298 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



Q. Are you an employe of the Alaska Commercial Company ^ — A. I 

 am. 



Q. On the islands of St. George and St. Paul! — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. How long has it been since you went there ? — A. Seventeen years. 



Q. Are you perfectly familiar with the operations of the company on 

 both islands 1 — A. I am. 



Q. Go on and state, in detail, what opportunity a native would have, 

 if he had been ill treated by the company or any of its agents or em- 

 ployes, of sending a letter stating his grievances to San Francisco or 

 any other part of the United States without interference. — A. If a na- 

 tive has a grievance, the first place he would tell it would be to the 

 Government agent. He could make his complaint in writing, or he 

 could send it direct to the Treasury Department at Washington, and if 

 he doubted its arrival here by the usual course of mail, he could put it in 

 the church box of what we call the Russian Consistory at San Francisco, 

 which is sent down every time a mail goes. We have a revenue-cutter 

 about the island, and he could send the mail by that when it goes 

 down. 



Q. In what way are papers or letters received for the consistory, and 

 by whom ? — A. The priest prepares the documents and mail matter, and 

 has it ready and brings it to the company's office. It is generally in a 

 box about 2 feet long, 12 inches wide, and 4 or 5 inches thick. It is 

 pasted around with paper and sealed with the seal of the church, and 

 generally one or two large envelopes are with the box, sealed with wax. 

 That is brought to the company's office and put in the mail-bag and 

 sent to San Francisco. 



Q. Is that mail ever molested in any way ? — A. There is not as much 

 chance for its being molested as there would be in the United States. 



Q. Is that taken on the company's vessels or on the revenue-cutter? — 

 A. When they come to me they always go on the company's vessel. 



Q. If a native were badly treated by an employe of the company, 

 would he be likely to go to the priest with his complaint ?— A. He would 

 go direct to the Government officer, and if he had a complaint against 

 the Government officer he would probably come to the company's agent. 

 He would come to the company's agent for sympathy. 



Q. What do you say as to his having abundant opportunity to com- 

 municate any grievances he might have ? — A. There is no question but 

 that any man can communicate his griev^ance either to the Government 

 agent or to the Department in Washington. They send money to their 

 friends elsewhere, and they send letters to their friends over on the 

 Commander Islands. 



Q. The Commander Islands is the Russian seal islands which our 

 comjDany controls "? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Was the governor up there during the last season ? — A. I was not 

 on St. George last season. I heard the governor was there. 



Q. Was he at St. Paul? — A. I heard that he was. 



Q. What do you say in regard to the condition of the natives as com- 

 pared with the Eatives in other parts of Alaska? — A. They are very 

 much better provided with clothing, food, necessities, and luxuries. 



Q. Have you been in different parts of Alaska ? — A. I have. 



Q. You have seen the natives in other parts ? — A. Those of Sitka, 

 Kodiak and Oonalaska. 



Q. What do you say as to the condition of the natives on those isl- 

 ands. Are they satisfied or dissatisfied ? — A. I consider that they are 

 well satisfied with the condition of affairs there, if you except their 

 complaint that the company deprives them of sugar with which to make 



