748 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. McGuire. How long were you there at that time ? 



Mr. Elliott. I remained on the islands from April 21, 1872, until 

 the following year, when I left them, I think, the middle or end of 

 August, 1873, and returned to San Francisco; went over to the 

 department and told them that I had finished my field work on the 

 islands, and that unless I could have a revenue-cutter and extend my 

 surveys outside, I would complete my report, and hand in my resigna- 

 tion as an officer of the Government. 



Mr. McGuire. Just when did you leave the islands? 



Mr. Elliott. In 1873; the middle or end of August. I am not 

 precise about the date, but it was after the skins had all been bun- 

 dled and the company's ship was ready to go down. That can be 

 found; I can ascertain that and get the exact date. 



Mr. McGuire. You were there during the active season of 1872 ? 



Mr. Elliott. And in 1873. I went over and spent the season of 

 1873 on St. George. I might add, in detail, that I left St. Paul Island, 

 I think, on the 1st of June, 1873, and went over, and landed on St. 

 George Island on the 2d of June, and remained there until about the 

 2d, 3d, or 4th of August, and then went back to St. Paul, and came 

 down with the skins on or about August 15, 1873. 



Mr. McGuire. The seals leave the islands during the month of 

 November ? 



Mr. Elliott. As a body, yes; although some are there during the 

 winter — a few hundred. 



Mr. McGuire. What did vou do during the winter of 1872 and 

 1873. 



Mr. Elliott. I worked up the series of field notes I had made 

 during the summer, which, of course, were very voluminous, because 

 I was on the rookeries day and night. I worked them up in detail 

 and prepared them so that I could renew the survey during the com- 

 ing season day and night. I also worked up a series of computations 

 from my base-line bearings which bore on my topographical surveys, 

 which I had partly mapped out during the summer but had not com- 

 pleted. I also finished up a series of some 250 or 300 drawings and 

 water colors, being life studies or pictures of that life. Indeed, I was 

 very busy. 



Mr. McGuire. Did you work principally indoors during that 

 winter ? 



Mr. Elliott. You have got to work indoors; you can not get out 

 and go about much after the middle or end of November at all. 



Mr. McGuire. I understood you to say you were on the rookeries 

 day and night ? 



Mr. Elliott. Why should I be there day and night hi the winter ? 

 I was there only during the breeding season. 



Mr. McGriRE. I see. Now, during the winter time, of course, 

 whatever work you did was indoors? 



Mr. Elliott. It had to be. The object of my spending the win- 

 ter there — the reason why I did not come down and go up again in 

 the spring — was that I wanted to see the last seals leave in November 

 and December and the first ones arrive in the following spring. 

 "When the vessel left in August, of course, that would not do. 



Mr. McGuire. Now, then, when did you return to the Islands? 



Mr. Elliott. Well, as I said, I told the Secretary of the Treasury 

 that unless I could go back with a revenue cutter and extend my 



