288 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



that the girl was still unmarried. Mr. Gavitt speaks in his testimony 

 of Dr. Noyes having sent the native, Peter Resanzoff, to Zopodine. With 

 your iDermissiou, Mr. Chairman, I have an official letter here from my 

 agent on St. George, Captain Loud, upon that subject. I would like to 

 put it in evidence. Peter was the friend and companion of both Ryan 

 and Gavitt and ranks among whites and natives as the worst man on 

 the island. 

 Here the letter was read as follows : 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. Geonie Island, August 10, 1888. 



My Dear Sir : The steam-sliip St. Paul arrived here yesterday at 4.30 p. in. ; we 

 immediately comuienced loading skins : we got all on board at midnight. Mr. G. and 

 wife they were afraid to go on board, Gavitt told Clark, and wanted to buy the re- 

 volver in company's office for his own use. Mr. Clark told him no, he could not sell it, 

 and that he wcjuld be treated kindly and as a gentleman on board of the steamer ; he 

 got a native rifle, and I found it in his room loaded last night after he left ; he has 

 done many strange things on this island which does no credit to himself. I am afraid 

 that he is a good subject for a lunatic mansion. His journal I never saw it until after 

 he left last night, as he always had it carefully in his room. I was surprised to tiud 

 that he had so far disgraced the name of a Democrat as to write snch base fabrications 

 in a Government journal, and then has so disfigured many of the pages by scratching 

 and interlining. 



He accuses me of sending his friend Peter Resanzoft" to Zopodine for punishment. 

 Peter was sent to Zopodine the day you were here to relieve Huestou, who was sick. 

 Last Sunday he (Gavitt) sent for Peter by a boy, Joseph Mocoloflf. I told the chief 

 that I could not trust any boy to watch a rookyu so far away; that 1 must have a 

 man for that work. He told me that Peter would return to Zopodine iu the morning, 

 as he only came iu to see Gavitt on business. In the morning I found that Peter had 

 returned to Zopodine of his own will, and is there yet. He calls down the curse of 

 God upon me for punishing Peter, of which I had no intention to do. Yesterday he 

 made a drive of seals for food; killed thirty-nine, of which seven were rejected — 

 small. He made an awful bad job of seal killing. He would point out the seals and 

 order the natives to knock down, I have been informed that the first seal killed was 

 a female. 



Very sincerely, yours, 



A. P. Loud. 



That is all in regard to that matter ; the balance is unimportant. 



Now, in relation to Mr. Webster, here is a letter dated August 30, 

 1888, after I left the country, which is an official report to me at San 

 Francisco. When we left the island of St. Paul we carried Mr, Webster 

 and the girl, Avdosia Popoff", past St. George, because of rough weather 

 we could not land them there; and so they went to Oonalaska, and re- 

 turned later to St. George Island. In this letter Captain Loud tells how 

 Captain Webster was received by the natives. 



The letter was read, as follows : 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. George, August 30, 1888, 



My Dear Sir : I take this opportunity of writing you as the United States reve- 

 nue steamer Rush is now here, and the captain thinks that he will leave for San 

 Franciso as soon as the TheHs gets down from the north. Captain Sheppard reports 

 not having seen any schooners on his last cruise, and none has been seen from this 

 island, and as it is getting late in the season I don't think we shall be troubled with 

 them this fall. 



Your letter, of August 10 and IH I received by the Alaska Commercial Company's 

 steamer Dora, that arrived here on Sunday, August 27, from San Francisco August 6, 

 via Oonalaska August 24. All of them have my careful attention and your instructions 

 will be carefully attended to. Mr. Webster, Alaska Commercial Company's local 

 agent for this island, and Avdosia Popoflf also arrived by the Dora. All of the natives 

 seemed pleased to see Mr. Webster on his arrival here. They didn't appear to be afraid 

 of him, as represented by Mr, Gavitt, but on the contrary they all gathered around. 



