EOBBEN ISLAND IN 1896. 79 



at least 53,000 seals of both sexes, or an average of 2,944 per year, as against 33,319 

 males only, or 1,851 per year, legally taken by the lessees during the same period. 



In addition, tliere is no doubt that the Kobben Island herd must have suffered 

 somewhat from pelagic sealing proper, though the extent can not be known. 



MY VISIT TO ROBBBN ISLAND IN 1896. 



The Albatross anchored off Eobben Island on August 28 at 6.15 p. m., after 

 haying visited the principal islands iu the Kuril chain upon which rookeries had 

 existed or been reported to exist. Landing beiug impracticable that evening on 

 account of the surf, was postponed until next morning. 



Unfortunately, the 29th of August was rainy and entirely unfit for rookery 

 inspection. However, I lauded in the whaleboat at 7.30 a. m. To my surprise I fouud 

 the low beach surrounding the high rock to consist of sand and pebbles and not of a 

 rocky reef, as I had been led to believe from the appearance of the maps. 



Lieutenant Kolubakine, I. E. K, in charge of the island and commanding the 

 naval guard, met us, and conducted us to the oflBcers' quarters, the uppermost house 

 in the narrow gulch leading up to the plateau. Below this the barracks for the sailors 

 are located, and below these again the building containing the bath and the condenser. 

 The "company's buildings," consisting of a small ramshackle frame hut for the Bering 

 Island natives and a still smaller and more dilapidated salt house propped up with 

 sticks, are located on the beach at the base of the rock farther toward the south end 

 of the island. 



From Lieutenant Kolubakine I learned that the company's steamer Kotik, Capt. 

 0. E. Lindquist, had already been here on the 19th of August, but had not taken the 

 natives or skins off, as contemplated, on account of the small number of skins (200) 

 then obtained, in the hope that it would be possible to increase the catch. The Kotilc 

 had visited the island of St. loma, but no landing could be effected and no seals had 

 been seen there. 



We went at once to the top, of the rock, which we found perfectly smooth and 

 level and nearly devoid of vegetation, to look at the seals, which are located on the 

 other side just opposite the houses. They occupied a very small place, and the whole 

 did not look much bigger than the south rookery on Bering Island. As it was raining 

 hard, a good many were in the water, so that most we saw on shore were pups and 

 some bulls. 



Until this year, I was told, the bachelors used to haul out by themselves near the 

 southern end of the island, but this year there were so few l;hat they mingled with the 

 breeding seals on the rookeries, and both cows and bachelors had to be driven off' 

 the killing grounds and the latter culled out there. The killing grounds are on the 

 grassy flat on the beach at the south extremity of the rock. The carcasses are now 

 buried iu the sand, to prevent them from being thrown up on the beaches. Thus far 

 only 232 skins have been taken, a terrible falling off. 



Lieutenant Kolubakine kindly submitted to my interviewing, and from him I 

 learned the following facts: 



When he! landed on Eobben Island on June 15 (new style), this year (1896), there 

 had only arrived 30 bulls and 1 cow. On June 26 there were about 200 females, and 

 on June 30, 400. At its height the rookery contained 70 bulls and 1,000 cows and 

 bachelors. 



