground 

 is ; 1 do not think it is known. 



Q. From your observation there was it your opinion that it was im- 

 portant to the preservation of seal life to make the Government protec- 

 tion rigid? — A. It is imperative, I think. 



Q. You think the herd of seals visiting these rookeries might be de- 

 stroyed in the open sea as well as on the island I — A. Without doubt, 

 and at no very distant day. 



Q. It would be useless, then, to protect the rookeries and herd without 

 protecting the Bering Sea and elsewhere? — A. Quite so, sir, in my opin- 

 ion. 



Q. Do you think that protection can be made so that depredations 

 might be practically prevented ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. By what means ? — A. By the Government maintaining its jurisdic- 

 tion over that sea and prohibiting seal killing in the water. 



Q. Is it necessary to keep more than one vessel to patrol the sea ? — 

 A. It would be better to have two or even more, as seals are also killed 

 on the outside, in the Pacific Ocean, near the laud or in the passes. 



If we prevent them from hunrmg on the inside they will go outside 

 to the sea-otter grounds and kill seal tliere, and they will kill sea-otter 

 and frighten them away. The whole coast around there needs, in my 

 opinion, better protection than it is practical)le to give now. We pro- 

 tected it with the Coricin as well as we could, but more ships tire needed 

 in those water 

 protect them. 



Q. Have these islands of St. Paul and St. George and the Aleutian 

 Islands any other importance except that derived from taking fur-bear- 

 ing animals in accordance with the lease of the Government? — A. I do 

 not think there is any other of importance. I do not think there is any- 

 thing that the natives could live ui)on except fish ; they can not grow 

 anything there. 



Q. Fishing and sealing? — A. Are the only industries except, possi- 

 bly, mining. , 



Q. Did you land upon the islands of St. George and St. Paul ? — A. 

 Yes; frequently. 



Q. Did you find the laws of the United States faithfully executed and 

 the contract of the company faithfully lived up to while there? — A. 

 Yes, sir; very faithfully. 



