360 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



the 28th instant, at 3 p. lu., I sighted her nenr Otter Island, close to the land. The 

 Alaska Commercial Company's steamer St. Paul having arrived early the same morn- 

 ing, I, in company with their general agent, Mclutyre, their physician, Dr. W. S. 

 Hereford, and Captain Loud, assistant Treasury agent, boarded the steamer St. Paul. 

 At my earnest request her captain, M. E. Erskin, got under way and followed the 

 schooner, which was then standing away from us; she changed her course suddenly 

 and stood directly for the steamer. When near enough to see with the glass we dis- 

 covered she was in distress, flying the American flag. Union down. When we came 

 up to her she proved to be the schooner Angel Dolly, of San Francisco. I hailed her 

 from the bridge of the steamer and was answered by the men on the schooner with 

 calls for help, saying the captain was shot and dying, and one man wounded. I di- 

 rected Capt. A. P. Loud, assistant Treasury agent, and an experienced navigator, to 

 board the schoouer in the boat towing astern of the steamer with the native crew, 

 which he did. Dr. H. H. Mclutyre and Dr. Hereford accompanying him. A high cross 

 sea with strong northwest wind made it dangerous to get to the vessel, which was at 

 the mercy of the elements. AH got safely on board, and Captain Loud took com- 

 mand of the schooner and brought her to smooth anchorage east side of St. Paul 

 Island, where I boarded her a few minutes after she anchored. Captain Loud was 

 in charge with the revenue flag flying, he having seized the schooner and cargo for 

 violation of section 1956 Revised Statutes. 



The captured schooner, Capt. Alfred N. Tulles, with three of his men, had been on 

 Otter Island, 5 miles from St. Paul Island, during the afternoon and killed four fur 

 seals on the laud. Returning to his vessel he picked up a rifle on the house of his 

 cabin and drew it towards him, when the hammer of the gun caught, discharging 

 the contents through the body of the captain, killing him and wounding Joseph 

 Spooner, one of the crew, who was at the wheel, behind the captain ; the crew all 

 agreeing in their statements to me that the firing of the gun iu the hands of the cap- 

 tain vras accidental. 



I had the body of Captaiu Tulles moved on shore, the Alaska Commercial Company's 

 physician taking charge. The funeral took place the following day. Rev. Father 

 Weschtomolf officiating. Joseph Spooner, the wounded man, was taken on the island 

 and made comfortable iu one of the company's houses, with one of his shipmates to 

 attend him, and is doing well. I sent the schooner to Ooualaska, in command of 

 Capt. Paul Porloif, at an expense of $2.'), which sum the agentof the Alaska Commer- 

 cial Company paid him on my order; the captured crew remaining on the schooner 

 to Ooualaska, where they are to be taken on board the steamer St. Paul for San Fran- 

 cisco at my request. 



The schooner Angel Dollg had on board 178 fur seals, 125 of them cow seals. At 

 Ooualaska I turned over the schooner, cargo, and papers to Capt. L. D. Sheppard, of 

 the United States revenue-cutter Rush ; also furnished him with depositions of Capt. 

 A, P. Loud, seiziug officer for the Government, and the crew of the seized schooner, 

 together with a full statement of the case by me, directed to the United States dis- 

 trict attorney, Sitka, which will obviate the necessity of our going to Sitka. This 

 makes the seventh capture so far this season, the cutter Rush having taken six and 

 sent them to Sitka for trial. Their cargoes of seal skins stored here number 2,532, as 

 follows : 



Captured by Rush. 



Skins. 



American schooner Challenge, with 151 



British schoouer Anna Beck, with 336 



British schooner 77'. P. Sawyer, with ^ 479 



British schoouer Dolphin, with 600 



British schooner Grace, with 769 



American schooner Lottie L., with 197 



2,532 



The Department's attention is respectfully called to the operations of the cutter 

 Rush, Capt. L. D. Sheppard, sent to protect the seal islands and seal life this season. 

 He has been indefatigable in his eflbrts and will no doubt add at least six more to the 

 list of his captures before he leaves the waters, as there are at this time double that 

 number of schooners around the islands. The British schooner Dolphin had on board 

 a very large lot of fine rifles and a ton of fixed ammunition. Her commander, J. D. 

 Warren, had five vessels sealing ; four of them are among the captured. He is one of 

 the defiant Britishers who has no regard for the laws of the United States Govern- 

 ment. While the Rush was busy taking care of the marauders around St. George, 

 three schooners were killing seals near St. Paul, frequently in sight but beyond the 

 reach of the Treasury agent, as we have no facilities for going out to sea so far to 

 board vessels. What we should have ou St. Paul Island is a 20-tou steam-yacht, to 

 draw not over 5 feet of water, provided with one small rifled gun. Such a steamer 

 we could run up in the lagoon at the village for good harbor, whei-e she would be per- 



