FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 299 



an intoxicant. That is one of their grievances, for under the Russians 

 they had sugar with which to make quass. They have been deprived 

 of sugar now for that purpose. 



Q. Were you up there before the lease went into operation 1 — A. Yes, 

 sir ; I was up there in 1868. 



Q. What was the condition of the natives then ? How were they 

 clothed, etc., under the Russian regime! — A. They were clothed in 

 very rough clothes, not too many, and wore some skins. Their food was 

 coarse bread, seal meat, dried salmon, and seal oil. The houses were 

 filthy (they could not be any other way), they had open fires and no 

 floor. 



Q. Were they half underground ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Did they have any chimneys ? — A. They had a hole in the roof. 



Q. How do they live now '? — A. They have good comfortable frame 

 houses with good floors; the houses are papered and some are carpeted. 

 They have stoves and are as comfortable as any people could be. 



Q. What does the company keep in this store*? — A. A supply of 

 canned meats, jellies, jams, condensed milk, rice, dried fruits, crackers, 

 bread, flour, and general provisions. 



Q. Is it good flour? — A. We use it. 



Q. It is the same as the company has for its own use ? — A. Yes, sir ; 

 just the same. 



Q. Have the natives all they want I — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Plenty of money?— A. Yes, sir; they have a sufficiency, and 

 enough left to play poker with. 



Q. Have they money on deposit in San Francisco ?— A. Some of them 

 have. 



Q. Do you know what amount ? — A. No, sir ; I do not, exactly. 



Mr. Jeffries. I will submit here a pamphlet which contains a state- 

 ment showing the amount of money to their credit and the names of 

 the persons that own it. 



Q. Who do the natives regard as of paramount authority on the seal 

 islands ? — A. The special agents of the Treasury Department. 



Q. They represent the Government of the United States f — A. They 

 do. 



Q. What do they call Mr. Tingle ?— A. They call him the Govern- 

 ment. 



Q. He is generally known as the Government ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. He is regarded as the representative authority of the United 

 States ? — A. Yes, sire These people understand this, and whenever 

 there are two Government agents they will invariably ask who is the 

 head man of the two Government officers. 



Q. Has there been ever any attempt by any of the company's officers, 

 so far as you know, to make the natives believe that the company's au- 

 thority was paramount? — A. No, sir. Rather the oj^posite has always 

 been the policy of the company's agent, to instruct those people to look 

 to the Government officer, and that, right or wrong, they must obey him, 

 and the company must obey him; that the Government officer would 

 be held accountable for his mistakes. Even if he was in the wrong 

 they would not be justified in resisting him. 



Q. During the seventeen years you have been an agent or an employe 

 of the Alaska Commercial Company have you ever at any time heard 

 the paramount authority of the Government officer resisted or questioned 

 by any one connected with the company ? — A. It has never been to my 

 knowledge. 



