244 



ALASKA. 



50,000, less tlian 30,000 were killed and taken, and then, too, 

 the numbers of seals were known to diminish, 'and in the same 

 way, only greater, on the other island. For instance, in the first 

 years, on the island of Saint George, the seals were only five or 

 six times less than on Saint Paul, but in 1817 they were only 

 less than one-fourth ; but in 1826 they were almost one-sixth 

 again. 



"The diminution of seals there (Saint Paul's) and on the 

 dther island, from 1817 to 1835, was very gradual and visible 

 every year, but not always equal. 



"The killing of seals in 1834, instead of being 80,000 or 

 60,000, was only 15,751 from both islands, (Saint Paul, 12,700; 

 Saint George's, 3,051)." 



In the first thirty years, according to Veuiaminov's best under- 

 standing, there were taken ^'■more than two and a half millions of 

 seal-sMns ;^^ then, in the next twenty-one years, up to 1838, they 

 took 578,924. During this last taking, from 1817 to 1838, the 

 skins were worth on an average " no more than 30 rubles each," 

 ($6 apiece.) 



"A great many sea-otters (Eiihydra marina) were found on 

 Saint Paul's Island at first, and as many as 50,000 were taken 

 from the island, but years have passed since one has been seen 

 in the vicinity, even, of the islands." 



TaNe I, Part II, Bishop Veniaminov's Zapieslca, ^-c, shoicing the seal-catch dur- 

 ing the period of gradual diminution of life on the islands from 1817 down to 

 1836, the year of scarcity, and from u'hich date they have as gradually ina-eased 

 up to the present number, their maximum limit in a state of nature, at which the 

 seal-life has stood during the past twenty years ; the killing has also been grad- 

 ually increased up to the present figure, 100,000 annually. 



* Left to breed. 



GraDd total for S:iint Paul's Island ...: 



Grand total for S.tint Gi?Qrge'a Island 



: 4G4.259 



114, CC.J 



Total catcli daring nineteen years of diminution :,~s. 1)24 



