BRANDING WITH IRONS. 337 



purpose, and the holding in them of the young- seals for a month or six weeks in the 

 sealing season. 



BRANDING. 



The branding was begun on September 7, at Lukaniu rookery. About 350 pups 

 were driven up, assorted, and branded during the forenoon, an eft'ort being made to 

 make the natives familiar with their work rather than to accomplish large results. 

 The natives entered into the spirit of the work, and soon became skillful and effective 

 in its various operations. 



On the 8th, getting an earlier start and having two forges running, we branded 

 1,017 pups. During the forenoon of the 9th 600 pups were branded on Kitovi, and 

 in the afternoon 900 on the Reef. 



Heavy rains interfered with the work until the 14th, when 804 additional pups 

 were branded on the Eeef. On the 15th work was again interrupted by the rain, but 

 on the 16th a third branding of 600 pups and 100 cows was made on the Eeef. 



On the 17th we crossed over to Zapadni in boats and branded 600 pups and 8 

 cows. The following day 500 j)ups and 10 cows were branded on Tolstoi rookery. 



In all we branded 118 cows and 5,371 pups. I used two forges, with two men to 

 attend each, keeping six irons hot. One man carried the irons to and from the forges. 

 With nine active young men to handle tlie pups, I found it possible to brand 300 an 

 hour without special exertion. 



With an assistant, and a duplicate set of forges and men, 5,000 j)ups a day could 

 easily be branded, or in twenty working days 100,000 pups, which is nearly double 

 the number of female pups at x^resent on the islands. So far as the labor is concerned, 

 the branding of all the female pups each year is entirely possible. It is simply a 

 matter of time and men. 



BRANDING DOES NOT INJURE THE ANIMALS. 



It is evident that the branding does not injure the animals. The adult cows 

 branded last year were seen in good condition and with their pups on the rookeries 

 this year. The j)ups branded last year were also to be seen in numbers hale and 

 hearty on the hauling grounds and rookeries. The salt water helps rather than 

 hinders the healing of the wound. Neither pups nor adult cows are driven from the 

 islands by the operation of branding. 



The most difficult part of the work is the driving of the pups and the sorting of 

 the sexes. This requires men and careful sui^ervision, but this is all. The pups stand 

 the handling well. Of the number handled this season, which must have exceeded 

 10,000, only one pup was killed. 



The appearance of the branded cows, as well as of the yearlings, shows clearly 

 the effectiveness of the brand to depreciate the value of the skins. Each brand mark 

 stands out bare and clean, not a trace of fur having come to replace that which was 

 burned. 



CONCLUSION. ' 



I am well satisfied that in the plan of herding the bachelors and branding the 

 female seals has been struck the keynote of the whole situation. Carried to their 

 logical conclusion, these methods will forever settle the vexed question of pelagic 

 sealing. 



5947— PT 3 22 



