314 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



The history of the South Shetland seal fishery, since this indiscriminate and 

 exterminating slaughter, is thus given by C. A. Williams in his report to a committee 

 of Congress on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, in 1888. 



In 1872, fifty years after the slaughter at the Shetland Islands, the localities before mentioned 

 were all revisited hj another generation of hunters, and in the sixteen years that have elapsed they 

 have searched every beach and gleaned every rock known to their predecessors and found a few 

 secluded and inhospitable places before unknown, and the net result of all their toil and daring for 

 the years scarcely amounted to 45,000 skins; and now not even a remnant remains save on the rocks 

 off the pitch of Cape Horn. The last vessel at South Shetland this year of 1888, after hunting all the 

 group, found only 35 skins, and the last, at Kerguelan Land, only 61, including pnps. So in wretched 

 waste and wanton destruction has gone out forever from the southern seas a race of animals nseful to 

 man and a possible industry connected with them. And it is plain, without the aid of the law to 

 guide and control, no other result could have been expected or attained. 



The narrative is brought down to date by the following testimony from the 

 aflidavit of Capt. James W. Budington : 



The shores of these islands were once covered with seals, but there are practically none there 

 now. I don't think 100 skins could bo taken from there at the present time, while I have known of 

 one vessel taking 60,000 in a season. 



He adds that in the seasoti of 1871-72 six vessels took about 12,000 skins, and 

 that in 1873-74 a fleet of seven vessels took about 5,000. Up to 1880 from 100 to 200 

 were taken annually. Since 1880 the rookeries were not worked until 1888-89, when 

 Captain Budington took 3t) skins, and 1891, 41 skins. 



SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND. 



The island of South Georgia is situated about 300 miles east of Cape Horn, in 

 about latitude 55 degrees south. When the island was first discovered sea elephants 

 and fur seals were abundant on its shores. Capt. Edinund Panning, of the American 

 corvette Astasia, visited this island in 1800 and secured a cargo of 57,000 fur seals, 

 and states that 16 other vessels procured at the same island, between November, 

 1800, and February, 1801, 65,000 fur-seal skins, making a total of 112,000 skins taken 

 there in a single season.' The slaughter continued during the succeeding years until 

 the supply of skins was exhausted, the total number of fur-seal skins taken here 

 during these early years being estimated by Captain Weddell at none less than 

 1,200,000. He also states, writing in 1822: "These animals are now almost extinct."^ 

 During many years following this period of slaughter the island was rarely molested 

 by sealers, but so few seals had been left alive that their increase was very slow. 

 Captain Morrell, iu November, 1822, vainly searched its shores for several days for 

 fur seals.^ Capt. James W. Budington states (affidavit) that on visiting the island in 

 1874 he took 1,450 skins, and that in 1875 five vessels secured 600; the next season 

 (1876) four vessels obtained 110. The island was not worked again till January, 1892, 

 when Captain Budington took 135 fur-seal skins, "none, however, coming from the 

 old rookeries," which had become practically exterminated long before. "The seals 

 of South George," says Captain Budington, "are practically extinct."* 



Mr. George Comer, who visited the island in 1885 and 1886 as mate of a sealing 



' Fanning, Voyages, p. 299. ■ Voyages, p. 53. s Voyages, p. 58. 



■•See also affidavit of Alfred Fraser, of the firm of C. M. Lampson &, Co., London. 



