162 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 



to the rookeries of 1872, in addition to those now there, while the young of last 

 year and the year before are also to be added. This estimate does not include the 

 males under six years of age, these not being allowed on the rookeries by the older 

 males, nor the yearlings. If we now add those frequenting St. George's Island, 

 which number half as many, and make a very liberal discount for those that may 

 be destroyed before reaching maturity, the number is still enormous. It will also 

 be seen that the great importance of the seal-fishery is not to be calculated from 

 the basis of its present yield, since each year adds to its extent, as with proper 

 care the number can be increased until both islands are fully occupied by these 

 valuable animals. 



"Prices Paid for the Skins at the Islands, and their Value in Europe. — The 

 Russian Company allowed the natives the value of ten cents per skin. This was 

 the pay they received for their labor of killing, curing the skins, and delivering 

 them alongside the vessel, ready for- shipment, the company fliiding salt and mag- 

 azines in which to salt them. 



"The parties who took advantage of the interval between the transfer of the 

 territory and the enacting and enforcement of the law of the 27th of July, 1868, 

 to kill and purchase of the natives, paid twenty -seven cents per skin, and had they 

 been allowed to trade the present year, would have bidden forty cents apiece for 

 them. To this is to be added the cost of salt, buildings, and the expense of the 

 agency on shore. Their market value was at that time five dollars, so that, after a 

 liberal allowance for incidental expenses, the profit must be very lai'ge. Previous 

 to 1866, these skins were worth only three dollars each, but, owing to recent 

 improvements in their manufacture, they have become fashionable for ladies' wear, 

 and soon after the transfer of the territory to the United States the jirice rose to 

 seven dollars. At this time, the Russians had one hundred thousand on hand, 

 which were fonvarded to London, the only market for seal -skins in the raw state, 

 and the only place where they are dressed. The different parties which sealed on 

 the islands in the summer following the purchase, took two hundred thousand, 

 which so overstocked the market that they are now [1871] worth only three or 

 four dollars. 



"The agents of the Russian Fur Company aimed to contol this branch of the 

 fur trade in Europe by regulating the supply. To do this they sent orders a year 

 in advance to have such a number killed as in their judgment the market might 

 need, always keeping at the same time one year's supply on hand. At the time of 

 the sale of the temtory, the annual yield was estimated at eighty thousand skins. 

 The opinion of the men who have the speeial care of the seals is, that .\t has 



