ALASKA. 



259 



INDIAN TARIFF. 



Tlie following table shows the prices paid by the Eussian- 

 American Company in the Alaskan Territory, where it had no 

 competition. (The quotations are in paper rubles=to 20 cents 

 each, (100 kopecks make a ruble;) a silver ruble is equal to 

 about 75 cents.) 



Xow (1874) the natives 

 receive — 



Sea-otter, prime 



one year old 



six montlis old 



Fur-seals, five to tbree years. 



two to one year 



Martens, very best 



Beavers, best 



Land-otter, best 



Bears, big black 



Lynx 



Mink, best 



It. hop. 

 10 00 



IFoxes, extra black .. 



blue 



silver, extra . 



red, extra 



Wolves, extra 



Wolverines, extra... 



80 

 .20 



20 



1 00 



7a 



1 00 

 60 



R. hop. 

 20 00 

 10 00 



1 00 



3 00 



1 50 



1 00 



2 00 



It. hop. 

 30 00 



9 00 



1 00 

 3 00 



2 CO 

 2 00 

 2 00 



B. hop. 

 50 00 



75 

 50 



6 00 

 5 00 



10 00 

 50 



$40 each. 



SlOeach. 



$2.50 each. 



40 cents to $3 each. 



Do. 

 rrom 11.50 to $3 each. 

 From 50 cents to — each. 

 IVom-$2 to $2.50 each. 

 From ?3 to $5 each. 

 From |l to is.50 each. 

 From 50 cents to $1.50 



each. 

 From $40 to $100 each. 

 40 cents each. 

 From $3 to $10 each4 

 From $1 to $1.50 each. 

 From $2 to $5 each. 



Do. 



Where this company had competition, however, the prices 

 ranged quite high, to wit: At Sitka, for sea-otter, 140 to 150 

 silver rubles ; beaver, from 2 to 18 rubles ; land-otters, 2 to 

 18 ; mainland-foxes, black, 2 to 36 rubles ; silver foxes, 3 to 

 18 ; red, 2 rubles to 50 kopecks ; martens, 50 kopecks to 3 

 rubles ; lynx, from 3 to 9 rubles ; bears, 1 to 18 rubles ; wolver- 

 ines, 2J to 18 rubles ; (these quotations are all in silver rubles.) 



The value of staple furs of Alaska in the Chinese market 

 during 1799 was — 



Sea-otter, prime, $75 to $100 each. 



Fur-seal, prime, $3.50 to $3.75 each. 



This is interesting, as the value of a dollar has not changed 

 since that time in that country, and sea otter sells today at 

 about the same rate as given. 



Few fur-seals are sold in this market now, but the great bulk 

 of the sea-otter catch of the Kuriles goes into China. They do 

 not possess the art of dressing the former well, and. were in the 

 habit of wearing them simply tanned. The Chinese for all un- 



