228 THE ASIATIC FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 



bulls, and five years' prohibition would bring about the same deplorable condition as 

 on Copper Island ; in fact, the results would be more disastrous, for the nature of the 

 rookery beach on Bering Island is much less favorable to the pups in protecting them 

 from being trampled to death. 



To sum up, a zapuska as contemplated would result in (1) no addition of a single 

 female to the herd; (2) loss in the total number of killables; (3) highly injurious 

 overstocking of the rookeries with fighting males, and (4) a consequent heavy loss of 

 young pups killed shortly after birth. 



A zapuska without total, stoppage of pelagic sealing would be even more senseless 

 as the females would continue to decrease at a much greater rate than the males, more 

 females than males being killed at sea, and the resultant overstocking of the rookeries 

 with bulls would be even more disproportionate and more disastrous. 



That these considerations are not mere fanciful theories is plainly shown by our 

 experience on the Pribilof Islands. As soon as the falling off in the catch of the 

 bachelors called attention to the decrease of the seal herd a halt was called; the killing 

 on land was reduced to a minimum. The temporary officials were then under the 

 same erroneous impression as the Russian authorities now, viz, that the calamity 

 consisted in the decrease of the bachelors, and they overlooked that it was the females, 

 and they only, that needed being looked after. For several years only a fraction of 

 the killable seals was allowed to be taken. What was the result ? A single additional 

 female on the rookeries ? No ; loss to the lessees and the Government of the bachelors 

 spared; a corresponding gain to the pelagic sealers; a deplorable superabundance of 

 bulls on the Pribilof rookeries, and numerous pups trampled to death soon after their 

 birth. America has thus paid very dearly for her blunder. Are the Russians going 

 to repeat it? 



It is quite possible that they may quote the example of Robben Island. Thus, in 

 1891, only 450 skins were taken; theu, in 1892, none; but in 1893, 1,500. Apart from 

 the fact that raiding on land took place, I will only call attention to the fact that until 

 within the last couple of years the killing on Robben Island was not so rigidly 

 restricted to the males as is usual on the other rookeries. 



Finally, it may be said against me that I have formerly favored a " total prohibition 

 of killing on land one year."' It must be remembered that the recommendation in 

 question was penned in 1895. At that time the number of males on Bering Island was 

 more disproportionate than at present; consequently it seemed more desirable to 

 increase the number of bulls. At that time we did not have the experience from the 

 south rookery, which shows that a much smaller number of males is suflcient than 

 has hitherto been held possible. 



I may add that the recommendation was made upon the supposition of a temporary 

 suspension of pelagic sealing only, and that it was thought necessary to make some 

 such concession to the pelagic sealer in order to obtain this suspension. Since 1895 

 we have learned a great deal, and progress is only possible if we recognize and renounce 

 our past mistakes. 



It can now be asserted with certainty that a zapuska of five years, or of one year, 

 will retard the rehabilitation of the rookeries not only for so many years as the zapuska 

 lasts, but until the blunder be corrected by a Wholesale killing off of the superfluous 

 bulls resulting at the end of the zapuska. 



1 Russian Fur-Seal Islands, p. 136. 



