INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 683 

 THE RUSSIAN LITERATURE. 



Our knowledge of the fur seal herd in the very early period of Russian control we 

 owe almost exclusively to the writings of Bishop I. Veniaminov * * * published 

 at St. Petersburg in 1840 * * * Heretofore a partial translation by Mr. Henry W. 

 Elliott has only been available. It appears as an appendix to his monograph beginning 

 at p. 140. The importance of this paper has seemed to justify its- translation as a 

 whole. This has been done by Prof. Raphael Zon, of the Forestry Service, and it is 

 published as an appendix to this report. To it are attached annotations to correct obvious 

 errors and to explain the statements of the Russian bishop in the light of our present knowl- 

 edge. (Italics mine H. W. E.). 



Here you have Mr. Clark gravely telling you that his " authority" 

 is not one in fact — that he feels obliged to "attach annotations" to> 

 correct "obvious errors" of said authority! 



Very well, then, why did he adopt the "errors" of Veniaminov 

 in re " killin g all the four months old pups for the trade" "without 

 discrimination as to sex" annually, and that stupid nonsense of 

 driving all the bulls, cows, and new-born pups up from the rookeries 

 to slaughter by the help of the "women and children" ? 



I made no such use of Veniaminov as an "authority" because he 

 was not one; and moreover, everything could be proved for, or against 

 the indiscriminate killing of seals by his writings. 



Following that quotation in re killing gray pups, is made by Venia- 

 minov — Prof. Zon's translation and cited above. Mr. Clark says: 



At page 19 of Zon's MS., which is page 360 of the Zapieskie article, occur these 

 words: 



' ' Some years in September young pups form large pods and congregate in special 

 places, and lie so carelessly that they all can be driven off without leaving a single 

 one behind. Such pods are very advantageous for the trade, but are most ruinous- 

 for the increase of the herd." 



That extract is correctly quoted; but Veniaminov had in mind 

 the yearlings, or pups of last year, which he finds this" year hauled 

 out on the hauling grounds, just as I saw them by the tens and tens 

 of thousands, hauled out in 1872. 



Following the subject, Mr. Clark says: 



At page 26 of Zon's MS., which is page 364 of the Zapieskie article, occurs the- 

 following: 



"As soon as they are rested, the killing is begun with clubs. Small pups which were 

 born the same summer, are killed without discrimination, both males and females." 



This extract as just quoted above, and correctly, proves that 

 Veniaminov has the yearlings of the current season, and the pups 

 born in it, all driven up together and killed "without discrimination,, 

 both males and females! " 



That he was writing in a fog of his own making, and not correctly, 

 as above cited, and not telling the truth, Veniaminov himself admits 

 in the following quotation of his own writing, and which Dr. Jordan 

 publishes in the final report of Fur Seal Investigations, to wit: I 

 have this to say in my statement (p. 185; Hearing No. 1, Oct. 13,. 

 1913, H. Cora. Exp. Dept. Commerce): 



On page 25, Fur Seal Investigation, Part I, 1898, under head of the "Company's 

 management," he says: 



"At once, upon assuming control of the islands, the Russian American company put 

 a stop to the ruthless slaughter which threatened the fur-seal herds with destruction. 

 They still continued to kill males and females alike. The injury to the 

 herd naturally continued. * * *" 



