GLINKA ROOKERIES, 1882-1883. 



145 



Pv,]ps were present in good proportion. 



The decrease in the yield of this rookery has been considerable. While as far 

 back as 1881 6,500 skins were secured without trouble, it was impossible for the men, 

 in 1895, try as hard as they might, to secure more than 2,000. They were given full 

 swing and encouraged to take as many as possible, though they needed no special 

 encouragement, for the decrease in skins meant a corresponding decrease in food and 

 comfort during the following winter. Moreover, the season was extended to the first 

 week of September, and yet with no better results. Between August 12 and Septem- 

 ber 10 they could scrape together only 188 skins. 



In order to give an idea of the dates and sizes of the drives on this rookery, I give 

 the following table, extracted from Mr. Venning's report (p. 16) : 



Number of skins taken on Karabelnoye rookery, Copper Island, during the summer season of 1893. 



GLINKA EOOKEEIES, 1882-83. (Plate 101.) 



The, capacity of Glinka used to be more than double that of Karabelni, having in 

 good years yielded over 20,000 skins. The best hauling grounds were Palata, Zapadni, 

 and Pestahanaya. but bachelors then hauled out as far as Babinskaya Bukhta in the 

 south and Gorelaya Bukhta in the north. These distant grounds were only drawn 

 upon occasionally, and the grounds between Urili Kamen and Palata Mys furnished 

 the bulk of the skins. Of these Pestshani hauling ground was the most prolific and 

 the handiest, although the driving was very severe before the new salt house was 

 built, and single drives yielding more than 4,000 skins from this place were no 

 exceptions.' 



The principal breeding grounds occupied the inaccessible beach between the Stolbi 

 in Gavarushkaya Bukhta to Palata Mys, comprising Sikatchinskaya and Zapalata, 

 the gully and basin north of Palata, and, finally, the family grounds designated as 

 Zapadni or Zapadni Mys. Palata, to the looker-on coming over the mountains, was 

 probably the most impressive rookery view in the whole Commander Islands group. 

 The solid blackening masses of breeding seals, filling the gully to overflowing and 

 extending under the bluffs and along the beach on both sides, was a sight never to be 

 forgotten. My original sketch, made in 1883 from a prominent point 800 feet above, 

 is appended herewith as plate 62, in order to show the conditions as I found them 

 then. It makes no pretensions at artistic merit, but it is faithful and true.'* 



1 Dr. Slunin reports that in 1887 a drive yielding 6,000 took place from this hauling ground. 



2 In the first edition of this report a later elaboration of this sketch had to be substituted, as the 

 original had been mislaid. The latter, having come to light since, is therefore now reproduced as 

 being more authentic. 



15183— FT 4 10 



