DAILY JOURNAL OF OBSERVATIONS. 



1897. 



MAY 22-JUNB 7. 



I sailed from San Francisco on the North American Company's steamer Bel Jforte, 

 Capt. Charles E. Allen. Col. Joseph Murray, chief agent, and Mr. John M. Morton, 

 assistant agent, in charge of the seal islands, and Mr. James M. Macoun, Canadian 

 commissioner, were also passengers on the steamer. Mr. Bristow Adams accompanied 

 me as artist assistant to the commission. 



The trip was an exceedingly favorable one, no bad weather being encountered. 

 It was unexpectedly long, owing to the fact that the Bel Norte had to touch at 

 Wood Island to land supplies there, the company's schooner, Gen. Siglin, sent to 

 Wood Island earlier in the season, having been wrecked. 



While passing out of the Golden Gate a hair seal was seen in the water near the 

 vessel. During the entire trip not a single fur seal was seen either in the North 

 Pacific or in Bering Sea. A large number of "killers" were seen in the passages 

 among the Aleutian Islands. 



At Dutch Harbor Captain Tuttle of the Bear told me of the skin of a branded 

 pup seal which Mr. A. Gray, of the Alaska Commercial Company, had in his 

 possession. It had not been unpacked yet, and Mr. Gray proniised to send it up on 

 the first cutter coming to the islands. I learned from Mr. Gray that the pup was 

 taken in the bay at Akun, where it was swimming with others. The date was late 

 in November. The animal was reported as "lean" and the brand as "unhealed." 

 From the description given of it I should judge that the "rawness" noted was the 

 corn-beef-like appearance under the action of the salt water which was conspicuous 

 in the pups on the islands last fall before the wounds had fully healed, and somewhat 

 hidden by the new water hair. 



Captain Tuttle also told me that as he left the Sound on May 10 a sealing schooner 

 belonging to the Neah Bay Indians came into port with a catch of 10 skins as the 

 result of a sixty-five days' cruise. 



In conversation with Mr. James M. Macoun, Canadian commissioner, I learned 

 that Mr. Halkett's investigations of last summer on board the sealing schooners 

 placed the percentage of females in the pelagic catch at 84. 



In the early morning of June 7 the Bel Norte came to anchor off St. George with 

 a good landing. It was decided that so long as it was possible to discharge cargo at 

 St. George the vessel would remain. Otherwise it would go at once to St. Paul. 



'Prior to July 1st these notes are the work of George A. Clark; after this date notes by Dr. 

 Jordan. Mr. Lucas, and Messrs. Adams, Farmer, Warren, Greeley, Snodgrass, and Edwards are added as 



indicated. 



517 



