FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 257 



Mr. Felton. Has the compauy a trading store there? 



The Witness. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Jeffries. It has been stated to the committee by an assistant 

 Treasury agent by the name of Gavitt that he went to Alaska without 

 auy instruction from the Treasury Department, aud, in fact, that lie had 

 never seen any. Here is a pamphlet — I do not know where it comes 

 from 



Mr. Macdonald. I think I brought that there. 



Mr. Jeffries (contiuuiug). I understand this is introduced here by 

 the committee and is entitled " Laws aud executive orders relating to 

 Alaska, the leasing of the islands of St. George and St. Paul, aud reg- 

 ulations governing agents of the Treasury Department in charge of 

 the seal fisheries." This is printed in 1882. I ask you to look at this 

 and state if you ever saw it before. — A. These regulations are on the 

 island and I have seen them before. I was there at the time this was 

 compiled. 



Q. Was that on the islands of St. Paul and St. George"? — A. I took a 

 copy to St. George myself. 



Q. When was that?— A. That was 



Q. Before Mr. Gavitt went there ? — A. Yes, sir ; in 1880. 



Q. That was earlier than this date. This was printed in 1882. 



Mr. Macdonald. Where have you been siuce 1884 ? 



The Witness. Bowdoinhauj, Me. ♦ • 



Q. You are not in Government employ now ? — A. No, sir. 



Q. Nor have been since? — A. No, sir. 



Q And have nothing to do with the Alaska Commercial Compauy ? — 

 A. No, sir. 



Mr. Jeffries. Do you know a native on St. George by the name of 

 Peter Eezanzoff? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Have you seen a letter purporting to have been writLen by Peter 

 llezanzott", published in New York City aud other Eastern papers? — A. 

 Yes, sir. 



Q. Do you know Eezanzoff well enough to know whether he could 

 write such a letter? — A. He might write it, but he could not compose 

 it. He can write a very fair hand, but he could not compose a letter in 

 English. 



Q. What sort of a man is Peter Kezauzoli? How does he stand in 

 the comnumity in which he lives? — A. 1 am afraid I can not give him 

 a very good reputation. He cau talk a little English, aud he thinks 

 himself smarter than any native there, but he is a notorious liar. That's 

 the plain English of it. You can not believe anything he says. When 

 I first went there I used him as an interpreter between myself and the 

 natives, and I found 1 could not depend upon anything he told the na- 

 tives from me or anything he told me from the natives. 



Q. Do you know anything about his having been caught stealiug 

 from the store?— A. I heard he had, but that was while I was away, 

 but 1 have no doubt it was so from the character of the man. 



Q. Do you know he had violated the law in regard to the killing of 

 seals ? — A. No, sir. 



Q. What is his reputation for truth and veracity in the community? — 

 A. The natives do not believe him. 



Q. Do the whites believe him? — A. No, sir; 1 think no one. 



By the Chairman : 

 Q. I will ask you some questions particularly about the standing of 

 the agents of the Alaska Compauy there. What is the churactcr of 



