316 THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



About 1806 Oapt. H. Fanning, in the American ship Catherine, of New York, obtained 

 a full cargo of fur seals at these islands, as did other vessels the same year. At that 

 time the islands were frequented by vast numbers of seals, but definite statistics 

 respecting the number taken are not available.' 



The Orozet Islands are in the same latitude (about 46° south) as Prince Edward 

 Islands and Kerguelen Land, and about half way between these two groups. The 

 first sealer to visit them was Captain' Fanning, in 1805; but, although he found an 

 abundance of fur seals there, he passed on to the Prince Edward group. Later both 

 sea elephants and fur seals were taken in large numbers, seal hunting being carried 

 on here for many years. At Possession Island, the largest of the group, Oapt. Linde- 

 say Brine, R. N., refers to finding, in 1876, "hundreds of seals, which were resting on 

 the damp grass bordering on the stream which at this point enters the sea."^ 



In 1887, according to George Comer (see his affidavit), a sealing party was left by 

 him on these islands for five months, but they took only three seals. The English at 

 Cape Town, says Mr. Comer, had recommended us to go there because, they said, that 

 "formerly they had taken a great number of skins there." 



KERGUELEN LAND. 



This large island, also known as Desolation Island, which lies in the southern 

 Indian Ocean, in about latitude 49° south and in about longitude 69° east, has long been 

 celebrated for the great numbers of sea elephants taken there. It has also furnished 

 a small supply of fur seals. Sealing began here as early as 1830, and has continued 

 till the present time, mainly for sea elephants. Mr. H. M. Moseley, of the Challenger 

 expedition, states that in January, 1874, two of the whaling schooners then at the 

 island " killed over 70 fur seals on one day and upwards of 20 on another at some 

 small islands oft' Howes Foreland. It is a pity," he adds, "that some discretion is 

 not exercised in killing the animals. * * * The sealers in Kerguelen Land kill all 

 they can find." ^ 



Respecting its still more recent history, the following may be cited from the afl- 

 davit of Mr. George Comer, who spent five months there in the winter of 1883 and 

 1884, obtaining six seals. He says further: "About 1850 this island was visited by 



an American who practically cleaned oft' the seals. The captain I shipped with 



Joseph Fuller — visited the island in 1880 and took 3,000 seals — practically all there 

 were — and this was the increase, for thirty years from 1850." Heard Island about 

 300 miles south of Kerguelen Land, which has been a noted hunting ground for sea 

 elephants, appears to have never been much of a fur seal resort. 



BORDERS ISLAND, ANTIPODES ISLANDS, BOUNTY ISLANDS, AUCKLAND ISLANDS ETC. 



About the beginning of the present century the occurrence of fur and hair seals 

 in considerable numbers along the southwestern coast of Australia and in the vicinity 

 of Tasmania and New Zealand was made known by Cook, Bass, Flinders Anson 

 Peron, Eoss, and other early navigators. A little later, stimulated by these reports' 



' Farming's Voyages, pp. 336 and 338. » Notes Ly a naturalist on the Challenqer p 189 



^Geogr. Mag., 1877,p.267. J ' f 



