FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 255 



Q. What i)roportiou in either case would be adults, males, females, 

 and cliildien? — A. The majority were females, largely. 



Q. On St. Paul and St. George "^ — A. Yes, sir ; but 1 can not say now 

 in regard to the adults. 



Q. What is your estimate of the number of grown people? — A. The 

 families were about the ordinary size, three or four children. 



The Chairman. On the subject of the preservation of seal life, you 

 are familiar with the laws and regulations of the Governtuent and its 

 policy. Do you think that seal life could be better preserved or the 

 revenues of the Government increased by any other policy than that 

 now pursued? 



The Witness. No, sir; the only system of conducting the business 

 on those two islands is, I think, the present system, 



Q. A. Government reservation and a lease"? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Protecting it and taking it under Government supervision ? — A. 

 I do not see any other way that seal life can be preserved. 



Q. Was it your opinion, that the number of seal hauling on those 

 islands increased or decreased during your observation T— A. 1 think 

 during the first five years I was there there was an increase, and dur- 

 ing the last three years there was no increase. 



Q. To what do you attribute that fact ? — A. To the marauding ves- 

 sels, etc. There are a great many seal killed in the Pacific in the spring 

 of the year. Perhaps that can not be prevented by the Government. 



Q. You think it should be prevented if it can be? — A. Yes, sir. At 

 that time there were from 10,000 to 20,000 killed every spring in the 

 Pacific along the British Columbia coast while they were going up to 

 the seal islands. By some law or natural other reason they follow the 

 coasts up; the majority are females. It is said by those who buy the 

 skins that the majority were females. 



Q, Do you think it essential to the preservation of seal life to protect 

 the seal in the waters of Alaska and the Pacific ! — A, There is no 

 doubt about it. 



Q. The herd could be exterminated without taking them upon the 

 islands"? — A. They could be exterminated by a system of marauding iu 

 the Bering Sea, but I think the number killed along the British Coluiti- 

 bia coast did not affect the number we were killing on the islands at 

 that time, because there was apparently an increase during these years. 

 There had been for five or six years up to that time. Since that time 

 in Bering Sea the seal have been gradually decreasing. 



Q, You think their decrease is attributable to unlawful hunting iu 

 Bering Sea ? — A. There is no doubt of that. 



Q. As a result of your observation there, could you suggest any 

 better method of preserving seal life in Bering Sea than that now 

 adopted ? — A. Not unless they furnished more revenue vessels and 

 men-of-war. 



Q. So as to patrol the sea closely ? — A. I think so. I do not think 

 the seals scatter much through any great distance during the summer 

 season, all hough very late in the summer the smaller seals arrive. 

 Tlie females, after giving birth to their young, scatter out in Bering 

 Sea for food. We know they leave the islan<lsto go into the water, be- 

 cause they are coming and going. They suckle their young the same 

 as most animals. 



Q. Lawless hunters kill everything they find, I believe, females or 

 not 1 — A, Y\\s, sir. 



Q. When a female is nursing her young and goes out for food and is 

 killed or wouiuh'il, tliat results also in the (jeath of her young? — A. Yes, 



