ALASKA. 101 



will they enjoy the exclusive privilege of participating in this 

 labor and its reward. As to the especial fitness of these people 

 for the labor connected with the sealing business, no comment 

 is needed ; nothing better in the way of manual service, skilled 

 and rapid, could be rendered by any other body of men equal 

 in numbers. They appear to shake off the periodic lethargy of 

 winter, and rush with enthusiasm into the severe exercise and 

 duty of capturing, killing, and skinning the seals. 



Seal-meat is their staple food, and the village of Saint Paul, 

 220 souls, consumes about 400 pounds per diem, and they are 

 permitted every fall to kill about 5,000 pujjs, or an average of 

 22 or 23 to each man, woman, and child. The pups will dress 

 10 pounds. This shows an average consumption of 515 pounds 

 of seal-meat to each person during the year. In addition, the 

 natives eat a great deal of butter and sweet crackers. If these 

 people could get all they desire, they would consume about 500 

 pounds of butter and 450 pounds sweet crackers per week, and 

 indefinite quantities of sugar. Of this article, 150 pounds a 

 week is allowed them in this village. If unable to get sweet 

 crackers, they consume about 300 pounds of hard or pilot bread, 

 and, in addition to this, about GOO pounds of flour per week ; of 

 tobacco, 50 pounds ; candles, 75 pounds ; rice, 50 pounds each 

 per week ; they burn over GOO gallons of kerosene oil during the 

 year; vinegar is used in limited quantities, about 50 gallons per 

 seasou ; mustard and pepper, J to 1^ pounds per week for the 

 whole village; beans they reject; split pease, a few; salt meats 

 they will take reluctantly if given to them, but will never buy 

 them ; they use a little coffee during the year, about 100 pounds ; 

 canned fruit they will purchase to any quantity, and would 

 bankrupt themselves to obtain it, if the opportunity were afford- 

 ed ; potatoes they sometimes demand, as well as onions, but 

 these vegetables cannot be brought here to advaTitage. 



The question will naturally be asked, How do these people 

 employ themselves throughout the long nine months in which 

 they have little or nothing to do? It may be answered that 

 they are entirely idle during most of this period. Some of the 

 men are, however, disagreeable exceptions, as they are enthu- 

 siastic gamblers, passing whole nights at their sittings, even 

 during the sealing-season, playing games at cards taught thena 

 by the Eussians and persons who have been ou the islands since 

 the transfer of the Territory. But the majority of the men, 

 women, and children, being compelled to make no exertion to 



