376 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



proprietors not only have stationary stores and supplies on Kodiak and other islands, 

 but they also own their own vessels used in the trade. These traders are always ready, 

 too, to buy any furs oifered thcin. Small traders are always movini;- around these 

 islands where there is any opportunity to buy pelts at fair prices. This company has 

 always paid as much as any other or as the trade warrants. 



The chief fur hunting along this shore, as already stated, is that of the sea-otter, 

 and many are engaged in it. Not only do the Aleuts participate in this, but many 

 white hunters. These white hunters have mostly uiurried native women, and not 

 only claim all the rights and privileges of the natives, but have been recognized from 

 time to time by the various Departments at Washington as possessing all the rights, 

 privileges, and immunities of the native Aleuts. These white hunters are wholly in 

 sympathy with, and in sentiment aud marriage allied to, the natives; are quite inde- 

 pendent, and entirely capable of taking care of themselves and their allies. They 

 seek the highest prices aud hold their peltries up for the highest offer. At times 

 prices have ranged so high that this company has been compelled to pay for the best 

 sea-otter prices equal to that of the London market. At Kodiak alone there are 

 about twenty of these white hunters who own their own schooners and sloops, aud 

 who principally hunt the sea-otter. 



Mr. Petroff, in his report before referred to, says: 



"As the northern portion of the islaud of Kodiak and the smaller islands to the 

 northward are timbered, the people here have facilitie.s for ship or boat building, of 

 which they avail themselves to the fullest extent. One or more small crafts can 

 always be found in process of construction, principally upon orders from the prosper- 

 ous white sea-otter hunters of the Shumagiu Islands or for the trading firms and pri- 

 vate traders. A deputy collector of customs statioued at Kodiak has <iuite a respecta- 

 ble list of small crafts built and registered in the district. Sea-otter parties are fitted 

 out in nearly every village, and are frequently taken to distant hunting grounds in 

 sloops and schooners." (Vol. VIII, Tenth Census, 1880, p. 25, Report of Ivan Petroff.) 



The .cea-otter parties referred to often consist of fleets of about fifty boats on de- 

 parture, but divide up into lesser numbers as they proceed to different points. In 

 their outfit they require cousiderable expense, and without substantial aid and assist- 

 ance the natives would not be able to proceed, except upon a very limited scale and 

 with very inadequate supplies, for a somewhat protracted absence. 



The Alaska Commercial Company oftentimes, therefore, furnishes the entire outfit 

 and supplies, including the smaller vessels intended for use by the hunters at the im- 

 mediate points which constitute the haunts of the sea-otter. The company virtually 

 takes the risk of success. If the expedition is successful, the hunters get paid fair 

 prices for their pelts, aud are enabled to pay their share of the advauce for supidies. 

 They are always well informed as to prices, for other purchasers stand ready to buy 

 and thus afford ample protection against sacrifices. As these expeditions go to dis- 

 tant places, and are out for a considerable time, aud the hunters are thus absent from 

 their families, they are given a limited credit at the company's stores in anticipation 

 of a successful result in the adventure. It is, of course, to the iutei-est of the com- 

 pany to restrict this indebtedness as much as possible, but the credit becomes inevi- 

 table where the family stands in want of necessary articles during the absence of the 

 hunter. In these transactions with the natives it has always been the aim of the 

 company, and to its interest, to deal justly and fairly aud to cultivate the most friendly 

 relations, for the company is more dependent on the hunters for a supply of the pelts 

 of the sea-otter than the hunters are dejiendent on the company. lu order to make 

 the hunters satisfied and to induce them to act with greater energy in hunting, the 

 company rewards the best hunters by buildiug houses for them to live in free of rent, 

 and it constantly brings the salted carcasses of seals from St. Paul and St. George 

 islands to the Aleutian chain and distributes them to the natives who have no other 

 supply of animal food, except fish. Besides the pelts of the sea-otter, this company 

 gets nothiug else from the Aleutian chain except a few fox skins. The supplies from 

 the company's stores in this part, as in all other parts of Alaska, are furnished to the 

 hunters and to all persons, native or otherwise, at reasonable prices. 



We have before alluded to the savings of the Aleuts upon the islands of St. Paul 

 and St. George. We may here also state that so prosperous are the huuters of the 

 Aleutian chain dealing with this compauy, that they are not only well clothed, but 

 we now have on hand to their credit, as the result of their savings, and upon which 

 we pay them interest at 4 per cent, per annum, the sum of $29,396.17. This amount 

 is due to seventeen persons, as appears by the statement in the appendix hereto. 

 (No. 5 of Appendix.) The number of persons and amounts of money would be much 

 larger, if extravagance, gambling, and love of liquor were not so prevalent. This 

 company has always exercised its influence, as much as possible, for the suppression 

 of these vices. It has contributed largely to the church and to the schools, aud has, 

 pursuant to the wishes of the Government, declined, as well on the Pribylov Islands 

 as elsewhere, to supply the natives with sugar, to prevent their manufacture of an 

 intoxicating mixture called "quass," which they delight to drink, in the absence of 



