ALASKA. 159 



bundred thousand ; and that, as the fur-seals were barely per- 

 mitted to land hj these animals, and in no great number, the 

 Eussiaus directed them (the natives) to hunt and worry the 

 sea-lions off from the island, and the result was that as the sea- 

 lions left, the fur-seals came, so that today they occupy nearly 

 the same ground covered bj^ the Humetopias alone sixty years 

 iigo. This statement is, or seems to be, corroborated by Cboris, 

 in his description of the lies S.-George's et S.-Paul's, visited 

 by bim fifty years ago ;* but the account given by Bishop 

 Veniaminov,t and placed in the Aijpendix, differs entirely from 

 the above, for by it almost as many fur-seals were taken on 

 Saint George, during the first years of occupation, as on Saint 

 Paul, and never have been less than one-sixth of the number 

 on the larger island. For this the natives claim to have, on 

 the one hand, proof as to the truth of their statement, and 

 Father Veniaminov, on the other, publishes upon the credit of 

 reliable lists and manuscripts in his possession at the time of 

 writing. I am strongly inclined to believe that the island of 

 Saint George never was resorted to in any great numbers by 

 the fur-seal, and that the sea-lion was the dominant animal 

 there until disturbed and driven from its breeding-grounds by 

 the people, who sought to encourage the coming of its more 

 valuable relative by so doing, and making room in this way 

 for it. 



The sea-lion has but little value save to the natives, and is 

 more prized on account of its flesh and skin, by the people liv- 

 ing upon the islands and similar positions, than it would be 

 elsewhere. The matter of its preservation and perpetuation 

 should be left entirely to them, and it will be well looked after. 

 It is singular that the fat of the sea-lion should be so different 

 in characters of taste and smell from that of the fur-seal, be- 

 ing free from any taint of disagreeable flavor or odor, while 

 the blubber of the latter, although so closely related, is most 

 repugnant. The flesh of the sea-lion cub is tender, juicy, light- 

 colored, and slightly like veal; in my opinion, quite good. As 

 the animal grows older, the meat is dry, tough, and without 

 flavor. 



* Voyage Pittoresque aiitour du Monde. 



tZapeeskie ob Ostrovah Ooaahlashkeuskabo Otdayla, St. Petersburg, 1840. 



