FUR SEALS OF GUADALUPE, GALAPAGOS, AND LOBOS ISLANDS. 273 



Abingdon islands. During the long-continued Bering Sea controversy, when all mat- 

 ters pertaining to the world's seal fisheries received a general overhauling, the records 

 of the Galapagos seal fishery were looked up, but no one supposed that the race of 

 seals there had in any degree revived. It was a matter of surprise to those interested in 

 the subject that during the past month (December, 1897) a vessel arrived at San Fran- 

 cisco from the Galapagos with a catch of 224 seals. This shows that the few that 

 had escaped the slaughter of the last voyage, made just ten years before, had reestab- 

 lished themselves on the identical rookeries where Captain Haritwen's catch had been 

 made, and the nucleus of a herd existed there unknown to anyone. There is no doubt 

 that it could have been developed into an important seal fishery if the fact had been 

 discovered in time to prevent its destruction by raiders. It is probable that indi- 

 viduals have escaped this latest slaughter, and that by the protection of the rookeries 

 a fishery could be established. 



PARTIAL BEOOBD OP PUB SEALS TAKEN ON THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. 



1816 : During Fanning's voyage, in 1816, 8,000 seals were taken at the Galapagos 

 Islands. 



1825 : In Morrel's voyage it is recorded that a few seals were taken at the south 

 end of Albemarle Island. 



1872-1880 : Capt. C. W. Eeed made four sealing voyages to the Galapagos Islands 

 between 1872 aud 1880, during which about 6,000 seals were taken. The skins are 

 said to have been less valuable than those from Guadalupe, Santa Rosa, and Santa 

 Gruz islands. 



1879: Capt. W. P. Ifoyes found "more seals than in 1897" (his latest voyage). 



1880: In 1880 the late Capt. Charles Haritwen, of Alameda, Cal., sealed on the 

 Galapagos Islands, taking 261 seals between June 28 and August 30, from Culpepper, 

 Albemarle, ITarborough, Tower, and Wenman islands. Many young pups were seen, 

 which he thought were born in July. Many seals were seen on the southwest side of 

 Wenman, the southeast side of IsTarborough, and the west side of Abingdon islands, 

 but no landings could be effected at these places. The seals taken at Narborough 

 were procured at the northwest point. The fur was poor, the skins selling at $5 each. 



1882 : Captain Haritwen stated that he knew of a vessel which took 800 seals at 

 the Galapagos about 1882. 



1885 : Capt. F, M, Gaffney, in 1885, obtained about 1,000 seals between August 30 

 and December 8. 



1887: Capt. Samuel Smith, of San Francisco, took 1,200 seals from the Galapagos 

 islands about 1887, the skins of which sold for $7 each. 



1897 : Capt. W. P. Noyes, of the schooner Prosper, of San Francisco, visited the 

 Galapagos Islands in 1897, and between July 16 and October 19 secured 224 seals', 139 

 of which were females. Although the log-book records of this voyage state that the 

 seals were procured at distances varying from one-half to 7 miles from shore, the 

 master subsequently stated that some of the animals were killed in caves and else- 

 where on land. The positions given in the log show that the catch was made in the, 

 vicinity of the old sealing localities on the islands above mentioned. These incom- 

 plete records account for 17,485 fur seals killed at the Galapagos Islands, but probably 

 represent only a small proportion of the numbers actually taken. 

 5947— PT 3 18 



