FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 315 



Q. Do tbey have fiDery 1 — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. What kind of dresses have tliey lor Sunday and for visiting ? — A. 

 They have dresses of nice woolen material, and frequently silk. 



Q. You allude to the women ? — A. Yes, sir; the native women, and 

 they also decorate theihselves with jewelry which they order through 

 the company from San Francisco. 



Q. Do you know anything in regard to the morals of the natives, and 

 the women in particular ?— A. I can not say that their morals are bad 

 in any res[)ect. Of course there is more or less immorality amongst 

 those people, the same as i)eople in any other community. 



Q. Do you know of any outrages upon them by the employes of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company? — A. I never heard of any such thing. 



Q. If there had been you would have known of it? — A. I would have 

 known all about it. 



Q. You are employed by the Alaska Commercial Company ? — A. 

 Y'es, sir. 



Q. Do you know Daniel Webster, the agent of the company? — A. 

 Yes, sir ; I am very well acquainted with Mr. Webster. 



Q. What kind of a man is Mr. Webster! — A. I consider he is a very 

 good and kind-hearted old gentleman. 



Q. How old a man is he? — A. Heisabout sixty ; possibly a little more 

 or less ; I do not exactly know what his age is. 



Q. What are his habits as to intoxication ? — A. I never knew of Mr. 

 Webster being drunk in my life. 



Q. How long have you known him ? — A. Fourteen years. 



Q. Do you know whether he has ever been drunk ? — A. I know Mr. 

 W'ebster absolutely refused to drink whisky at times when he really 

 needed it. 



Q. Do you know Peter Kesanzoff, a native of St. George Island ? — 

 A. Yes, sir. He is a man that has no standing among his people ; 

 none whatever, 



Q. What is his reputation for truth and veracity ? — A. He has none. 



Q. Would you believe him under oath ? — A. I would not. 



Q. Do you know him well ? — A. Very well. 



Q. Did you see a letter purporting to be written by him published in 

 the New York Sun or some other newspaper ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. What do you say about that letter ? — A. I hardly think that that 

 is his composition. If it was written by Peter, the probability is some- 

 body dictated that letter to him. He talks English ; he can read and 

 write, but I know that he can not compose such a letter as that. That 

 is not his composition by any means. 



Q. What would become of the people of the seal islands or the people 

 of Oonalaska if the fur-seal industry should be abandoned, or the rook- 

 eries should be abandoned by the seal for any cause ? — A. It would be 

 utterly impossible for them to live on those islands. 



Q. Explain to the committee why that is so. — A. In the first place 

 the seal is the only source of revenue whatever that they have. There 

 is nothing there except that and it constitutes their meat and their food, 

 and if the seal were exterminated they .would have to be removed from 

 there. It would be a great calamity to the whole Territory if such a 

 thing should occur. 



Q. What is it necessary, in your judgment, for the Government of 

 the United States to do in order to preserve the seal rookeries? — A. I 

 believe if the laws now in existence are executed it would be all that 

 is necessary. 



Q. Do you regard the rookeries in danger of being destroyed '? — A. 

 Tes. sir. 



