132 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 
left to recover it would doubtless make its way to the sea. But to save time and 
avoid possible loss of the skin the animal is at once killed and skinned, the pelt 
being brought in by the drivers. These skins are called ‘“‘road” skins and the 
carcasses left to be eaten by the foxes soon become the “road skeletons” of which so 
much has been said. 
THE “CARCASS-STREWN” DRIVEWAYS. 
So mueh had been said about the carcass-strewn driveways that it seemed worth 
while to verify or disprove the matter by personal observation. Accordingly, after 
the killing season of 1896 was over, each and every one of the driveways of St. Paul 
Island were traversed and closely inspected. ‘'wo skeletons were found on the Reef; 
two others were found in the course of a small food drive, brought over from Lukanin 
to the salt house at the foot of the cove. This latter drive was evidently carelessly 
made, as its small size and the short distance made any casualties unnecessary. The 
deaths on Reef driveway each occurred on separate drives, and neither occurred on 
the drive witnessed on July 15. On none of the other driveways were skeletons 
found. Scattered bones were found here and there, but these were common to all 
parts of the islands in the vicinity of killing grounds, having been carried away by 
the foxes. Four deaths are therefore known to have occurred on the drives of 
St. Paul Island during the season of 1896, which aggregated 24,000 animals killed, 
besides many driven up but rejected as of unsuitable age. It is safe to say that in 
the handling of no similar body of animals, of no matter what kind, would a smaller 
percentage of deaths by accident occur. Moreover in the few cases involved the 
animals were at once relieved from suffering, aud their skins were saved. 
FATALITIES ON THE DRIVES. 
During the season of 1897 a much greater proportion of accidents occurred on 
the drives, the number of seals dying probably reaching a total of 25 out of about 
20,000. This was due in large measure to the unfavorable weather of this season, 
At times the sun came out warm and occasioned considerable suffering among the 
animals driven. In the books of the islands is kept a record of the skins of animals 
dying on the drives. The list isa small one. Of the 21,000 seals killed on the two 
islands in the. year 1890, only 11 are recorded as dying by the wayside. This 
moreover is the year and the driving on which Mr. Elliott has based his theory of 
the evil effects of overdriving. 
INJURIES TO BACHELORS COULD NOT AFFECT THE HERD. 
But even if the young males were driven to death on the driveways it would not 
affect the herd of fur seals any more than the slaughter of steers would affect a herd 
of cattle. It would be cruel and inhuman to do it, but the responsibility would rest 
with the person doing the driving, and the evil effect would end with the life of the 
animal so tortured. If the animal as a result of the ordeal of driving goes back 
weakened in physical strength and vigor, it either recovers from such injury or dies, if 
not at once, then in the next migration. No seal physically injured in any serious 
manuer survives the harsh sifting process of the northern winter, which sends back 
only those perfect in every way and fit to survive. We may therefore assume that 
if a seal returns to the hauling grounds the next spring, he has fully recovered and is 
physically able to repeat his experiences. 
