422 INVESTIGATION" OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



that the fur seal is a creature wholly of 

 instinct, and is not able to adjust itself 

 to any new conditions which prevent it 

 from following the course crystallized into 

 habit by generations of reiterated action. 

 The theory of herding these seals involved 

 the necessity of confining them in places 

 which, under normal conditions, they 

 would never frequent, and for this reason 

 could not be put into successful practice. 

 The result of the in closure of seals was 

 disastrous. The animals were impounded 

 by thousands. Once inside of the in- 

 closure, finding their return to the rook- 

 eries impeded, the animals began follow- 

 ing the inside line of fence, searching for 

 egress. A path 20 feet wide inside the 

 entire length of lagoon fence was worn 

 bare of vegetation by these traveling seals. 

 This movement was continued until many 

 died of exhaustion. Over 20 carcasses 

 were picked up in one day. They also 

 • fell into holes, from which they could not 



extricate themselves, and perished. 



That greater numbers of these impris- 

 oned animals did not die was due solely 

 to the fact that they could not be confined 

 in these inclosures over a day or two. 

 Some climbed over the fence, displaying 

 considerable agility in so doing; others, 

 by main strength, tore holes in the stout 

 wire netting and so escaped ; others took 

 advantage of depressions in the ground 

 and forced their way out under the fence. 

 I saw one great bull insert Ms nose among 

 the wire meshes and by a magnificent dis- 

 play of the wonderful power of his neck 

 muscles tear the wire as though it were 

 rotten yarn. Emerging through the 

 opening thus made, and catching sight 

 of his comrades on the inside of the fence, 

 he as readily tore another bole through 

 the netting and stupidly rejoined his 

 fellows on the inside. Had the wire net- 

 ting been a tight board fence, the efforts 

 of the imprisoned seals to escape would 

 have resulted in the death, through ex- 

 haustion, of all confined. 



These attempts at incarceration were 

 carried on through several years, resulting 

 in every case in the death of some animals 

 imprisoned and the early escape of the 

 remainder by their own efforts. 



These facts outlined above have been 

 reported to the department heretofore 

 only by word of mouth, owing to a reluc- 

 tance on the part of the agents to furnish 

 any documentary evidence which could 

 be used by Great Britain in any future 

 arbitration proceedings that the death of 

 seals was due in any way to methods prac- 

 ticed on land outside of the regular killing 

 of bachelors. (Hearing No. 14 pp. 945, 

 946. July 27, 1912, H. Com. Exp. Dept. 

 C. and L.) 



